NBC Crowns Boden’s TRUE Chicago Fire Replacement A Year After His Exit

A little over a year after Eammon Walker’s shock departure, NBC finally crowns Chief Wallace Boden’s replacement in Chicago Fire. The One Chicago franchise is gearing up for the newest TV cycle with a slew of new faces joining various teams. Similar to the last couple of years, Firehouse 51 has undergone some personnel changes during the off-season.

hat said, no exit has had a bigger impact than Boden’s. Granted that Walker’s Chicago Fire departure resulted in a promotion for his character, losing him has left Firehouse 51 without a default leader. That’s about to change, however.

Chicago Fire Season 14 Trailer Confirms Dom Pascal As The New Official Leader Of Firehouse 51

Dermot Mulroney as Dom Pascal in Chicago Fire season 13.Custom Image by Milica Djordjevic

NBC has released a new One Chicago trailer that offers snippets of what to expect from Firehouse 51, Intelligence, and Gaffney. Interestingly, however, the clip opens with a speech from Dermot Mulroney’s Chief Dom Pascal. On paper, the character filled the spot that Boden vacated in the firehouse. However, he was far from the leader that his predecessor was in Chicago Fire season 13.

The transition from Boden’s time to Pascal’s was tumultuous. Aside from the skepticism that came from Kelly Severide and everyone else about their new boss, he was also dealing with a dangerous past that led to the death of his wife. Boden choosing Christopher Herrmann as his successor added another wrinkle in what was already a complicated situation.

After everything that they have been through in Chicago Fire season 13, however, it appears as if Pascal is finally Boden’s worthy replacement in the aforementioned trailer. To make it better, he clearly now has the rest of the team behind him, which further solidifies his place as Firehouse 51’s new leader.

Why It Took So Long For Pascal To Become Boden’s True Replacement

Chicago Fire Severide and Chief Boden looking skeptical

Admittedly, replacing Boden would have always been tricky. In an ideal world, he would still be Firehouse 51’s leader, simply because he was so good at it. He was the perfect chief to a close-knit team. NBC knew that whoever would succeed him would have to earn that spot, and Chicago Fire spent the whole of season 13 doing that.

Coming into Chicago Fire season 14, however, Pascal is finally the kind of leader that Severide and the rest of the team can trust. While he isn’t Boden, he’s formidable, principled, and loyal — all hallmarks of his predecessor. Regardless of what happens to Herrmann’s bid to be Firehouse 51’s leader, for now, Pascal will do.