Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 21's ending sets the stage for a new chief to replace Firehouse 51's Chief Dom Pascal (Delmot Mulroney) after he is linked to a major road accident. Chief Pascal entered the latest season of the One Chicago series on NBC with much emotional baggage, primarily due to his troubled relationship with his wife, Monica.
As a replacement for the well-renowned Chief Boden, the crew of Firehouse 51 (and the fans) didn't exactly give him the warm welcome he needed. Still, as the season progressed, Chief Pascal slowly became close with the team until a tragic accident made him distant again.
Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 15 ended with the death of Monica Pascal after a car accident, sending Chief Pascal into a downward spiral as he tried to navigate his grief. This included blaming the other driver in the accident, with him even threatening the guy at one point.
Things took a significant turn in Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 21, after the crew responded to a car crash where the victim was Robert Franklin, the same driver in the accident that killed Monica Pascal.
Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) spearheaded the investigation, and he found out that it was attempted murder. As he dug deep into it, Chief Pascal became a potential suspect, considering there was no one to confirm his alibi that he was home alone during the accident. What made matters worse is that the evidence found by forensics is from the Chicago Fire Department.
However, it was revealed that Pascal was being framed, and it had something to do with his past stint in Miami. Pascal told Severide that his former battalion chief, Hendricks, was dirty since he worked with the mob.
Pascal gathered enough evidence to implicate Hendricks, but it affected his marriage with Monica since she feared for her life, which is why she left Miami.
This is why Pascal moved to Chicago: to fix his marriage, but it all went downhill after Monica died (read more about Chicago Fire's emotional tribute to Monica Pascal).
The episode ended with Chief Pascal in handcuffs, and the crew of Firehouse 51 was clearly devastated.
Still, before that, Chief Pascal appeared to have accepted his fate, with him seemingly giving the reins of Firehouse 51 to Captain Herrmann (David Eigenberg), telling him, "There’s a chance you’re taking over the big office sooner than we expected."
Aside from the current circumstances, what made things awkward during the exchange between Herrmann and Chief Pascal in the episode was that he needed him to write a recommendation letter to further cement his promotion as Battalion Chief.
Will Captain Herrmann Replace Chief Pascal in Chicago Fire?
As a veteran firefighter and longtime cast member of Chicago Fire, Christopher Herrmann has probably seen it all, making him an ideal candidate to take over as Chief of Firehouse 51.
Unlike Chief Pascal, who is new to the firehouse, Herrmann's familiarity with the crew (in both their personal and professional lives) will allow him to become a better and well-equipped leader for 51 once the issues with Pascal have been sorted out.
While there is a good chance that Severide will pull through and help Pascal get out of this mess in the Chicago Fire Season 13 finale, the emotional turmoil of losing his wife and being framed could prove to be too much for him. This could be why he told Herrmann to get ready, meaning that he is at peace with the idea of him leaving, whatever the results may be.
By having Chief Pascal's blessing and potentially passing the Chief's test, a looming promotion for Herrmann is in the cards in the Season 13 finale.
