Chicago Fire Season 11 is giving Sylvie Brett a new love interest after her controversial breakup with Matt Casey. Who could Brett’s mystery date be?

NBC’s Chicago Fire upset a whole segment of fans when Sylvie Brett and Matthew Casey broke up in the Season 11 premiere. Brett and Casey fans were distraught over Brett ending her relationship with Casey — and more upset that it happened over the phone when actor Jesse Spencer had just returned for a guest spot in the Season 10 finale. Other viewers pointed out more generally that while Spencer’s departure made it hard to continue the pairing, Chicago Fire had still invested years in a plotline that didn’t actually last that long.

Now there’s about to be a whole new Brett controversy. Co-showrunner Andrea Newman revealed to TVLine that Brett is already headed back into the dating pool. In Season 11, Episode 8, “A Beautiful Life,” Brett will run into “someone that has a surprising connection to the past” and go on a date with that person. Fans are already speculating as to whom — and some are already unenthused about the story. But could any of these potential suitors return, and do any of them make sense for Brett?

Chicago Fire Could Reunite Brett and Greg Grainger

Before Chicago Fire committed to Brett and Casey, it extended the “will they, won’t they” by having each of them in other relationships. When Greg Grainger arrived during the abbreviated Season 9, it wasn’t terribly long before he and Brett were hooking up. Grainger and Brett dated for several episodes until — to the surprise of no one — he broke up with her because of her unresolved feelings for Casey. But in the short amount of time they were together, Brett seemed to have a very strong attraction to Grainger.

Many TVLine commenters already believe Grainger is making a comeback, because audiences enjoyed both his chemistry with Brett and him as a standalone character. Grainger’s position as a Lieutenant within the Chicago Fire Department also makes him the easiest choice to bring back; he already filled in at Firehouse 51 once and could easily do so again. If the show is serious about wanting viewers to care who Brett dates, choosing a character that the audience likes would be a must. The storyline would be more worthwhile if it involved someone fans already know makes Brett happy.

Chicago Fire Could Reintroduce ‘Hazmat Zach’ Torbett

Another candidate is Zach Torbett, the Hazmat (hazardous materials) specialist introduced in Season 6. Zach is known for having a brief relationship with Stella Kidd as Chicago Fire likewise used him as a speed bump in Stella and Kelly Severide’s relationship. But before he dated Stella, Brett was also attracted to him. She and Stella briefly discussed their common interest in Zach before Stella won him over. It would be more obscure but still plausible if Zach returned and Brett decided to see if there were still sparks between them, since she didn’t act on her feelings before.

However, Zach being the mystery man would be problematic in some ways. His prior relationship with Stella would present Brett (and the audience) with the same issue that existed in Brett’s relationship with Casey: Can she date a friend’s ex? Unless Stella were to specifically give her approval, fans would be wary and even then, it might still be weird. Plus, why would Chicago Fire want to start a new story with the same plot point as the one it’s moving on from? But actor Daniel di Tomasso was a great guest star and audiences didn’t learn a ton about Zach, so he’s a solid possibility… just a messy one.

Chicago Fire Could Create Someone Entirely New

While the TVLine interview says Brett’s date will be someone from the past, that doesn’t mean fans already know them. The show could introduce a new character who somehow has history with either Brett or Firehouse 51. The Simpsons Season 25 teased a character death only for the victim to be a previously unseen “beloved neighbor” named Chip Davis. Chicago Fire could do something similar; people from the past turn up all the time. The Season 11 premiere already included an unexpected appearance by Brett’s former fiancé Kyle Sheffield.

Whoever the mystery date turns out to be, it doesn’t address Brett’s real problem. Starting another romantic storyline for her so soon a half-season after the Casey breakup, even if it’s just one date, continues the history of Brett being defined by her love life. She deserves to have more screen time devoted to her paramedicine program, other aspects of her professional future or just anything that isn’t tied to someone else. Brett could go off to take a pottery class and Kara Killmer would make it watchable — instead, fans are once again waiting to see who she ends up with.