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All About Sam Carver, Firehouse 51's Cocky Season 11 Recruit on Chicago Fire
The new guy proved to be an exemplary addition to the team, as well as quite easy on the eyes.
With each season of Chicago Fire, Firehouse 51 gets new blood, and Season 11 saw the arrival of the confident and determined firefighter Sam Carver, played by Jake Lockett.
It was clear from Carver's debut episode that he was going to make a splash at Firehouse 51, even though he was a bit of a mystery as he settled in at the station. He preferred to keep his cards close to his chest, making him a target of interest during his indoctrination. With time and countless rescue missions, Carver has bonded with many of his 51 colleagues, enjoying many a pint at Molly's after the chaos blows over.
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Here's everything that's happened to Sam Carver throughout his brief but impactful Chicago Fire tenure.
When did Sam Carver first appear on Chicago Fire?
Carver made his first Chicago Fire appearance in the Season 11 premiere ("Hold on Tight") after Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) struggled to find a candidate on Truck 81. He eventually recruited Carver, a headstrong firefighter who fans discovered had gone to the Academy at the same time as Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo).
Kidd was less than happy about Carver's arrival at 51, initially apprehensive about his tenancy on her truck due to his arrogance and trouble-making nature.
“With all due respect, he's not 51 material,” she told Boden. Boden disagreed, telling Kidd that her leadership might be exactly what was needed to work out Carver's attitude problem.
Sam Carver and Stella Kidd's Chicago Fire Rivalry
In his debut season, Carver and Stella's rocky relationship stole the spotlight. She attempted to clear the air with him before he started at 51, noting how they weren't exactly best friends at the academy. Carver shrugged this off by saying they were just two competitive people, but Kidd thought his cocky attitude was the issue.
As 51's rookie, Carver wished to prove himself to Kidd, but didn't get off to a good start. He reacted poorly when Stella told him she was Truck 81's reigning Lieutenant, saying that he "could see" DC Hill (J. Nicole Brooks) liking her. Kidd assumed he was implying that she was only promoted because she is a woman of color.
Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) told his wife that Carver was trying to psych her out, it still put a bad taste in Kidd's mouth.
Then, on Carver's first call, Kidd assigned him a less-intense responsibility. After being questioned by Boden, she explained that Carver still needed to prove himself to her. It took a while, but after Carver's steel-tight walls started to come down, they wew able to make progress as coworkers.
After Carver finally opened up about his inner demons, Kidd became one of his closest friends at 51. Eventually, the two saved CPD Detective Seth Pryma (Troy Winbush) after he got tangled in a rough situation, and both firefighters subsequently receive the Firefighter Award of Valor, a prestigious honor.
Sam Carver's Troubled Past on Chicago Fire
From the get-go on Chicago Fire, Carver established himself as a fun-loving philandering type, a lifestyle that echoed his overconfident demeanor. Of course, partying all of the time can get messy, especially if you're prone to bar brawls.
In Season 11, Episode 4 ("The Center of the Universe"), Carver got into a drunken altercation at the bar and was arrested. He called Kidd to bail him out of jail, and she was mystified by the decision, wishing to understand his behavior while agreeing to bail him out. Despite her attempts to get him to open up, Carver told her not to worry about who he was outside of 51. All that mattered was who he was after he punched in each shift.
How did Sam Carver get his scar on Chicago Fire?
When Carver made his 51 debut, all eyes landed on a large scar on his arm. From the looks of it, the scar appeared to be from an intense injury, but no explanation was initially given. In Season 11, Episode 2 ("Every Scar Tells a Story"), Carver was asked about his scar and explained that he got it in a house fire.
But, Kidd saw right through Carver's lie, calling him out on it at Molly's. She told Carver that she also had things from her past that she'd prefer to revise her the story about, but regret was not a reason to lie. She warned him that there wouldn't be a place for him on Truck 81 if he lied again, to which Carver said, "Then I'll just have to keep quiet about the scar."
RELATED: Carver Finally Revealed the Scary, Heartbreaking Way He Got His Scar
Carver kept true to his word until Season 11, Episode 10 ("Something for the Pain"). After reeling from the explosion that nearly killed him and Kidd, he opened up about the origins of his injury.
Carver got his scar when he was nine years old, after his 15-year-old brother pushed him into a bonfire. As the young Carver thrashed in the flames, his brother ignored his need for help, instead running to his parents to claim Carver fell and that he saved him.
What happened with Sam Carver's brother, Nathan Carver, on Chicago Fire?
As one could imagine from the eye-catching scar, Carver didn't have the best relationship with his brother, Nathan (Tyler Jacob Moore); instead it often teetered toward being emotionally abusive. Viewers met Nathan for the first time in Season 11, Episode 13 ("Man of the Moment") after he showed up in Carver's life again.
Predictably, Nathan didn't reconnect with his brother for wholesome purposes. He had jumpstarted an advertising company using his parent's life savings and, after it was unsuccessful, was facing bankruptcy and needed Carver's financial help.
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Carver opened up about the reunion to Kidd, who sympathized with his tough predicament. Despite their troubled history, Carver chose to give Nathan the money, but Nathan wouldn't walk away without the record being set straight.
Kidd barged in on their conversation, telling Nathan that his brother is a "hero while being a firefighter," noting his Award of Valor.
Sam Carver and Violet Mikami's Chicago Fire Romance
In Season 12 of Chicago Fire, the sizzling chemistry between Carver and 51 paramedic Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) became undeniable. Despite Violet's attempts to deflect Carver's half-hearted advances, she found herself smiling anytime he walked away from one of these flirtatious exchanges.
As she began planning the wedding of Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) and Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer) in the Season 12 premiere ("Barely Gone"), Violet found herself without a date. Brett attempted to pair her up with Carver, but Violet brisked at the idea, with Carver walking away wearing his trademark smirk. But as the wedding approached, Violet and Carver got closer and closer.
It all came to a head in Season 12, Episode 3 ("Trapped") after Violet admitted to Brett that she had romantic feelings for Carver, but didn't want to entertain the idea due to the tragic death of her former boyfriend, Evan Hawkins (Jimmy Nicholas). Violet confessed she couldn't handle dating another first responder for fear of losing them.
Despite Violet's apprehension, Carver called her out for her hot-and-cold behavior later that night at Molly's. Before Violet could get into her baggage, she kissed him, and the pair went home together for a steamy Chicago Fire hook-up that she later reported to Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) as a resounding "one-night" success. Of course, that "one-time" statement became a lie once Carver and Violet began spending nights together behind closed doors.
In Season 12, Episode 6 ("Port in the Storm"), Violet still had no date to the wedding, eventually caving and asking Carver despite a recent off-screen conversation about putting their relationship on pause. Carver clarified he had not wanted to pause anything, so they attended the wedding as dates, dancing close during the reception and having a blast together.
However, Violet eventually pulled Carver away from the dance floor, coming clean about why she had been pushing him away and admitting she wasn't sure if they could be in a relationship.
“Seeing someone I really care about in danger right in front of me, I won’t survive it again," Violet confessed. "You get that right?”
“I do,” Carver said before cautiously asking, “So you really care about me, huh?”
Violet smiled.
“Then it’s a good thing nothing bad is going to happen to me,” Carver promised. “Especially on the dance floor.”
Find out what happens with Carver and Violet next by watching Chicago Fire on NBC on Wednesdays at 9/8c and the next day on Peacock.
Originally published Jan 4, 2023.
