समाचार

Chicago Fire has dished out multiple Christmas episodes over the last decade plus. We already singled out the episode "Winterfest" as a candidate to watch with your family during the holiday season. We wanted to do something a little different this year, though, which is highlight the first Chicago Fire Christmas episode.

The episode in question is called "Merry Christmas, Etc." and it aired halfway through season 1. The episode is fun to watch as a time capsule, as beloved characters like Peter Mills (Charlie Barnett) and Gabriela Dawson (Monica Raymund) are long gone. "Merry Christmas, Etc." also provides glimpses of those who have passed, like Otis (Yuri Sardarov) and Leslie Shay (Lauren German).

"Merry Christmas, Etc." is a season 1 highlight Chicago Fire -- "A Monster In the Field" Episode 13001 -- Pictured: Joe Miñoso as Joe Cruz -- (Photo by: Peter Gordon/NBC)

What makes "Merry Christmas, Etc." such a fun...

Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) was the unexpected star of Chicago Fire's fall finale. The firefighter wasn't touted to be the center of attention, but it felt like he did most of the heavy lifting thanks to a series of events that culminated with a deadly standoff.

The fall finale ended with Cruz in a church, confronted by a man who claims to be the cousin of Flaco. This was treated like a big deal because, in the grand scheme of the show, it is. Flaco is, admittedly, a character who hasn't been referenced in over a decade, though, so you'd be forgiven for being a little rusty on his backstory.

With that said, here's what you need to know about Flaco and Cruz's connection to him.

Cruz's relationship with Flaco dates back to season 1 Chicago Fire -- "A Monster In the Field" Episode 13001 -- Pictured: Joe Miñoso as Joe Cruz...