WARNING! SPOILERS ahead for Chicago Med season 10, episode 13, "Look in the Mirror."

Chicago Med season 10, episode 13, titled "Look in the Mirror," suggests that Luke Mitchell's Mitch Ripley may leave Gaffney Medical Center, but it's possible Mitchell isn't really exiting the show. Ripley has been spiraling downward throughout Chicago Med season 10. In the first half of the season, he tried to cover for his friend Sully (Daniel Dorr) after Sully beat up troublemaker Pavel on his behalf. When Hannah (Jessy Schram) ruined that plan, he was angry at her, but they reconciled. More recently, Ripley began drinking heavily after Sully's death and beat up a man outside a bar.

Ripley's bad behavior comes back to bite him during "Look in the Mirror" when the man he beat up lands in the ED with serious injuries. Ripley butts heads with Frost (Darren Barnet), one of the newest of the Chicago Med season 10 cast of characters, over how best to treat this patient. This conflict leads to an explosive reveal when Ripley's frustration with Frost leads Ripley to blurt out that he's trying to make things right after causing the patient's injuries in the first place.

Sharon Suspends Mitch From Gaffney In Chicago Med Season 10

She Intends To Recommend Termination

Ripley's outburst gets him into serious trouble. By the time Sharon (S Epatha Merkerson) speaks with him in her office, he's calmed down and is contrite. He tells Sharon that he understands he will face disciplinary action and realizes that his behavior has been out of control. However, his remorse is not enough to save him. Sharon informs Ripley that he is becoming too much of a liability for the hospital with his erratic behavior and thus he is being suspended without pay. He's informed there will be a board meeting to discuss terminating his contract.

Sharon's concerns are well-founded, considering how much trouble Ripley has caused the hospital since his arrival in Chicago Med season 9. Ripley's unhealthy relationship with Sully led Ripley to almost sacrifice his career to cover for his friend, and Sully's death led to Ripley spiraling out of control, drinking too much, and becoming violent. Additionally, Ripley's behavior hurt Hannah, who is trying to navigate all the ups and downs of their relationship. Their constant fights are a distraction that could stop her from doing her best work.

Can Mitch Still Return Despite Sharon's Decision

He Hasn't Been Fired Yet

Although Sharon tells Ripley that she is recommending termination, that doesn't necessarily mean Ripley will be fired. Former Chicago Med character Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) got into many similar situations during his eight years at Gaffney Medical Center, but he always found a way to preserve his job at the last minute. Thus, it's not a given that Sharon will stick to her plan to recommend termination once she calms down about Ripley's misbehavior.

Even if Sharon does recommend termination, the board can disagree with her. Peter (Marc Grapey) and the rest of the board may be concerned with optics or with preventing Ripley from suing for wrongful termination. Thus, they may look at RIpley's entire history — including that he settled a previous lawsuit out of court — and decide that termination is more of a liability than keeping him. Alternatively, Ripley might save someone's life while suspended or otherwise redeem himself, convincing Sharon and the board to give him a second chance.

Why Luke Mitchell Could Be Missing Some Episodes Of Chicago Med

It's Most Likely Due To Cast Rotation Policies

There is nothing official regarding Ripley leaving Chicago Med. However, the suspension storyline may be designed to write the character out temporarily. If so, the reason is likely cast rotation — a policy many long-running shows have taken advantage of to save money. Rather than using every member of the cast in each episode, procedurals with big casts often write some characters out temporarily and then write them back in a few episodes later, FBI's Jubal (Jeremy Sisto) exited during a similar storyline, only to return when it was resolved.

Regardless of the reason for the Ripley suspension storyline, it's unlikely that Chicago Med has seen the last of this character.

In actor Luke Mitchell's case, there could also be personal reasons for him to take some time off. Mitchell is expecting his first child and thus may need to take time off to be with his family. Additionally, the actor and his wife are both originally from Australia, so he may have taken time off to visit his native country. Regardless of the reason for the Ripley suspension storyline, it's unlikely that Chicago Med has seen the last of this character.

Enjoy Screen Rant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

SIGN UP