Months after The Rookie season 6’s ending, it was announced that Tru Valentino, who had played Aaron Thorsen in the show for three years, would exit before the season 7 premiere. The news of his departure was shocking, to say the least. Nothing in The Rookie season 6 finale suggested that Aaron would leave the ABC procedural drama series. However, that was the reality, and many became curious about how Aaron would be written out of the show. Unfortunately, his exit was ultimately very disappointing and underwhelming.
Valentino made his first appearance as Aaron, a rookie, in the second episode of season 4. His character served as Jackson West’s replacement after Titus Makin Jr. left The Rookie during the premiere, and he was just what the series needed in the wake of Jackson’s death. Aaron was quite different from Jackson, but he still meshed with the rest of the characters well. As the seasons went on, Aaron continued to develop and form different bonds and relationships. It all came to a sudden end, though, when Valentino exited The Rookie ahead of season 7.
The Rookie’s Explanation Of Aaron’s Absence Is Weak & Disappointing
Aaron Abruptly Left Mid-Wilshire
Despite being a main character for multiple seasons, the way The Rookie season 7 premiere explained Aaron’s absence was via a couple of offhand comments made by Nolan and Celina. While in their squad car, Nolan asked how Aaron was adjusting to his transfer to the North Hollywood station. Celina responded that Aaron was doing well. He was just happy to be working with people who were unaware of his situation with Dr. Blair London. And that was it. Afterward, no one spoke about Aaron again.
If a viewer wasn’t fully paying attention to the episode, they likely would have missed the reasoning behind Aaron’s exit from The Rookie in season 7. It was that quick. So, between seasons 6 and 7, Aaron abruptly transferred from Mid-Wilshire to North Hollywood because of what happened with Blair. It’s a weak excuse for his absence, at best. But, it’s also disappointing given Aaron’s importance to The Rookie and many of its characters. Tru Valentino deserved a better ending for his character. The good news is that the series still has time to fix its mistakes.
Will Tru Valentino Ever Return In The Rookie?
The Rookie Season 7’s Showrunner Is Open To Aaron Coming Back
According to Tru Valentino and The Rookie showrunner Alexi Hawley, the door is open for Aaron to return. Consequently, the ABC procedural drama can do right by Aaron and give him a proper ending. While addressing his exit on his Instagram stories, Valentino suggested that Aaron’s story wasn’t over yet. Per TV Insider, the actor said, “You never know who may pop back up in the Mid-Wilshire Precinct.” Hawley expressed the same hope for Aaron’s return when Screen Rant asked him about the possibility. The Rookie showrunner explained:
“Of course. Tru [Valentino] is a great actor, and he was a huge part of our show for several seasons, and so we’d love to have him back in some capacity. It just ultimately felt like, creatively, for where the show was going, that we needed to pivot a bit. But he’s still very much alive in our universe.”
