What Happened to Chief Boden on ‘Chicago Fire’? Meet His Replacement at Fire Station 51

There’s a new chief in town. When Season 13 returns, fans will notice the absence of one of Firehouse 51’s beloved original members: Chief Boden. So what happened to Chief Boden and who will replace him this season? Here’s everything you need to know to catch up.

In May, media reported that original cast member Eamonn Walker was leaving Chicago Fire After 12 seasons, a source told Deadline that Boden’s character is “still alive and well” and that Walker is “expected to return to the series in a recurring capacity in the future.”

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At the time, we didn’t know how Chicago Fire would write the original cast member, who has been a mainstay of the series since its inception in 2012. The procedural has seen numerous cast departures over the years, most recently Kara Killmer, who left her role as Sylvie Brett in Episode 6, and Alberto Rosende, who exited as Blake Gallo in the Season 12 premiere.

Chicago Fire Season 13 is set to pick up right where Season 12 left off, with Chief Boden stepping down as Fire Chief of Station 51. With the new chief in place, the team will likely face the challenge of adjusting to his leadership. Here’s what you need to know about Boden’s departure last season and who will replace him.

What happened to Chief Boden in Chicago fire?

In the Season 12 finale, Chief Boden left his position as Fire Chief of Station 51 to become the CFD’s deputy commissioner. Although he was initially reluctant to take the job, Boden changed his mind when he learned that the department was in jeopardy due to the candidacy of Paramedic Chief Robinson (Laura Allen). Robinson wanted to replace the old generation of firefighters with a new wave of recruits.

Last season marked Eamonn Walker’s final appearance as a series regular. Showrunner Andrea Newman has previously said Insider TV that Boden’s departure was a natural progression for the character’s story.

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“Boden has had to deal with a lot of changes at home (with his stepson James) and at 51, and he’s learned a lot in the process, including about himself,” Newman told the site on May 19. “A shocking incident in the finale will highlight what it means to him to be a leader, and everyone close to him will be deeply impacted by the decision he makes.”

Who is Chef Boden’s replacement, Chef Pascal, in Chicago Fire?

NBC announced that Dermot Mulroney has been tapped to replace Boden for the upcoming season of Chicago Fire. Mulroney will play Dom Pascal, a veteran Chicago firefighter who has worked as a fire chief in Miami for ten years. Pascal now returns to Chicago to take on the job. Pascal is separated from his wife, Monica, which will play a role in his storylines this season.

Newman hinted that Boden’s replacement will shake things up this season. “What happened to get him (Pascal) here is revealed in the premiere,” she explained. He’s a completely different type of leader than Boden, who was a father figure by the time he left the house.

She added that Pascal “is enigmatic, he wants to peel back the layers of firefighters to learn more about them as firefighters and as people, because for him, knowledge is power. He keeps an eye out for people who cross the line.”

Will Chef Boden return in Chicago Fire Season 13?

The good news is that Chief Boden is expected to return in Season 13 in a recurring capacity. Andrea Newman has confirmed that Walker will appear in Season 13, but not immediately.

“We have a mantra,” Newman told TVInsider, “we say once in the 51, always in the 51. That’s especially true for Boden because he’s still in the CFD. So yeah, we plan on seeing him, but not right away.”

Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET on NBC. New episodes will air the following day on Peacock.