Jesse Lee Soffer’s Jay Halstead was a mainstay inChicago P.D.for ten seasons, but while he has already left Intelligence, there are several reasons why he needs to return. As a detective working withSergeant Hank Voightand the Intelligence unit, Halstead dealt with rugged cases involving drug dealers, murderers, and kidnappers. Jay’s military background and his romances with Detectives Erin Lindsay and Hailey Upton were highlights on the show because he’s always been a police officer trying to fight through his traumatic experiences with support from his colleagues and loved ones.
Halstead also had rough confrontations with Voight due to the Sergeant’s tendency to go above the law, especially during earlier seasons of the show. Although Halstead insists on working cases by-the-book, he also tackles criminals in a personal way to protect his unit the way Voight generally works. AfterSoffer decided to leaveChicago P.D., he joined another Dick Wolf show,FBI: International.Now thatFBI: Internationalhas been canceled,Soffer should reprise his role as Halstead inChicago P.D.to continue Jay’s story and rejoin the Intelligence unit.
Jay Didn’t Embrace His Colleagues Before His Abrupt Exit
One of the biggest reasons why Halstead should return toChicago P.D.is to properly say goodbye to his fellow detectives in the Intelligence unit, or to rejoin them for good. During Halstead’s final appearance in season 10, episode 3, the detective was investigating a series of pharmacy robberies with his team. This case became a personal one for Jay because it involved a military veteran who initially appeared to be a victim but knew more than he was letting on. Halstead would end up killing the primary culprit in self-defense.
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A major aspect of Halstead’s departure involved him walking away from Intelligence to serve overseas and leaving the horrors of his job as a police officer, including killing and covering up evidence. While he had sentimental farewells to Upton and Voight,Halstead didn’t say goodbye to any of his longtime colleaguesat Intelligence, including Kevin Atwater,Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek, along with Dante Torres (who Jay personally recruited). This was disappointing because Halstead is one of the original cast members, and he should’ve embraced his unit one last time.
4Jay And Hailey Deserve A Proper Goodbye
While Halstead and Upton’s final scene together had an emotional impact on the pair and the show as a whole, it felt somewhat sudden and out of the blue because they recently became newlyweds and had an effective repertoire during their partnership in Intelligence. However, Halstead’s decision to leave his wife for a period of time to rejoin the military was the most logical exit strategy for the character due to Soffer’s departure from the show. At the same time, it feels cold and comes across as Jay abandoning Hailey for his own personal reasons.
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Jay and Hailey have endured traumatic cases together and have expressed their love for each other throughout their romance. Halstead and Upton also disliked going above the law with Voight, in certain cases, even though they knew it was warranted to protect the team. If Halstead returns toChicago P.D., thenUpton should come back as well, despite her exit from the show briefly after Jay, so they will both receive closure or intend to rekindle their relationship.
3Jay Should Rejoin The Unit Now That FBI: International Is Canceled
Soffer managed to find another role to tackle in the form of FBI agent Wesley “Wes” Mitchell inFBI: International, after the actor’s departure fromChicago P.D.While Mitchell is a looser law enforcement figure who can be reckless at times when jumping into action, he also has leadership, combat, and strategic tactics reminiscent of Halstead’s skills. Portraying a new character gave Soffer the opportunity to branch out ofChicago P.D.and lead another series.
Since Halstead has always been one of the more serious detectives in theOne Chicagodrama, perhaps Soffer could portray a slightly different version of Jay with a toned-down demeanor and include some of the swagger from hisFBIrole as Mitchell.
However, due toFBI: International’s recent cancelation, Soffer’s schedule is once again open to reprise his role as Halstead inChicago P.D.and rejoin the Intelligence unit. Since Halstead has always been one of the more serious detectives in theOne Chicagodrama, perhaps Soffer could portray a slightly different version of Jay with a toned-down demeanor and include some of the swagger from hisFBIrole as Mitchell.
2Jay Can Apply What He Learned Overseas To Intelligence
If Halstead plans to make a grand return to the Intelligence unit, he can apply some skills that he learned overseas to certain investigations. In Jay’s final appearance in season 10, he mentioned to Hailey his plan to re-enlist in the Army and serve in Bolivia to take down drug cartels. Halstead felt the need to do this in order to revitalize his sense of structure and law and order, removing himself from Intelligence to get away from his and Voight’s above-the-law approach to police work.
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For Halstead to work for Intelligence again in Chicago, he’d want to reinvigorate his character so that he doesn’t revert to the way he and Voight used to work cases by covering up their mistakes when committing murder or withholding information. Considering all the strong work Halstead has done with Intelligence, he can return toChicago P.D.with a clean slate and a fresh start to bring a more structured work ethic reminiscent of his time overseas with the Army.
1Jay Can Help Voight Take Down Reid To Help Voight Get Rid Of Their Demons
Regardless of how much time Voight needs to take down his current nemesis, Deputy Chief Charlie Reid, this case would be the perfect opportunity for Halstead to return toChicago P.D.Like Voight, Halstead is a disciplined police officer who intends to wash away the sins he committed in the past to evolve and consistently work the right way. SinceReid represents the old version of Voight, using powerful methods of persuasion and sneaking up on the unit, the Sergeant will need all the help he can get.
If Reid’s downfall is successful, this may be a cathartic moment for Halstead and Voight to let go of their old selves and pave the way for the future of Intelligence.
With the Intelligence unit andAssistant State Attorney Nina Chapman by Voight’s side, Halstead could be another crucial piece of the puzzle who can help dismantle Reid’s mysterious plan, perhaps by doing undercover work. If Reid’s downfall is successful, this may be a cathartic moment for Halstead and Voight to let go of their old selves inChicago P.D.
