Even though Chicago Fire went through a lot of changes in its last season, there is definitely more to come for the Firehouse 51. As the show has been renewed for its 13th season on NBC, fans are expecting the return of the longer season format and some fresh blood to bolster the team after so many departures.

But it’s not just the new characters that fans are expecting to see more of. With so many beloved cast members gone, the writers will have to focus on those who remain. Given the importance of Stella and Severide’s new arc that the writers set up in the season 12 finale, it would have been a crime to leave those two characters with little to no background.

What Happened to Stella Kidd’s Parents?

Being a part of NBC’s Chicago Fire for 9 years now, Stella somehow remains an enigma. Though viewers have had a few glimpses into her unhappy past, there is still much more to explore about her, and those details might even make the haters reconsider.

Fortunately, according to showrunner Andrea Newman, Stella’s family will be explored much more in the upcoming season. Answering a fan’s question for TVLine, she agreed that Stella still has a few surprises to reveal about her past:

“We established in Season 5 that her parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her aunt and uncle, but there is definitely more in her family story to be revealed. Stay tuned,” Newman said.

While the promise sounds exciting to say the least, fans are disappointed that the show has lacked depth in the background of one of its most prominent characters for so many years. For nearly a decade, viewers have had a love-hate relationship with Stella, she has become increasingly important to the story, and yet we barely know who she is.

This approach is very different from another cable firefighting show, ABC’s 9-1-1, which focuses much more on the personal lives of the characters. Perhaps season 13 of Chicago Fire will be the lucky one, as it takes a turn towards delving into its characters’ lives behind the firehouse walls.

If you are intrigued by such a promise, be sure to keep an eye out for updates on the season 13 release date.