‘Chicago Fire’ Boss Explains Stellaride’s Shocking News in Season 14 Premiere

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere, “Kicking Down Doors.”]

Chicago Fire kicks off its new season with devastating news for Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Severide (Taylor Kinney) in the Wednesday, October 1, premiere, only to end it with a surprising development. It also sets up Ritter’s (Daniel Kyri) exit and introduces 51’s newest firefighter, Vasquez (Brandon Larracuente).

At the beginning of the premiere, Kidd and Severide learn she lost the baby, but they’re surprised to, at the end of it, find their social worker, Terry (Joe Daru), waiting outside 51 to tell them of a teen being removed from a group home with nowhere to go. Meanwhile, Ritter finds out his ex-boyfriend Dwayne (Samuel B. Jackson) was shot on the job in New York — they’ve stayed in touch — and rushes to his hospital bedside. And Truck’s newest member, Vasquez, rubs Kidd the wrong way (like acting without waiting for orders), but Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) tells her he’s not going anywhere. Plus, Mouch (Christian Stolte) is now a lieutenant, but Herrmann (David Eigenberg) reluctantly only agrees to share his office. The premiere also explains Carter (Jake Lockett) and Damon’s (Michael Bradway) absences: The former did leave, and he and Violet (Hanako Greensmith) are giving each other space to move on, while the latter transferred.