After the surprising exit of a main cast member, Chicago Fire season 14 is set to address what’s next in the relationship between Carver and Violet. Although actors’ exits are baked into long-running procedurals, Jake Lockett’s departure as Sam Carver is a little bit different. It comes after a milestone in the relationship between Carver and Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith).
Ahead of Chicago Fire season 14, which returns Wednesday, October 1 at 9 PM on NBC, Violet and Carver shared a kiss that long-time fans have been absolutely clamoring for. The absence of one-half of the popular pairing, then, leaves a lot for the hit drama to resolve.
In a preview for Entertainment Weekly, Greensmith discussed what viewers can expect to see with Violet when the procedural returns. The actor, who first appeared in Chicago Fire season 8, began by fondly reflecting on her work with Lockett and filming their last scenes together. She also confirmed a time jump, which would tackle lingering questions:
“It’s been such a dream working with Jake. It was really wonderful to get to live out those last few scenes together and just bring to life as much as possible and make it as heartfelt and raw and honest as possible.”
“[There’s] a bit of a time jump. We’re going to be giving answers to a couple of the questions from last season pretty immediately. No one should be left with too bated of a breath.”
Greensmith then spoke more broadly about the challenges that Violet has faced, indicating that the stalwart One Chicago character will be entering a new phase of her life after “learning to live with these disappointments in a different way.” Read the full quote below:
“Violet has taken on so much heartbreak and disappointment and frustration. I feel as if I am witnessing her walk into a new phase of her life where she’s learning to live with these disappointments in a different way. They’re just kind of adding to the tapestry of her experience as opposed to being the chip that weighs her down. I think she’s walking into a new phase of her adulthood. A part of growing up is learning like how to live with it as opposed to live against it.”
What This Means For Violet In Chicago Fire Season 14
Lockett isn’t the only big cast exit heading into season 14. Daniel Kyri’s departure was reported alongside Lockett’s earlier this year. Kyri, in the role of Daniel Ritter, has been with the show since season 7. Lockett, a relatively more recent addition, has been around since season 11. In a bit of good news, it’s since been confirmed that Kyri will return in a limited capacity for the forthcoming installment.
Even though Carver put in a transfer request in the Chicago Fire season 13 finale, there was nothing definitive to suggest that his romance with Violet would be put to the side. There is potential that Lockett could return in a guest-starring capacity, if only to provide closure on a pairing that the One Chicago franchise has spent a lot of time building, but that is not confirmed.
The worry, for fans of the Carver and Violet romance, is that the popular pairing is dismissed with something as fleeting as a few lines about how the relationship couldn’t work out in the end. At the very least, per Greensmith’s comments, viewers won’t have to wait too long for some sort of clarification.
Our Take On Carver’s Departure
There’s always a risk with procedurals. Some exits will be big and celebrated. Others, undeservedly, get a fleeting mention. It’s fair to hope Carver gets something a little more substantive, especially with how Chicago Fire worked to develop his spark with Violet. Maybe, like Daniel Ritter, he could even briefly return to say a proper farewell.
