"I Don't Think We Could Redeem Him": Why Chicago PD Killed Off Reid, Explained

Reid had ordered an internal affairs investigation into the Intelligence Unit. He had Torres arrested, forcing Voight to take desperate measures to see that his nemesis was out of the equation permanently. However, things could have ended very differently for the season, and Reid's character, as Chicago P.D.'s showrunner, Gwen Sigan, reveals she almost decided not to kill off the primary antagonist.

Sigan Debated Keeping Reid Alive

It Was A Close Call

In an interview with ScreenRant, Sigan discussed developments in the Chicago P.D. season 12 finale and talked about the decision to kill off Reid, revealing it was a tough call. She discussed the talents of actor Shawn Hatosy, noting how he portrayed the character well as an antagonist, but Reid's fate was sealed once the character became irredeemable. Check out the interview below:

It's clear from her remarks that Sigan had a clear plan to keep Reid in play for the future and possibly even as the primary antagonist for season 13. However, the plan changed, and the decision was made to kill off the character to fit with the narrative of the season, a decision that feels like the right choice.

Sigan also went on to discuss how the fallout from Reid's death and Voight's involvement is set to impact him and Chapman's relationship and the trustworthy bond between them.

Chapman finds out that Voight sanctioned Reid's death. What does this mean for their relationship and the trust between them?Gwen Sigan: It's not good. It's definitely not good. That last scene, to me, is a lot like a breakup. It's messy. It's definitely not definitive. I don't think that there's nothing still there to play with, but he is setting a boundary. He is basically telling her, "I'm not able to. I'm not capable."

He says, "I don't get to have more," but I think it's more so, "I don't know how to do it. I don't think I can do it." Chapman really hears it in that moment. She hears it, understands it, and it's almost like a breakup of something that never really got to come into full fruition anyway. It never really got to be what she would've wanted it to be at some point.

 

Reid Had To Die For The Show To Move Forward

Killing Reid was controversial but necessary for the show to move forward. There's no question he was a formidable foe for Hank, and Reid achieved something no other villain has managed in Chicago P.D., successfully breaking up the Intelligence Unit. He proved to be a continual thorn in their side, and his actions had a serious impact on Voight and the rest of the team.

However, Reid was a casualty who proved necessary for the show to progress, as the matchup with Voight saw the unstoppable force meet the immovable object. By this stage in Chicago P.D., Hank has operated largely ungoverned, systematically removing or blackmailing anyone who's stood against him. Even in earlier seasons, when Internal Affairs contacts Gradigar and later Stillwell to try to bring down the corrupt head of IU, they fail.

What always made Voight an interesting character is that he's not traditionally heroic, but his morally gray antihero approach makes him necessary in the world he inhabits. As Perry tells him in season 1, "There are about 600 reasons I didn't want you in charge of this unit, but there's one main reason why I did... cases like this." Voight might be a dirty cop, but he is also a necessary one within the world of Chicago P.D., and Reid was certainly impeding this.