Chicago P.D. Season 13: Reid's Murder Might Finally Force A Voight Arc That's Been Inevitable Since Season 1

Chicago P.D. season 13 could bring to light a Voight arc that has been part of the character's growth since season 1. The series has received acclaim for its dark, gritty storytelling, complex, morally gray characters, and unflinching depiction of law enforcement.

Throughout its run, Chicago P.D., which recently wrapped season 12, has been anchored by its flawed protagonist, Hank Voight, a man who has always trodden both sides of the law in his pursuit of justice and keeping "his" city safe.

Voight is a very layered character, and combines a tough, no-nonsense persona with a willingness to break the rules in order to solve cases and catch bad guys, though he's been trying to stay on the straight and narrow in recent years. Chicago P.D. season 12 saw Voight pitted against Reid, one of his most dangerous adversaries. Voight ultimately fell back on his old ways and sanctioned the killing of Reid to protect himself and the IU. In doing so, it has opened up a potential future arc for Hank in Chicago P.D. season 13 that feels as though it has been a long time in the making.

Voight Will Face A Lot Of Scrutiny In Chicago P.D. Season 13

Chapman & The Rest Of IU May Push Hank On Reid's Death

While Voight taking Reid out of the equation was necessary for self-preservation, it also puts Hank in a tough spot. The questions surrounding the manner of Reid's death are not just going to go away, and nor is the IA investigation into Intelligence, and Hank's own crew are bound to have questions, with Ruzek and Burgess both showing in the past that they are not afraid to challenge Voight on moral issues.

There is likely to be a fallout from Reid's death that could fall back on the IU team, and Hank lacks the familial loyalty of classic Chicago P.D. characters like Olinsky, Antonio, and Erin, who were often on the same page as Hank and could help him out of difficult situations like this. Chapman could also turn against Hank and IU, and might prove to be a very dangerous adversary for Hank over the course of the season.

Hank Can Finally Become A Villain In Chicago P.D. Season 13

With Reid Out Of The Way, The Season Needs A New Villain & Voight May Fill That Role

Hank has always been prepared to do whatever it takes in the name of Chicago, and his unorthodox ways have seen him break the law and push morality for years in Intelligence. Sanctioning Reid's death felt more like self-preservation than police justice, and it could set Hank on the path to evolving from antihero to villain. It has always felt like a small push is all it would take for Hank to cross over into becoming a truly irredeemable villain instead of a morally gray (and often corrupt) antihero.

However, it feels unlikely that the show will venture down this road, because what makes Hank so compelling is the fact that he is technically a "goodie" despite also being a dirty cop in many ways. There are many terrible things Voight has done in Chicago P.D., but he is a necessary evil in the context of the show, so it feels likely he will stay in that role for at least the duration of Chicago P.D. season 13.

A Villain Arc For Voight Has Felt Inevitable Since Season 1

Hank's Default Setting Is To Take The Easy Way Out

Given the nature of the Intelligence Unit, and the role they play in protecting the city, it is understandable why Hank sometimes reverts to moral ambiguity, or straight-up criminality. The problem is, this seems to be Voight's default setting. Even when he thinks he's going to change and steer clear of corruption, something happens, and Voight's first instinct is always to take the more questionable path.

Hank is not afraid to break the rules and do things his way, and this season has shown that more than anything. The problem is that this can often land him in difficult situations. It's unlikely that Hank will fully embrace his dark side in Chicago P.D., but season 13 might see more of the old Hank resurfacing, with Voight having to break more and more rules to keep the wheels turning for himself and IU.