'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQH/8QAIBAAAgICAAcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAEQMEBRIhIzFBUf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDNl1jxTRXutizIpXm8+7Iu/gqSHQyKSA6UOguIksmmf//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chicago Fire Season 14 introduces us to Brandon Larracuente's Sal Vasquez. Vasquez is the new firefighter who is replacing Jake Lockett's Sam Carver, who exited the series in the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale, as the character decides to start a new life in Denver for sobriety. His move was one of the more bittersweet moments of the previous season's finale. Showrunner Andrea Newman addressed Carver's exit in an NBC Insider interview:
"Carver is really on a journey of his own that he's been on for a while, and we wanted to portray that in a realistic way. Not kind of make it too sweet and easy, what he's going through. So what he's going through is a lot."
His debut in the Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere, Kicking Down Doors, was met with not that big acknowledgment from the characters, because of the events in the episode. That being said, his introduction unfortunately repeats a pattern.
On the surface, Chicago Fire Season 14's Sal Vasquez might be going through the same thing that new characters went through in the past:
The Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere introduced Brandon Larracuente's Sal Vasquez as a cocky and arrogant man who has taken over Sam Carver's position as the driver of Truck 81 in Firehouse 51. As mentioned earlier, he couldn't form a bond with the people working in Firehouse 51, as almost everyone is focused on a car burglary that has gone horribly wrong.
He does interact with Lieutenant Stella Kidd, but Vasquez doesn't make a good impression on her when she says that Carver was a great truck driver, to which he responds that he is better. Later, she also chastises Vasquez for his reckless driving as they are heading towards the scene of the car burglary. He shrugs her criticism off, causing her to look into him deeper, and she doesn't like what she uncovers.
His character is similar to Sam's, as he was introduced back in season 11, and Carver also ruffled Kidd's feathers when he joined Firehouse 51. Furthermore, the two were batchmates in the fire academy and shared history, which added to their tension. Moreover, the writers of the series did something similar when they replaced Otis with Gallo back in the eighth season.
However, there's enough for season 14's Vasquez to break the pattern for a new character in the series.
Chief Pascal reveals that Vasquez HAS to be in Firehouse 51:
The first episode of Chicago Fire Season 14 sets up an intriguing mystery. Stella looks into Vasquez and takes her findings to Chief Pascal. Pascal tells Kidd that for now, he can tell her only one thing. The information that he gave her being the Firehouse 51 job was Vasquez's only hope. This scene sets up a mystery that the future episodes of the fourteenth season will answer.
"After the emotional highs and jaw-dropping heartbreaks of Chicago Fire Season 13, viewers can expect some gripping drama in the series' next chapter. Some firefighters are starting families, some are making massive career moves, others are trying to find their footing at a new station amid squad shake-ups. Along the way, Season 14 promises adrenaline, heart, and more of the jaw-dropping rescues that have kept fans glued to their screens for over a decade."
Trending
Find out how Vasquez's story plays out by catching Chicago Fire Season 14 on NBC as new episodes air on Wednesdays every week.
Reply
