‘Chicago Fire’: Jeff Lima Teases Why Leon Returns in Season 7 and What It Means for Joe Cruz
Another familiar face will be seen on Feb. 13’s episode of Chicago Fire. That’s because Leon (Jeff Lima), Joe Cruz’s (Joe Minoso) brother, is returning to handle some important business. Fans may remember the character from his appearances in Season 1, 2, and 6. So what can they expect from the upcoming episode and what does it mean for Joe?
The Cheat Sheet talked to Jeff Lima over the phone on Jan 30. This is what he had to say about the return of his character and what could be coming next.
Jeff Lima said Leon is back to give Joe a message
Leon used to be involved in a gang until his brother, Joe stepped in to protect him. Joe let his gang leader die in a fire and eventually, Leon went into the witness protection program. Fans got to see Leon in a much better place in Season 6 when he surprised his brother.
“In Season 6 he is definitely much lighter and it’s an energy that we haven’t seen from Leon ever because we’re just naturally used to seeing Leon caught up in some mess or another,” Jeff Lima told The Cheat Sheet. “in Season 6 Leon is flown to Chicago from Florida to surprise his brother and Leon and Joe share a great relationship and they actually finesse the surprise.”
But the tone of Leon’s newest appearance will be different. “We see Leon in Season 6 and it’s very mellow and lax,” said Lima. “In Season 7, Leon’s coming with an objective. Leon is coming to warn his brother against imminent dangers that he foresees.”
He added, “He’s on a mission and he’s warning the person he loves most in the world against danger.”
Joe will come across new people after the message
The actor didn’t reveal what the message is but he did tease what kind of things will come from it. His firefighter brother will come across new people that could lead to danger.
“Joe Minoso, Joe Cruz on the show, he’s about to take on something that he’s never really dabbled in” explained Lima “and he’s dealing with folks who aren’t in his regular network. So this is really about Joe and I think for Joe to have someone that’s close to him as Leon deliver the message it makes the moment that much more significant.”
He then added, “what will come hereafter is a lot of stuff that Joe doesn’t know how to navigate and so it could go one of two ways that we hope it goes the right way, the safe way. But again, Leon is warning against Joe embarking on it period.”
Will Leon ever become a bigger part in the Chicago Fire universe?
It seems like Leon has officially left his criminal past behind him and wants to do good. So could he ever become a
“Everybody in my corner is rooting for Leon to become a firefighter on this, or a medic, or just something. Look, I don’t know. These writers and producers again they do a great job at just keeping it under wraps but I don’t see why not,” said Lima.
He continued, “He meets the minimum requirements at least the entry level stuff at the firefighter house. But as a human being, I think we’ve seen Leon evolved and just grow to be this very sympathetic human being. Something we didn’t see in him in Seasons 1 and 2. And so I think to see Leon in the light of really rescuing people it’s the complete antithesis of Leon when we see him in Season 1.”
Fans may wonder what would protective brother, Joe Cruz think of something like that. Jeff Lima took a guess on how Joe would react to his brother coming a firefighter himself one day.
“If Leon walked into the firehouse in all of the garb of a fireman I think Joe would be brought to tears because as brotherly, and I say this loosely manly as Joe Cruz is, Joe has a very soft heart,” said Lima. “I feel that Joe might cry for all the right reasons.”
Fans will have to watch the Feb. 13 episode of Chicago Fire to find out what Leon’s message will be for Joe, and how the firefighter will have to deal with a different type of danger in the future.
Read more: ‘Chicago Fire’: Do the Actors Ever Do Their Own Stunts?
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