Chicago P.D. Season 13 First Look Confirms What Happened After Season 12 Cliffhanger md06

Although the Chicago PD season 13 premiere has yet to air, we already know the outcome of one cliffhanger from season 12, thanks to a first-look at the upcoming episode. The NBC police procedural series returns with its 13th season in the fall of 2025. Before it does, though, fans already know one significant piece of information concerning the Intelligence Unit.

Chicago PD has many questions to answer in season 13 following the season 12 finale, including what comes next for Burgess and Ruzek after getting married. Plus, the season 13 premiere must address Cook’s fate, as Toya Turner has left the show. However, the overarching mystery pertains to what will happen to the Chicago PD characters in the wake of Reid’s death.

Chicago PD Season 12 Ended With The Team Disbanded

Reid’s Death Didn’t Solve Intelligence’s Problems

Credit: Custom Image byMilica Djordjevic

Towards the end of Chicago PD season 12, Reid broke up Intelligence when they wouldn’t adhere to his demands and were close to exposing his crimes. The Deputy Chief couldn’t control Voight and co. So, Reid launched an Internal Affairs investigation, utilizing his knowledge of Torres’ illicit affair with a CI and Burgess’ involvement in covering it up to his advantage.

Reid stripped Torres and Burgess of their badges and ordered Intelligence to disband immediately in season 12’s penultimate episode. Then, in the finale, Voight only saw one way out of this mess. He believed he had to fight fire with fire to save the Intelligence Unit, which is why he arranged Reid’s death (and ruined his relationship with Chapman in the process).

Voight released Renny Otero from custody and planted the seeds for him to assassinate Reid. Renny’s father was a drug smuggler who Reid had killed, and Voight informed the young man of this information. In doing so, Voight gave Renny a reason to want Reid dead. Renny later found Reid about to head inside a courthouse for Intelligence’s preliminary disciplinary hearing and shot him.

Reid died from his wounds, which is exactly what Voight wanted. However, the Deputy Chief’s death wasn’t a fix-all for the Intelligence Unit as it didn’t just magically make the IA investigation go away. So, the Chicago PD season 12 finale concluded with the team still disbanded, leaving fans on a cliffhanger, wondering what will happen to Intelligence.

Photos From The Chicago PD Season 13 Premiere Reveal Intelligence’s Reunion

The Team Gets Back Together In The First Episode

Credit: NBC

Based on preliminary information we have gathered about the Chicago PD season 13 premiere, the episode will begin with the Intelligence Unit still divided. They will be scattered to the wind, with Voight now working with the Rapid Response squad and the others elsewhere. Meanwhile, Burgess and Torres still won’t have their badges back.

However, while we know that the first episode of Chicago PD season 13 won’t start with Intelligence’s reunion, we can infer from a first-look at the premiere that it will end with them back together. A handful of photos from the episode show the team back at their headquarters. In one of the pictures, Voight is even handing Burgess her badge back.

Based on these images, it looks like Intelligence will return by the end of the Chicago PD season 13 premiere. If anything, they show that Burgess and Torres (who can be seen holding his badge) get their jobs back and do so by Voight’s hand. Essentially, the sneak peek at the upcoming episode is screaming that the Intelligence Unit’s separation won’t be long-lived.

Chicago PD Is Making A Huge Mistake By Bringing The Team Back Together So Early

The NBC Show Should Have Dragged Out This Storyline

Credit: NBC

Yes, on the surface, it’s exciting that the entire team (minus Cook) will come back together in Chicago PD season 13, episode 1. However, when digging deeper, their fast reunion is beyond disappointing. It would’ve been much more interesting if the season had dragged out this unique storyline of Intelligence’s separation, instead of rushing to wrap it up and return to normal.

The characters’ fight to reinstate the Intelligence Unit (and actually face the consequences of their actions) would have been fun to watch. It would have also instilled new life into the One Chicago TV show. Chicago PD has been getting stale as of late with its repetitive plotlines, boring arcs, and ignorance of certain characters. It needs something fresh.

The Intelligence Unit’s breakup is something that the NBC police procedural series has yet to explore. Who are the law enforcement officers without each other? Could they succeed on their own? Or would they be lost without Intelligence? Could Burgess and/or Torres get their badges back on their own? Chicago PD season 13 could have explored all these questions and more.

One episode is not enough to wrap up this storyline. Unfortunately, it appears as though that is the route the writers have taken, and the Intelligence Unit will find their way back together by the season 13 premiere’s end. Hopefully, the Chicago PD episode injects more nuance into the resolution, but it’s disappointing all the same.

Chicago PD season 13 premieres on Wednesday, October 1, at 10 pm ET on NBC, following new episodes of Chicago Med season 11 at 8 pm ET and Chicago Fire season 14 at 9 pm ET.