Spoilers ahead for Episode 20 of Chicago Fire Season 10, called “Halfway to the Moon.”
Chicago Fire will bring its tenth season to an end in just a couple more short weeks, and the big event to look forward to is Stella and Severide tying the knot. After choosing a meaningful venue along Lake Michigan, they moved ahead with wedding plans, and Stella was making a lot of the decisions about what they did and didn’t need for the reception. Everything seemed to be going well even after they resolved a professional disagreement, but Severide apparently has an issue with Stella getting her way, and the episode ended with some Stellaride tension. Still, fans don’t need to worry about the wedding just yet.
What Caused Some Stellaride Tension
Stella and Severide ran into their first professional disagreement in “Halfway to the Moon” when she learned that he was more or less recruiting Gallo away from Truck 81 to go for Squad. Or, as she put it, "poaching" him. She didn’t want to lose somebody from her crew when she has worked so hard to keep the group together and hasn’t been an acting lieutenant for too long, whereas Severide just wanted to encourage Gallo to chase Squad because that’s what Gallo seemed to want. She told him to back off; he was conflicted.
It seemed like any major fight was avoided when Gallo made the decision himself that he’s not ready to leave Truck and wants to stay on Stella’s crew. He came to that conclusion after a chat with Brett Dalton’s Lieutenant Pelham, who filled Gallo in on the role that Stella played in sending him up a tree to save a cat and feel a bit better about himself. I for one agreed with Stella when she told Severide at the end of “Halfway to the Moon” that she thought they handled their conflict at Firehouse 51 well, but I can also see Severide’s point that she thinks that because she got her way.
I can really only see Severide’s point because he raised it after Stella made some unilateral decisions about their wedding planning and what costs are necessary, but Gallo ultimately made his own choice after she made it clear that she didn’t want to pressure him. He also didn’t rule out going for Squad at some point in the future. The episode just didn’t end on a pleasant note for what has become Chicago Fire’s flagship couple, which might be a bad sign when they’re just one full episode away from their finale wedding.
That said, comments from co-showrunner Derek Haas indicate that fans don’t need to worry about the Stellaride wedding… yet, at least.
Why Fans Shouldn't Worry About The Wedding Yet
The wedding is 100% moving forward into the last episode of the season. The showrunners officially announced that Jesse Spencer is returning for the Season 10 finale because Casey needs to perform his best man duties for Severide, and Derek Haas established that they “knew about three months ago that it was going to happen.” It’s a big enough deal that they decided not to try and keep his return and the upcoming wedding a secret. So, even though this episode didn’t end on the best note for the good ship Stellaride, the wedding is planned for the Season 10 finale.
That’s not to say that the wedding definitely will happen, but any problems that could arise may not have anything to do with their relationship status. Haas previewed that the wedding “isn't going to go exactly as planned,” and “whatever plans that they might have had pre-wedding are thwarted.” The plans for the wedding are continuing, but – in true Chicago Fire finale style – something is going to go very wrong.
It feels a little odd to confess that I hope it’s some kind of fire crisis rather than any kind of relationship drama that does the thwarting, but what can I say? Stella and Severide have earned some happiness as a couple, especially after her absence earlier in Season 10 (which you can revisit streaming with a Peacock subscription).
I reserve the right to take that back if somebody dies or there’s another life-and-death cliffhanger in the final moments of the finale, though! Fans can worry about the wedding, but I’m guessing the problems that are coming aren’t due to relationship problems. Besides, if Violet’s romance with Hawkins is going to run into obstacle after obstacle, at least one Chicago Fire couple deserves a happy ending to Season 10! I can dream, right?
Find out what's next with the final episodes of Chicago Fire Season 10 on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, between Chicago Med at 8 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. All three One Chicago series have already been renewed for the 2022-2023 TV season, so they will be back whether or not they end their current seasons on life-and-death cliffhangers. For when they and more shows will end for the season, check out our 2022 spring finale schedule.
