Chicago P.D.’s Atwater Addressed What He’d Do If He Left Chicago In Latest Episode, And His Explanation Makes Sense After 13 Seasons

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Be warned: this contains spoilers for the latest episode of Chicago P.D., Season 13, titled “Miami.” You can watch it the day after it airs with a Peacock subscription.

Last week, Atwater was missing from Chicago P.D., but he returned in the latest episode, set in Miami. A routine patrol case unexpectedly required the entire Intelligence Unit to get involved. He teamed up with Officer Fox, a longtime friend who was considering a job transfer to Miami to escape Chicago’s cold weather. By the end of the episode, she prompted him to think about his future if he were to leave Chicago, and I really liked his response.

Early in the episode, Fox asked him a direct question, but an explosion conveniently interrupted any response. As they investigated the case, they formed a strong partnership, and I started hoping she’d stay with the Intelligence Unit instead of moving to Florida – which immediately worried me that something bad would happen to her. She did get shot, but a bullet to the arm wasn’t as serious as it seemed, and her final conversation with Atwater at his apartment made it clear she wasn’t severely hurt.

He finally gave her that answer, though. He told her:

You asked where I’d go if I left Chicago, and honestly, I haven’t given it much thought. I’ve never really pictured leaving, or even thought about what else I might want. I’ve just been too busy taking care of family – my dad, my little brother, and my little sister. Everyone is doing okay, but it’s left me no time to think about myself.

Many fans, like me, are relieved to hear that Atwater doesn’t want to leave Chicago, meaning LaRoyce Hawkins likely won’t be leaving the show. Chicago P.D. has already lost several key cast members – Jesse Lee Soffer (Halstead) and Tracy Spiridakos (Upton) – and Patrick John Flueger will be taking a break next season. Losing another long-term star would be a real blow.

Atwater has consistently been a reliable character since the show began, so it would have been disappointing if he’d immediately focused on leaving the city. However, his career has been stuck for a while, and LaRoyce Hawkins has pointed out since 2021 that Atwater is qualified to be a detective. It’s good for his development that he’s finally considering his own goals instead of always putting others first.

Earlier in the “Miami” episode, he helpfully gave background on the important people in his life. He filled Fox in on his family – his siblings and father – as well as details about his relationships, sharing that…

My brother and sister recently moved to Texas to stay with family. My uncle, Lew, is doing okay – he’s actually driving trucks long distance now. It’s mostly just me at home these days. I was briefly seeing someone, but it didn’t work out. She got a great job opportunity in New York and decided to take it.

After thirteen seasons, Kevin Atwater still hasn’t found lasting love! Now that his family is more independent and he’s not their sole support, he might be open to new possibilities. Many viewers, including myself, would love to see Fox return, especially since she left the door open for a visit to Miami.

I’m happy with the Miami trips as long as they’re about explaining why Atwater might miss some episodes, not about him leaving the show altogether! Thankfully, Atwater will be in the next episode, which is great news for Torres – you can see why in the promo.

Don’t miss new episodes of Chicago P.D., following the stories of Atwater and the Intelligence Unit, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. It airs after Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET—and there are some exciting connections between P.D. and Fire this season! You can also stream all the One Chicago shows on Peacock.

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2025-10-30 09:38