In Chicago Med's latest episode, Dr. Mitchell Ripley's downward spiral takes center stage as concerns about his looming exit become real.
Dr. Ripley (Luke Mitchell), a physician at Gaffney's Emergency Department, has had quite a troublesome journey in NBC's medical drama series Chicago Med.
In Chicago Med's Season 9 finale, Ripley was accused of beating up a man named Pawel at the bar. The investigation in Season 10, Episode 2 revealed that it was Ripley's longtime friend, Sully, who assaulted the man.
It turns out that Sully has a terminal illness, which is why Ripley initially took the fall for him. However, after Sully dies in Season 10, Episode 10, Ripley's grief takes over and leads to bad choices.
Is Dr. Ripley Leaving Chicago Med? Luke Mitchell Departure Speculation
Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 13 unveiled what's next for Dr. Mitchell Ripley after he picked a fight with a random man outside a bar in the final moments of Season 10, Episode 12.
In an unexpected twist, the same man is brought inside the emergency room by his wife after he has difficulty breathing. The doctor assigned to the man is Dr. Frost, but Dr. Ripley takes a special interest in his case because he knows deep down that it's his fault the patient is there.
Throughout the patient's treatment, Dr. Frost and Dr. Ripley butt heads. Frost wants to remove the man's kidney to save his life, but Ripley pulls rank by playing it conservatively and going through embolization to stop the bleeding.
Ultimately, Ripley's plan fails, and it comes to the point that they need to open the patient's chest to save his life. Feeling guilty, Ripley wants to do it himself after he admits out loud that it's his fault that the patient is there.
Frost advises him to step aside because he believes Ripley is out of line, eventually pushing him out to take over.
While the patient is expected to fully recover, the episode ends with Dr. Goodwin (who almost exited the series earlier due to being targeted by a killer in Chicago Med Season 10) being forced to suspend Ripley without pay until further notice.
Goodwin also tells him that a formal investigation and a hearing will soon happen to figure out what's next for Ripley.
Although Ripley understands the consequences, Goodwin then points out that she will recommend that the board terminate him for his actions, suggesting she has had enough of his reckless behavior.
The ending leaves Ripley's fate in the air, leading fans to speculate on whether he will be absent in the series moving forward.
NBC Confirms Ripley's Fate in Chicago Med's New Synopsis
While little is known about Dr. Ripley's future, his professional prospects at Gaffney Medical Center are not looking good after what Goodwin is expected to recommend to the medical board.
NBC (via Rotten Tomatoes) confirmed that the series is not done yet with Ripley's story since he is slated to return in Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 15.
In the upcoming episode, the synopsis reveals that Ripley will be involved in a rescue mission involving a woman and her daughter trapped in an abandoned well:
"Ripley struggles to rescue a woman and her daughter trapped in an abandoned well; an old friend from Frost's TV days shadows Maggie; Asher discovers an extremely rare condition in her patient's ultrasound."
Based on this new information, it seems that Ripley's life outside Gaffney will take the spotlight instead, which makes sense considering that he will still be suspended during Season 10, Episode 15.
The upcoming episode may dive deep into the formal investigation involving Ripley, and this could be where a final decision about his fate at Gaffney (and ultimately, Chicago Med) could be revealed.
While Ripley may end up saving the woman and her daughter from the abandoned well, this heroic act could not be enough to persuade the medical board to bring him back in.
At the end of the day, Ripley may join the other characters who previously departed Chicago Med.
New episodes of Chicago Med Season 10 are released every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and stream the next day on Peacock.
