And by “mistake,” we definitely mean literally. “20-Squad” is usually great at dealing with disasters on “S.W.A.T.” But when one befalls another team, it’s a large clerical loophole that partly saves the day for the team.
As everyone knows, David “Deacon” Kay (Jay Harrington) has spent much of Season 7 moving through the process of retiring from the squad, presumably a plot choice inspired by the cancellation and then un-cancellation of “S.W.A.T.” His private security firm should be giving him all the action he needs, but he’s bored with his new, much more sedate life. When a call goes sideways for 60-Squad, injuring every member in a huge explosion, 20-Squad is placed in an all-hands-on-deck situation. Even Deacon is called up to help out with the chaos.
But how can that be possible if he’s now a civilian? The show immediately steps in to offer an excuse. “Personnel still hasn’t submitted my I-54 forms, so until then I’m cleared to roll in the field,” Deacon says. Hondo (Shemar Moore) quickly declares that he’s happy for once with the slowness of bureaucracy.
The revived 20-Squad soon find themselves trying to take out the terrorist cell responsible for the attack on 60-Squad. Defying death and using helicopters and trucks to catch up with the terrorists, Hondo pulls off a Superman-sized miracle and makes it happen. But there’s an even happier ending waiting for Deacon.
Deacon’s already back on the squad
Jack Taylor/CBS
Once everything’s calmed, the terrorists have been captured, and Hondo has become the hero of the day, Deacon is confronted by his wife by the end of the episode. Annie Kay (Bre Blair) loves and is proud of her husband — and knows there’s no way he’s going back to Netflix binges and personal security details after this mission. Since Annie has been begging for him to retire and work private security throughout the series, this could be a make-or-break moment for the couple. But Annie loves her husband. “I heard it in your voice earlier, I saw it in your face. You’re not done with this,” she says. But since one of the reasons Deacon quit 20-Squad had to do with Kay’s strained childcare issues, what’ll happen to their young children? Their woes are ameliorated by a fortunate break-up for Annie’s sister, which means she can move into their house and help out. That means they can both pursue their careers and Deacon can go back to 20-Squad. Hondo couldn’t be more thrilled to have his right-hand man back. Presumably, the next season will ground things firmly back into their working world — after all, the one thing Shemar Moore doesn’t want for “S.W.A.T.” is for it to turn into a soap opera.
