Contains spoilers for Chicago P.D. Season 13, Episode 4 — “Root Cause.”
Season 13 of Chicago P.D. is only four episodes in, and it’s already delivering the emotional gut punches fans have come to expect. The latest installment, “Root Cause,” peels back the layers on one of Intelligence’s newest detectives, Eva Imani (Ari Mandi), while also hinting at long-awaited answers about the unit’s gruff and guarded leader, Hank Voight (Jason Beghe).
It’s rare for a new recruit to make such a strong impression so quickly, but Imani has done just that — not only with her skills in the field, but with the mystery that surrounds her. This week, viewers finally caught a glimpse of her complicated past and the emotional scars that drive her.
Eva Imani’s Undercover Moment Reveals More Than Expected
The episode begins with Voight and Imani teaming up to hunt down a suspect connected to a string of armed robberies. Their search leads them to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, where Imani volunteers to go undercover under an assumed name. What starts as a routine operation quickly turns into one of the most revealing moments of the season.
Inside the meeting, Imani delivers a raw, deeply convincing portrayal of an addict spiraling out of control. Her emotion is so palpable that even Voight — who’s seen it all — is taken aback. When he later asks how she managed to embody the role so authentically, she shoots back with sharp humor:
“Is that your subtle way of asking if I have a drug problem? No, I don’t. I’ve just been to a lot of N.A. meetings.”
That simple admission opens the door to something darker. Imani reveals she spent years attending those meetings not for herself, but to search for her missing sister — the last time she saw her, Eva was only eight years old.
A Sister’s Shadow — and Secrets Left Unsaid
Though Imani doesn’t share many details, the episode cleverly drops hints that her family history is far from ordinary. She surprises her colleagues by speaking fluent Farsi, confirming her bilingual claim from earlier in the season, and later freezes at the sight of a wanted poster. Her face falls, her eyes darken — and though she says nothing, fans can’t help but wonder: did she just recognize her sister’s face?
Imani’s story is still largely a mystery, but “Root Cause” makes it clear that her past isn’t staying buried for long. Her calm professionalism hides years of quiet pain, and that emotional duality makes her one of the most compelling new additions to Chicago P.D. in years.
Meanwhile, Voight’s Past Comes Back to Haunt Him
Eva isn’t the only one facing ghosts this week. Early in the episode, Voight receives a mysterious manila envelope and asks Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) to trace its origin. When he finally opens it, the contents shake him to the core — a photograph of a young Hank Voight lying bruised and broken in a hospital bed.
For over a decade, Chicago P.D. has kept Voight’s backstory deliberately vague. We know his father was a police officer who died in the line of duty, and that his death pushed Hank to follow in his footsteps. We’ve also seen the toll it’s taken — his fierce loyalty, his temper, his relentless desire to protect the vulnerable, especially abused children and victims of trauma.
Now, that old photo suggests something more — that Voight himself may have been a victim long before he ever became a protector. The envelope feels like a message from the past, forcing him to confront memories he’s long tried to suppress.
Two Broken Pasts, One Powerful Future
By intertwining Eva Imani’s mysterious search for her sister with Hank Voight’s long-buried trauma, “Root Cause” delivers one of the most emotionally charged hours of Chicago P.D. to date. Both characters carry wounds that refuse to heal, and it’s clear that their stories will soon collide in ways that test their trust, loyalty, and moral boundaries.
For a show entering its thirteenth season, Chicago P.D. proves it still knows how to surprise, deepen its characters, and keep fans guessing — one haunting secret at a time.
