Hermann and Joe Cruz (Joe Miñoso) do everything in their power to calm Holly and tend to Trevor’s broken leg, all while trying to radio

out for help. The intensity of the episode was centered around a real fear and the terror built aound the traumatic situation. Things

continue to get worse. Between smoke seeping in, causing Holly to panic and electrocute herself, and a near-fire starting inside the shaft,

 

 

Chicago Fire expertly mastered an intense situation while exploring and developing character arcs. On the bright side, Holly and Trevor bonded over their shared trauma, agreeing to a date after they are cared for.

Leave it to the season finale for things to get intense! Especially when it’s tied to a cliffhanger. In the Season 7 finale, the show gives viewers some glimpses of romance, just enough to make you feel potential heartbreak by the end. While working on the arson case, Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) and firefighter Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) rekindle their romance. Captain Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer) begins to develop feelings for paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), only to learn that she is already engaged to Chaplain Kyle Sheffield (Teddy Sears). But nothing really matters when everyone’s lives are put at risk due to a massive fire at a mattress factory.

 

 

Between the scramble to save the day and realizing it was too late to the certainty of tragedy looming around the corner, the episode ended with a true adrenaline rush. Watching your favorites grapple with the face of death, as some are humbly willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. It’s what keeps fans coming back. With Truck 81 and Squad 3 members inside, viewers were forced to wait months before they learned the fates of the individuals inside. It’s one of the most intense cliffhangers of any finale, as no one truly knew what the end result would be, especially with the faces of terror on some of our favorites. Of course, we will learn the major casualty comes at the start of Season 8 with the death of firefighter Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov) in the line of duty.

The men and women of Firehouse 51 are accustomed to situations beyond their control. But they are trained to control the tempers. In this Season 5 episode, the fire and rescue squads are put in a situation out of their control that they should never have been put in. After becoming hostages to a group of armed gang members during a turf war, a tense situation unravels. In hopes of de-escalating the situation, everyone tries their hardest to maintain composure with guns pointed at them. Though not necessarily thankful, Gabi Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Sylvie are called out to a call, which means everyone inside is at risk to the whims of their invaders.

With Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) trying to keep everyone calm, it’s Severide, the only one accounted for, trying to save the day behind the scenes. The tension of the hostage situation highlights the Firehouse 51 family, revealing other facets of their characters. With escapes, gunfire, and near fatalities, this episode of Chicago Fire brought viewers on a whole new journey. The heroes become the victims. The story is one of gang violence, something that plagues the real-life city, bringing the show to that reality it’s known for.

There is little more heartbreaking than watching a child learn about the loss of a parent. Sometimes the intensity of an episode isn’t based on a catastrophic event; it might surround the emotional breakdown of a fan-favorite character. Severide had a seemingly simple task. While watching Detective Bianca Holloway’s (Jenny Mollen) son, JJ (Maxwell Jenkins), as she is set to testify at a trial, Severide is pushed to a test when he learns that the boy’s mother was shot and killed.

Knowing how heartbreaking the news will be for the young boy, Severide protects JJ from the pain of the news before his aunt can come. Part of the emotional intensity comes while watching Severide and the rest of the Firehouse 51 crew react when JJ mentions his mom. The episode is an emotional gut-punch that pushes Chicago Fire into those tissue-box-finishing television moments.

With the success of Chicago Fire leading to a second season order, the show was able to push the boundaries of intensity for the Season 2 finale. The main event focuses on a burning boarding school that wreaks havoc for the firefighters. As the crew sweeps the floor, it’s the discovery of a charred body of your young child that pushes Severide to a new emotional level. Why? It was one of the rooms that he had cleared. Thankfully, the victim survives, but it rattles Severide so much that he seeks distraction from the trauma. So that’s the intense moment, right? Wrong. Y’all, this is the season finale.

As Boden and Donna Boden decide to wed at the firehouse, Casey pops the question to Dawson. So, one might think Season 2 is going to leave viewers with a happy ending. Well, before she can answer, the alarm sounds, with the squad racing to a minor fire. With the Chief staying back as the crew deals with the fire, silence pervades the air as Severide suddenly issues a pullback warning right before the building explodes. Boden calls out on the radio to earn no response. The Season 2 finale gave viewers the trauma of who might not make it out alive by the time Season 3 rolls around. Unfortunately, the only one not to survive the blast is revealed to be paramedic Leslie Shay (Lauren German). This episode reminds fans that you can’t have happiness in the end. Chicago Fire must have a trauma sandwich, destruction at the end, and joy smack in the middle.