Kara Killmer Exiting Chicago Fire After Season 12

Dick Wolf giveth and Dick Wolf taketh away. Following the happy news that Taylor Kinney is returning to "Chicago Fire" ahead of Season 12, TVLine reports that the upcoming season will be the last for Kara Killmer, who stars as Sylvie Brett.

Killmer joined the cast of "Chicago Fire" for Season 3 in 2014. Over her nine seasons on the procedural, she's appeared in 193 episodes, as well as nearly 30 episodes of fellow One Chicago series "Chicago Med," "Chicago P.D.," and the short-lived "Chicago Justice." During that time, Brett has become an integral part of Firehouse 51, rising to the rank of paramedic in charge in Season 4 and forging friendships with Peter Mills (Charlie Barnett), Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund), and Gianna Mackey (Adriyan Rae).

Amid the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Season 12 was delayed, and an official premiere date has yet to be announced. The "Chicago Fire" writers reconvened on October 4, and production on the forthcoming season is set to begin shortly after Thanksgiving. Brett's swan song is expected to air in 2024, though exactly when she'll say her goodbyes has yet to be announced.

Kara Killmer's departure isn't the only "Chicago Fire" shakeup in recent years. Most notably, Jesse Spencer, who played Brett's boyfriend Matt Casey, left during Season 10. He has since reprised the role in guest appearances, and the couple attempted a long-distance relationship between Brett's Chicago and Casey's new home in Portland. In the final moments of the Season 11 finale, Casey proposed to his ex-girlfriend. The episode came to an abrupt finish before Brett could respond.

With Killmer's exit confirmed, the series could be setting up Brett and Casey's happily-ever-after in Portland. Still, it's unclear when during Season 12 the actress will make her final appearance, meaning Brett could mull over the decision for weeks.

Some fans have been anticipating Killmer's exit since last spring, when the Season 11 finale teased a major change for Brett. They cited Brett's increasingly lackluster storylines, as well as the potential for a tidy Brettsey conclusion. In any case, Brett's final "Chicago Fire" moments are largely in the hands of Andrea Newman, who will serve as solo showrunner for Season 12 following the departure of her co-showrunner Derek Haas in 2022.