'Chicago Fire' season 8: How the possible death of the main character could affect Firehouse 51
Paramedic Leslie Shay was one of the characters who was present when Dick Wolf's 'Chicago Fire' first premiered on NBC. The show went on to expand its franchise to the successful 'Chicago P.D' and 'Chicago Med', and the one-season 'Chicago Justice'. It's safe to say that the characters became household names and Leslie Shay was one of the viewers' favorite characters. In the season 2 finale, after a major explosion, viewers were left guessing as to the fates of firefighters Kelly Severide and Matthew Casey, as well as paramedics Gabriela Dawson and Leslie Shay. When the show came back for season 3, we found out it was Leslie Shay who died after a pipe struck her on the head.
The season 7 finale of the show similarly ended on a cliffhanger with most of Firehouse 51 inside a factory with a raging fire and a boiler set to explode. From the previews for the season 8 premiere, it looks like we might be losing another member of the house, this time a firefighter. While there have been other deaths on the show, none have had the impact that Shay's death did. Dawson was wracked with guilt as she revealed that she had exchanged places with Leslie and that it should have been her who should have been under the pipe. Shay and Dawson were quite close as well, just before they went into the building, Dawson told Shay that Casey had proposed to her with Shay replying that the two would be great together. Dawson who wanted to be a firefighter sticks around as a paramedic because of her guilt and was one till her exit in the season 7 premiere.
Shay's death affected Severide the most - the two were best friends and were even thinking of having a child together. While Severide and Shay had their ups and downs, before they go into the building they let each other know that they loved each other (as friends). Severide is deeply affected by her death and in the following season, he even considers leaving the firehouse but didn't ultimately. It did cause the relationship between him and Erin Lindsay from 'Chicago P.D.' as he tried to mourn Shay in his own way.
The viewers were devastated as well and many still comment on how Shay should not have died. The character's death sparked a lot of criticism for the show's writers leaning into the "Dead Lesbian Syndrome" for killing off the one openly gay character they had as a regular on the show.
If another major character were to die in the season 8 premiere, it would be five years since Shay's death and it certainly would affect the close-knit crew. Many fans of the show are saying the firefighter who dies could be among Mouch, Cruz, Otis, or Hermann - all of them have been around since season 1 and are adored by fans. Should one of them die, it will weigh heavily on everyone from the firehouse. Additionally, Casey, who is now Captain, could be carrying the guilt for it on himself as well and this could potentially define the first half of the season for the character.
Derek Haas, the showrunner for 'Chicago Fire', better prepare for a lot of ire to come his way should a character die. Viewers are already upset with the preview hinting at the death and are not prepared to lose another favorite, even if it has been five years since the last. But, realistically, fans should prepare themselves for casualties from a show that is about the lives of brave men and women who risk their lives every day.
'Chicago Fire' Season 8 will premiere on NBC on September 25th, 2019.
