Warning! Spoilers ahead for Chicago Fire season 13, episode 21.Ahead of Sam Carver and Darren Ritter’s exit, Chicago Fire season 13, episode 21, “The Bad Guy” effectively writes out 1 character. The One Chicago franchise is not new to cast leaving throughout its more than a decade on the air. As ensemble procedures, Dick Wolf knows that actor rotations are part of what keeps his show fresh and long running. That said, it would be an understatement to say that the last few years have been tumultuous at Firehouse 51, considering everyone that has left for various reasons.

The Chicago Fire season 12 finale saw the biggest departure of the show thus far. Chief Boden leaves Firehouse 51 after a surprise promotion that will elevate his position in the CFD. Before that, Sylvie Brett and Blake Gallo also left. Between those and the weekly cast rotations as a cost-cutting ploy, it’s sometimes difficult to remember which characters are still in the show. As it approaches the end of the year, Chicago Fire is once again losing 2 characters — Ritter and Carver. However, before their exits, the first-responder procedural sneaks in another departure in “The Bad Guy.”

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Violet & Flynn Break Up In Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 21
Flynn No Longer Has Any Story Left In One Chicago

In Chicago Fire season 13, episode 21, Violet returns after skipping the previous week as part of NBC’s casting rotating schemes. Unfortunately, her comeback comes with a slew of challenges, mainly when it comes to her personal life. Her resurgence also coincides with the reappearance of Flynn — the lawyer that Violet has been seeing since earlier this year. The pair immediately had a connection during their chance meeting, but while it seems like their relationship has been smooth sailing, there are issues bubbling on the surface.

In the end, Violet decides to break up with Flynn, effectively ending his role in Chicago Fire.

Flynn’s suggestion about Violet becoming a doctor births a massive conflict between the pair. As it turns out, she has been dealing with the same passive-aggressive comments from those around her for years, ever since she chose to become a paramedic. There’s no denying that Violet is good at her job, and being a doctor is attainable for her, assuming she wants to do it. In the end, Violet decides to break up with Flynn, effectively ending his role in Chicago Fire. Without his connection to her, there’s very little to no chance of seeing him again.

Why Violet Really Broke Up With Flynn In Chicago Fire
Violet Is In Love With Someone Else

Violet and Flynn’s conflict in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 21 is technically about how she doesn’t appreciate him suggesting that she’s settling in her job. That being said, the issue that broke them up isn’t really about that. Flynn actually recognized this immediately right after it sinks in that she is breaking up with him about something that they can seem to talk about — assuming that both of them want to fix the mess. Sadly, that isn’t the case.

Ultimately, Violet has always been in love with Carver, even when she thought that she was having a good time with Flynn. At that point, however, she and her co-worker couldn’t find a way to make things work, considering their respective personal baggage. Carver hasn’t been much of a factor in Chicago Fire season 13 since he sought help for his alcoholism, but in his absence, Violet realizes how much he means to her.

What Flynn’s Chicago Fire Exit Means For Violet Also Losing Carver
Maybe Flynn Can Have Another Shot With Violet?

Flynn has been involved in other work-related plots during his time in Chicago Fire season 13, but there is just not enough story for him in the show without his ties to Violet. He could still return in the future, especially since One Chicago is known for bringing back characters for shorter arcs to drum up nostalgia. Carver’s inevitable exit in Firehouse 51, however that storyline plays out, might even be a path for him to appear in Chicago Fire season 14. In the end, it’s Violet who is in a lose-lose situation here.