Though Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) has returned to the One Chicago franchise after Kinney’s leave of absence from “Chicago Fire,” the fact that the popular character has kept busy during the actor’s time off in Season 11 is enough to warrant a raised eyebrow. Since Severide has been training with the Office of Fire Investigation, it’s easy to start wondering whether the TV franchise is stealthily setting up an OFI-themed spin-off. It’s a fascinating prospect, but in an interview with Hello! Magazine, “Chicago Fire” showrunner Andrea Newman noted that Severide is too important for the parent show to ever fully leave it.

“We have [considered a spin-off] but having lost Severide for a bit, it was a reminder of what a critical part of [Firehouse] 51 he is,” Newman revealed. As such, it seems that as long as Kinney chooses to stay in the One Chicago universe, his character will remain a part of “Chicago Fire.”

Severide’s OFI gig will be important in his Season 12 arc

Andrea Newman teased that instead of Severide being sent off to head an entirely new One Chicago show, the character’s arson investigation activities will play a part in his “Chicago Fire” Season 12 story.

“As Kidd [Miranda Rae Mayo] says early on in [Season 12, Episode 1], she considers arson as his ‘drug,’ and it’s an addiction for him and he gets lost in it,” Newman said. “It’s partly because it’s in the blood, his dad was also in OFI, but partly because there’s something that just taps into something deep within him when he gets into it. It then becomes a danger zone for him in some ways — but he also loves it and obviously has the skills for it. So that struggle will be a big part of the first few episodes of the season.”

Severide’s father, Benny, is indeed a former firefighter who becomes an OFI captain, so the passion and talent for arson investigation seems to run in the family. Benny dies in the “Chicago Fire” Season 7 episode “All the Proof,” and while the father and son have a strained relationship throughout the show, the younger Severide does love his dearly departed dad greatly. Future episodes will no doubt reveal whether Severide’s OFI obsession is ultimately about the thrill of the investigation or if he’s tempted by the prospect of imitating his father’s career path. Regardless of how things play out, the character is well and truly back on “Chicago Fire” — with a brand-new bag of arson investigation tricks at his disposal.