Months after season 12 ended, NBC confirms my worst fears about Hank Voight that will drastically change what Chicago PD season 13 will look like. Things haven’t been easy for the Intelligence Unit in the last few years. Aside from going through several big losses, Voight’s team faced arguably its worst nemesis in a while.
In the Chicago PD season 12 finale, the brewing fight between Voight and the morally corrupt Deputy Chief Reid came to a head. With seemingly no chance of taking him down by the books, the Intelligence leader tapped into his old ways to ensure the safety and future of his squad.
This involved Voight hatching an elaborate plan to kill Reid. Interestingly, he was able to set the whole scheme in motion without the help of his team. That said, by the time Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek walked down the aisle, they all knew what their boss had done.
NBC’s Official One Chicago Account Confirms That The Old Voight Is Back
I predicted that pitting Voight against someone like Reid — a reflection of the darkest part of his character, would resurrect the more ruthless version of the Intelligence leader. For context, Jason Beghe’s cop was introduced in the One Chicago franchise as an anti-villain. He was morally-gray, convinced that it was justified to go through any means for justice.
Voight represented the old-school type of police work, and because he was almost always correct in his convictions, it was easier to root for him despite his questionable means. Over time and consecutive losses, however, the Intelligence commander mellowed. Off-screen, it was part of Chicago PD making itself more palatable to viewers in the wake of protests against police brutality.
On the heels of the team’s experience with Reid, the more violent version of Voight is back. NBC’s official One Chicago franchise Instagram account effectively confirms this when it posted his final conversation with Sara Chapman during the wedding and captioned it “The old Voight is back.” Check it below:
What The Return Of Old Voight Means For Chicago PD Season 13
In the conversation, Chapman questioned Voight’s actions, as they were tied to her hopes that there might be a chance that their current relationship could turn romantic. Unfortunately for her, the Sergeant effectively shot down the idea by saying that a relationship just isn’t in the cards for her. However, beyond their dynamic, this line from Voight reiterates his chosen future.
Beyond his personal relationship with Chapman, Voight bringing back his more ruthless self will be reminiscent of classic Chicago PD. That said, in light of the real-world’s brutal policing, writers will have to be careful about how handle this version of the character. He simply cannot be just the one-note brutal police who justified breaking the law in the name of justice.
Chicago PD must show that Voight has somehow evolved, otherwise, it would be very difficult to root for him. While seeing him more active in cases, it would also be great to see more of his internal conflict, like what he went through when he went up against Reid. In case he veers far away from the line, it’s up to his team to pull him back.
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- Release Date
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January 8, 2014
- Showrunner
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Derek Haas
- Directors
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Nick Gomez, Eriq La Salle, Carl Seaton, Fred Berner, Vincent Misiano, Bethany Rooney, Rohn Schmidt, Sanford Bookstaver, John Hyams, Nicole Rubio, Terry Miller, Takashi Doscher, Brenna Malloy, Lisa Robinson, Marc Roskin, Charles S. Carroll, David Rodriguez, Holly Dale, John Polson, Lin Oeding, Mykelti Williamson, Paul McCrane, Alik Sakharov, Charlotte Brändström
- Writers
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Craig Gore, Tim Walsh, Timothy J. Sexton, Mike Weiss, Mo Masi, Tiller Russell, Eduardo Javier Canto, Jamie Pachino, Mike Batistick, Cole Maliska, John Dove, Tiffany Bratcher, David Hoselton, Maisha Closson, Kim Rome, Katherine Visconti, Daniel Arkin, Todd Robinson, David Rambo, Denitria Harris-Lawrence, Mick Betancourt, Bryan Gracia
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Marina Squerciati
Kim Burgess
