What happened to Chief Boden on Chicago Fire? Meet his successor who took over Fire Station 51

There's a new boss 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 keep up to date.

In May, news outlets reported that original cast member Eamonn Walker Chicago Fire after 12 seasons. A source told Deadline that Boden's character is “still very much alive and well” and that Walker “is expected to return to the show in a recurring capacity in the future.”

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At that time it was not yet known how Chicago Fire would write out the original cast member who has been a mainstay since the series' launch in 2012. There have been numerous cast departures from the series 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 expected to pick up right where season 12 left off, with Chief Boden stepping down as fire chief of Firehouse 51. With the arrival of the new chief, the crew will likely face the challenge of adjusting to their leadership. Here's everything you need to know about Boden's departure last season and who will replace him.

What happened to Chief Boden in Fire in Chicago?

In the season 12 finale, Chief Boden left his position as Fire Chief of Firehouse 51 to become Deputy Commissioner of the CFD. Although he was initially hesitant to accept the position, Boden changed his mind when he learned that the department was in danger due to the candidacy of Paramedic Chief Robinson (Laura Allen). Robinson wanted to replace the older generation of firefighters with a new wave of recruits.

The final season was Eamonn Walker's last time as a series regular. Showrunner Andrea Newman previously said TV Insider that Boden's exit was a natural progression of the character's story.

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“Boden has navigated many changes at home (with his stepson James) and at 51 years old, and he's learned a lot along the way, 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 hugely affected by his decision.”

Who is Chief Boden's successor, Chief Pascal, in Chicago Fire?

NBC announced that Dermot Mulroney will be Boden’s replacement for the upcoming season of Chicago Fire. Mulroney will play Dom Pascal, a veteran Chicago firefighter who has worked as fire chief in Miami for the past decade. Now Pascal is moving back to Chicago to take the job. Pascal is estranged from his wife Monica, which will factor into his storylines this season.

Newman hinted that Boden's replacement will shake things up this season. “What happened to get him? [Pascal] here will be revealed in the premiere,” she explained. He is 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 find out more about them as firefighters and as people because to him, knowledge is power. He looks for people who push boundaries.”

Will Chief Boden return to Chicago Fire Season 13?

The good news is that Chief Boden is expected to return as a regular in season 13. Andrea Newman confirmed that Walker will appear in season 13, but not immediately.

“We have a mantra,” Newman told TVInsider. “We say once part of 51, always part of 51. That's especially true for Boden as he's still in the CFD. So yes, we intend to see him, although not immediately.”

Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.