Why do fans think Mouch is leaving Chicago Fire?
Chicago Fire’s eleventh season ended on a devastating cliffhanger. At the end of the episode, Mouch is seen bleeding on a hospital bed before flatlining, with viewers left to wonder whether he’ll come back stronger than ever – or succumb to his mysterious injuries.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the finale – and why they think this might be Mouch’s last hurrah. “NO MOUCH IT CAN’T BE YOU IT CAN’T MY HEART CANNOT TAKE THIS,” tweeted one X user. “No no not Mouch! I did not see that coming,” one X user wrote. “I’ll never forgive Chicago Fire if they kill off Mouch,” wrote another. Another user was left questioning everything, tweeting: “Finally finished all of Chicago fire and bruh… I know they ain’t finna kill my dude Mouch?”
Coupled with actor Christian Stolte’s emotional “goodbye” post on Instagram, viewers are hoping for the best – but expecting the worst, that their favorite character may not return in season 12. “We understand the emotional connection our audience has with these characters and we can’t wait to bring more of their stories to the forefront next season,” Lisa Katz, the president of scripted programming at NBCUniversal and Streaming, said in a statement released by NBC Insider. “A huge thank you to Dick and his amazing team who are the masters of producing incredibly compelling television week after week,” she added. Months after the finale aired, eagle-eyed viewers also took note of @EmJ_I_say’s post on X, where she shared behind-the-scenes photos of the show filming scenes for its upcoming season. In one photo, Stolte, playing Mouch, is suited up in firefighter gear and sitting on the back of a Chicago Fire Department Emergency Medical Services truck. “Well that’s one cliff hanger we know the answer to, MOUCH LIVES!” one user tweeted.
Still, some fans are skeptical, believing that the scene is just a flashback.
What happened to Mouch in Chicago Fire season 11?
In the Chicago Fire season 11 finale, titled Red Waterfall, the Firehouse 51 team is caught in the middle of an attempted terrorist attack. While the team makes it out unscathed, Mouch is caught in the middle of the gunfire and hit with shrapnel during the attack.
After being rushed to the hospital, it appears that all is well, with Mouch awake, alert, and recovering. However, towards the end of the episode, viewers see Senior Firefighter and Lieutenant Christopher Hermann at Mouch’s side in the hospital. Hermann, portrayed by David Eigenberg, notices that his friend and co-worker is pale, and doesn’t appear to be looking – or feeling – better. Then, Hermann notices that Mouch has been bleeding, and within seconds, his ECG heart monitor flatlines.
As the camera pans out, blood pools at Mouch’s side, off the bed, and onto the hospital floor.
Hermann screams for a doctor to help, and viewers are left with Mouch’s fate hanging in the balance.What did actor Christian Stolte post on Instagram? On May 24, 2023, Christian Stolte posted a promotional poster of the Chicago TV show universe, including Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med. “Our 11th Season Finale airs tonight,” he captioned the post. “No spoilers, I just want to say it’s been an extraordinary 11 years, and I am so very grateful for the experience,” he wrote. “Truck on, Chi-Hards,” he added, along with the hashtags #ChicagoFire and #OneChicago. Fans were quick to share their thoughts on Stolte’s potential exit from the show. “Please please please don’t leave Mouch. My heart can’t take it. Dick Wolf sure knows how to leave you having a panic attack with these cliffhangers,” one fan commented. “If you don’t make it I’m done with the show. I can’t lose you! We can’t do this to Trudy,” wrote another.
“No. Think about it. He would never comment that and make it sound like it was the end of Mouch if it was really the end of Mouch,” one user wrote.”Which makes me think that he made it SOUND like it was the end of Mouch but it’s NOT the end of Mouch. Unless he knew we would think that… so then he… dammit,” they added.
Thankfully, fans don’t have to wait in the dark much longer, with Chicago Fire’s twelfth season set to premiere on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
