Chicago Fire Season 13 Returns with Cruz’s Haunting Past

CHICAGO, Ill. – The hit NBC drama “Chicago Fire” returns for its winter premiere on January 8, 2025, with a gripping storyline revisiting Joe Cruz‘s past. Actor Joe Mińoso, who plays Cruz, teased the intense plotline in an interview with CinemaBlend, revealing that Cruz’s decision from Season 1 to let gang leader Flaco die in a fire will come back to haunt him.

In the Season 13 fall finale, Cruz was confronted with mysterious pendants filled with ashes, hinting at Flaco’s remains. Leon, Cruz’s brother, warned him that Flaco’s cousin had been released from prison, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation. Mińoso expressed excitement about revisiting the storyline, which first aired in 2012, calling it “fully ridiculous” in the best way.

“It’s a joy to have a job as an actor,” Mińoso said. “To be able to talk about storylines your character visited 12 years ago and do it again seems nearly impossible. It’s incredible that this is what we’re doing.” The actor also shared that he rewatched the original episodes to refresh his memory, though the emotional weight of the storyline remained vivid.

The upcoming episode, titled “A Favor,” will also feature Severide preparing to teach an arson class and Mouch searching for a victim’s next of kin. Fans can catch the premiere on NBC at 9 p.m. ET, with streaming available on Peacock the following day.