Warning! Major spoilers ahead for the Season 14 finale of Chicago Fire, streaming now with a Peacock subscription.
It’s finale season on the 2026 TV schedule, which means it's time for many shows to end on wild cliffhangers that will leave us wondering over the summer. Unfortunately, in Chicago Fire’s case, there was indeed a cliffhanger during the Season 14 finale, and it was not a good one. Now, the series might be in for another shakeup as many characters were left in serious danger, but I’m most worried about two specific people.
The finale, “Thank You,” took viewers back and forth between a call that all of 51 was on and hours before the disaster. All that fans knew of the call was that it was serious, so much so that our beloved firefighters had to fall back. When the time came for the call, it was all hands on deck at a warehouse. Squad 3 and Engine took to doing search and rescue while finding the source of the fire, as Truck was on the roof trying to vent it. Unfortunately, there was black smoke, indicating the building was going to go up, and it was too late. Now, multiple characters are trapped, and it seems like they might not all make it out alive. So who’s actually in danger and who isn’t?
Why I Think Cruz And Herrmann Are In Danger
Truck was trying to get back on the rig before the explosion, but as they were going down the ladder, the building went up in flames, and everyone on the ladder was engulfed in the fire. Engine and Squad, meanwhile, were trapped in the structure and put out a Mayday call. Obviously, there are a lot of characters to worry about, but Cruz and Herrmann are the two I'm the most concerned for.
Cruz found out that Chloe is expecting twin girls, and he was in the structure when it went up in flames. As for Herrmann, he and Cindy just renewed their vows and are in the process of rebuilding their home following the fire. Sadly, he was on the roof and was engulfed in flames on the ladder. All this is to say, I've seen too many characters die after their happiest moments, to not be concerned by these facts. And with Herrmann also just saying he doesn’t know how much longer he’ll be a firefighter, I can't help but worry the most for these two.
Why I Think Severide, Kidd, and Mouch Are Safe
The other three characters who are in pretty serious danger are Severide and Mouch, who were in the structure, and Kidd, who was on the ladder. However, I'm theorizing that they'll all be safe.
Ahead of the finale on Wednesday, Deadline revealed that Taylor Kinney and Miranda Rae Mayo signed new deals, meaning they will be back for Season 15 this fall. That's good, considering all that they've been through. It also makes me think that they'll make it out of this disaster alive.
Mouch, meanwhile, is thinking about signing a book deal for his fiction work, Sheets on Fire, from years ago. He wasn’t sure about it, but he talked to Herrmann, who was more than happy, even though Mouch’s memoir about them was what he wanted. Plus, he just made lieutenant. So, I'll be shocked if his story ends at the start of next season.
It should be pointed out that for Cruz, Chicago Fire briefly showed Chloe, while it did the same thing for Herrmann with Cindy, Mouch with Platt, and Severide and Kidd with their former foster son Isaiah, who wants to live with them.
At this point, it could still be anyone’s guess as to who could die and who could survive, and even if they all do survive, which is the hope, it can be assumed this cliffhanger will have a deep impact on their lives. Unfortunately, fans will just have to wait until the fall to find out when Season 15 premieres.
