Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) had a rough season 11 on Chicago Fire. She’s handled the lieutenant role with aplomb, but there’s been a string of personal setbacks that’ve led to some unpleasant situations. There’s been her tense dynamic with Sam Carver (Jake Lockett), and his arrest after he tried to defend her from a stalker.
There’s also been a lack of communication with her husband, Severide (Taylor Kinney), ever since he left town for an arson investigation program. Kidd deserves a break, so let’s get into what we can expect to see from her in season 12.
Is Miranda Rae Mayo coming back to Chicago Fire?
For one, clarity between her and Severide. The latter graduated from his program, and gone on to handle an ATF investigation elsewhere in the country without telling his wife about any of it. If it weren’t for Cruz (Joe Minoso) having a friend in the training program, Kidd would have never even found out.
Kidd is definitely hurt by the fact that her husband has been keeping things from her, and she is going to have to get some answers as to why it happened. Granted, the Chicago Fire writing team is still unsure as to when (or if) Taylor Kinney will return, but past a certain point, they are going to have to prioritize the story and not the actors offscreen. Kidd needs answers, and it’s safe to assume that she will get them in the upcoming season.
The situation with Carver is a bit more ambiguous. Kidd has a strong bond with the firefighter, especially after they got blown up together, but there’s a tension that underlines even scenes where they’re getting along.
Kidd seems to recognize the fact that when she was in danger, and Severide was nowhere to be found, Carver was the person she called. This seems to fuel a guilt in her, which will be hopefully be explored further in future episodes. At the very least, we hope Carver doesn’t get arrested again.
All signs point to season 12 being a crucial season for Kidd. Her marriage will either be rejuvenated or it will fall apart as she continues to lead the 51. It may not be fun for her, but it will surely make for exciting TV. We can’t wait.