Chicago Fire's new season has gotten off to a blazing start. While fans are delighted to welcome recruit Blake Gallo (Shadowhunter's Alberto Rosende) to 51, it came at a cost of another. Many were devastated to learn that Brian "Otis" Zvonecek (Yuri Sardrov) would die after succumbing to last season's injuries.
Otis was a show favorite, with fans loving his loyal and kind attitude. It was the firefighter's last words to Cruz (Joe Minoso) that brought tears to the fans' eyes: "Brother, I will be with you always". This is not the first time the show's words have resonated with the fandom. Here we take a look at ten quotes that were straight fire.
"I Am A Firefighter And I Will Always Be A Firefighter" (2 x 10)
Peter Mills (Charlie Barnett) may have given fans whiplash with his career changes, but one definitive moment was when he decided to be a firefighter. He had somewhat of a tumultuous relationship with the job after he found out his father was not the hero he was led to believe.
Mills had joined the academy in an attempt to follow his father's footsteps, so when he found out it could may have all been a lie, he became lost. He spent the first half of season 2 debating whether he should join the force instead or remain at 51. It was a touching moment for all fans when Mills finally made his choice. He stayed not for his father, but himself.
"Disappoint Everyone, But Don't Disappoint Yourself" (1 x 13)
Benny (Treat Williams) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) may not have had the best relationship, but they did have their moments. In "Warm and Dead", Kelly is planning to quit the CFD to start a new life with Renee (Sarah Shari). Benny recognizes the hesitance in Severide's eyes and tells him not to go through with it because it's not what he wants.
Despite worrying about the promise he made to Renee, Benny tells Severide to worry about his happiness as he may resent quitting in the future. Fans will never forget the line: "Disappoint anyone, everyone. But never disappoint yourself."
"A Hero's Not Somebody Who's Unafraid, It's The Guy Who's Scared And Does What's Right Anyway" (4 x 19)
It speaks a lot about a person when their words inspire other people to do better. This was the case in "I Will Be Walking" when Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) decided to investigate a gang war that put a high school student in the hospital.
Casey found out that the teen's brother was working with the PD over the gang's drug smuggling. The student insisted that he would not hide despite being afraid as he had done nothing wrong; this resonated deeply with the truck 81 Captain as he remembered Boden's (Eamonn Walker) own advice. With the teen determined to walk in his graduation, Casey joined him in support.
"When A Stranger Does A Kindness For You, You Look Them In The Eye And Say Thank You" (6 x 20)
Sometimes, a simple thank you can a long way. Especially when a stranger goes out of their way to do something nice. Surprisingly, this piece of advice didn't come from the members of 51. It came from the father of one of their rescue victims.
Fans may remember the episode "The Strongest Among Us", where 51 are sent to a car accident. Boden and Severide pull a young woman from concrete, where she ends up recovering in Med. The father then later comes to the house and delivers this epic line. It's a life lesson fans can take with them and apply to their own lives.
"You Have A Choice. You Can Either Choose To Be In A Bad Mood, Or You Can Decide To Be Happy" (1 x 22)
Before Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund) married Casey, fans may also remember how she dated firefighter Mills in season 1. After Casey's rejection at the Christmas party, Dawson decided to cut her losses and begin dating other men. She tells Leslie Shay (Lucifer's Lauren German) that her father once said, "you can either choose to be in a bad mood or you can decide to be happy".
Whilst hesitant to start a relationship with Mills, Dawson says she glad because he makes her happy and she does love him. Dawson's advice can also be used as a life lesson. Why waste all that energy focusing on the negative when you can put it towards something that will make you happy. Life's too short to be miserable.
"Truth Always Comes Out For The Innocent" (5 x 06)
Severide's quote is not only at the heart of this episode but also in life. In "That Day", there are two subplots. The first involves Gabby accidentally hitting a pedestrian who stepped out in front of the ambulance. The pedestrian's family adds fuel to the fire when they decide to sue Gabby and the CFD for damages.
The second involved Casey and Severide arguing over the arson case from the previous episode. Eventually, both storylines are resolved as the truth does come out in the end. But it does show that one has to fight for it.
"Your Casey Is Out There, But You Don't Have To Change Who You Are To Find Him" (5 x 13)
Although there is a huge irony now in this statement, Gabby did provide Sylvie (Kara Killmer) with some good advice. In "Trading the Scuttlebutt", Sylvie was recovering from her break-up with Antonio (Jon Seda). She decides to make some personal changes to distract herself from her loneliness, such as learning another language.
When Gabby confronts her about her strange behavior, Sylvie reveals that she just wants a relationship like Gabby and Matt's. Dawson then assures Brett that she dated a lot of wrong people before she found Matt. She also believes that Sylvie shouldn't change herself because she wouldn't meet the right person that way either. A simple bit of advice fans could take with them in the long run.
"Dark Skies Don't Always Mean Rain" (3 x 08)
One subplot in the episode "Chopper" revolved around Chief Boden and Donna (Melissa Ponzio) finding out some bad news. The couple finds out that Donna has Placenta Previa- a condition that could potentially put her life and her baby's at risk. However, it is Herrmann (David Eigenberg) who provides Boden with the most comfort.
At the end of the episode, Herrmann talks to Boden about their previous call where a woman was trapped under a helicopter rotor. The woman thought that she wouldn't survive; yet, Med quickly updated Herrmann and told him she was fine. Just because Boden was preparing for the worst, doesn't mean it would happen.
"I Spent Too Much Time Backpedaling From The Future, Instead...I'm Just Going To Get To Living Life" (6 x 20)
Three seasons later, Boden finally learned to focus on the present instead of the future. After failing to get the promotion, the Chief decides to make a few changes to his life. Boden tells Severide of his new epiphany. "I've spent a lot of time waiting for good things," he says. "And not a lot of time pursuing them".
He doesn't want to wait anymore for these opportunities and wants to start going after his desires. That's why he ends up buying the boat. After spending years looking after others, it's a nice moment to see Boden being selfish for once.
"Promise To Be There For Each Other—Always" (3 x 01)
Chicago Fire's third season started tragically, as fans were forced to say goodbye to a member of 51. After the season two finale, everyone was left on tenterhooks as fans waited to see who survived the explosion. Unfortunately, Shay died after getting hit by falling debris. Everyone was affected by her loss, but no one more than her best friend Severide.
The writers gave one final tribute to their friendship as Severide watched a home movie of the two. The DVD showed Shay making him promise how they would "always be there for each other- no matter what". Their friendship taught fans to never hold grudges against anyone.