Chicago P.D. Season 12 Finale’s Death & Burzek’s Ending Scene Addressed By Showrunner

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for the Chicago P.D. season 12 finale.

NBC’s Chicago P.D. aired its finale on Wednesday, May 21, officially closing out the broadcast season’s final One Chicago night. The installment sees Shawn Hatosy’s character, Reid, shot and killed, but the real twist comes when Chapman discovers that Voight sanctioned his death. Voight tells Chapman that he doesn’t get to have more, implying a potential end to what had been building between them.

However, “Vows” does conclude on a happier note for another couple. Burgess and Ruzek finally make it down the aisle after years of a will-they-won’t-they romance. The episode ends with the characters at the altar, and showrunner Gwen Sigan confirms that the wedding does play out. Whether fans may see more of the ceremony is something that will be decided when returning to the writer’s room for Chicago P.D. season 13.

I caught up with Sigan about Reid’s death, Voight’s relationship with Chapman, and what to expect now that Burzek is officially married.

Sigan Debated Keeping Reid Alive In Chicago P.D.

“It just felt like this is what it was all leading to. But we did think about it, because we like the actor so much as well.”

ScreenRant: Reid is killed, but Shawn Hatosy is just such a great actor. Was there ever a time when you thought, “Hey, maybe we can keep him around”?

Gwen Sigan: Absolutely. I don’t think we ever thought we could redeem him as a character and make him less dark than he is. But we certainly got to a point where we were like, “Are we actually going to kill him? We don’t want to kill him. How can we get him back?”

He’s such a good antagonist for Voight, and he is just a great actor, such a professional, and was always reliable. We did think about it a lot. We couldn’t find the perfect way. It just felt like this is what it was all leading to. But we did think about it, because we like the actor so much as well.

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.

Chicago P.D. Season 13 May Jump Forward In Time

“They’re married, so we could either see it or we can jump to the future and see them happily married and see what they’re up to.”

Right before Reid dies, he says to Voight, “You’re worse than me.” How much thought is Voight going to put into that going forward?

Gwen Sigan: Voight is so interesting because I don’t think he processes really like a normal human being. In that moment, I think he was able to brush it aside pretty quickly, but it’s one of those things that is going to haunt him a little bit. And we’ve seen that he’s become a bit more self-reflective, whether he wants to admit that or not.

I think last season, dealing with having almost died the previous season, he was on this quest of almost, “What more can I have in my life?” and he has almost taken a step backwards. And so I think that those words are going to keep coming up in his head, even if it’s just in his subconscious.

The good news is that Burgess and Ruzek finally get to the altar, but then the episode ends. Is there going to be a time jump, or will the next episode pick up where we left off?

Gwen Sigan: You know what? We haven’t gotten back in the room yet. So I think that all of those are options. In my mind, yes, the whole wedding played out. They’re married, so we could either see it or we can jump to the future and see them happily married and see what they’re up to. So we’ve got options.

What do you imagine that storyline looking like for the two of them after all these years of will they or won’t they?

Gwen Sigan: It’s going to be so nice. I think it’ll be really nice. There are so many interesting ways to play a married couple on television and to show that relationship and what that relationship is like. Hopefully, we get the chance to explore all of that.

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About Chicago P.D. Season 12

From Renowned Emmy Award-Winning Executive Producer Dick Wolf

“Chicago P.D.” is a riveting police drama about the men and women of the Chicago Police Department’s elite Intelligence Unit, combatting the city’s most heinous offenses – organized crime, drug trafficking, high-profile murders and beyond. At the center of “Chicago P.D.” is Sgt. Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), who is at ground zero against the war on crime in Chicago and is fiercely determined yet complicated.

The Intelligence Unit will be tested as it learns how to work efficiently with a new Deputy Chief of Police. In addition, a new member has been added to its ranks – Officer Kiana Cook, a tough patrol officer ready to prove her worth within the unit.

Check out our other One Chicago interviews:

Chicago P.D. season 12 is available to stream on Peacock.