Chicago Fire season 13 episode 12 recap: Who is Cole?

NBC’s Chicago Fire season 13 returned with a new episode on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Season 13, episode 12, titled Relief Cut, brought plenty of action, personal struggles, and surprising moments. Firehouse 51 faced several emergencies, including a missing fire hydrant case and a birthday celebration that ended in a painful accident.

While handling these incidents, the firefighters also dealt with personal challenges. Ritter had a tough moment when he misunderstood an order from Kidd during a rescue. Herrmann, meanwhile, investigated missing fire hydrants and uncovered a crime. Elsewhere, Violet and Novak treated a woman injured when a prank at her birthday party went wrong.

In the middle of all this, Stella Kidd’s cousin, Cole, showed up unexpectedly. He believed Severide kept Kidd away from their family, leading to a tense conversation. But as they talked, Kidd explained that she had been staying away for personal reasons. Cole’s visit helped her open up about her past, allowing them to reconnect.

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Chicago Fire season 13 episode 12: Cole confronts his sister Stella Kidd

Cole’s visit to Firehouse 51 brought a mix of emotions. Kidd was happy but surprised to see her cousin after so many years. However, their reunion quickly became tense when Cole accused Severide of keeping Kidd away from their family. He believed that her husband had cut her off, and that was why she hadn’t stayed in touch.

Kidd was shocked by the accusation and immediately set things straight. She explained that her distance from the family had nothing to do with Severide and that it was her own decision.

She had spent the past few years traveling, working hard as a lieutenant, and promoting her Girls on Fire program. She also revealed that she had been dealing with some serious personal challenges, including stalkers and a troubled past that she had kept hidden from her family.

As they talked more, Kidd opened up about the real reason she stayed away. She was ashamed of her past, especially a bad period in her life involving drugs and an abusive ex.

She thought distancing herself was the best way to protect her family. Cole, who always looked up to her as an older sister, was upset that she hadn’t reached out, but he also understood. By the end of their conversation, the cousins made peace, and Cole even apologized to Severide, thanking him for always supporting Kidd.

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Chicago Fire season 13 episode 12: Miscommunication between Ritter and Kidd

The episode also showed a tense moment between Ritter and Kidd during a fire rescue. Firehouse 51 responded to an emergency where an elderly woman was trapped inside a burning car. As the team rushed to save her, Kidd gave Ritter an order, but he hesitated, confused by what she meant. Because of the delay, Kidd quickly switched him out for Carver, who successfully rescued the woman.

Even though the woman was saved, the situation raised concerns about what went wrong. At first, it wasn’t clear if Kidd had misspoken or if Ritter had misunderstood. Eventually, it became clear that Ritter was at fault as he hadn’t fully understood Kidd’s instructions in the heat of the moment.

Ritter was already struggling with personal problems in his relationship, which left him distracted. The mistake bothered him, and he later apologized to Kidd, taking full responsibility.

He was harder on himself than anyone else, but Kidd reassured him that mistakes are part of learning as a firefighter. They cleared the air, and later, Carver even helped Ritter understand some of Kidd’s commands so it wouldn’t happen again.

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Other highlights of Chicago Fire season 13 episode 12

Besides the big family drama and intense rescues, Chicago Fire season 13 episode 12 had several other interesting moments. One of the strangest but funniest emergencies happened at a nightclub.

Violet and Novak responded to a call where a young woman had her face shoved into a cake at her birthday party. Unfortunately, the cake had wooden dowels inside for support, and they stabbed her face. The paramedics calmed her down and made sure she got the medical care she needed.

Meanwhile, Herrmann took on a mystery. He noticed that fire hydrants were going missing and decided to investigate with Kylie. Their efforts paid off when they discovered a scrap yard was illegally buying the stolen hydrants. The police stepped in, shut the place down, and arrested those responsible.

On a personal level, Ritter was having a tough time. His problems with his boyfriend finally led to a breakup. To cheer him up, Violet and Novak took him out for drinks.

Carver, however, skipped the night out because he had recently admitted to having a drinking problem and was focusing on his recovery. Novak, on the other hand, had an eventful night. She ended up having a one-night stand with Cole, which led to an awkward morning at Kidd and Severide’s apartment.

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Fans of the franchise can watch Chicago Fire season 13 episode 12 on NBC and Peacock.