One Season Was Enough: Will Trent Shows Why Angie Can’t Be Replaced

Will Trent season 3 introduced a replacement love interest for the titular Will (Ramón Rodriguez) quickly after his betrayal of Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen), but after just a season, the series proved why new love isn’t the right answer. Will was quick to find Marion Alba (Gina Rodriguez) attractive as Will Trent season 3 got underway, but something felt off quickly.

Will’s connection to Marion was sweet, something that felt perfectly timed for the GBI investigator as he tried to heal from the difficult situation he’d found himself in during Will Trent season 2. After choosing to turn Angie in and wrecking their chances at a relationship, Will needed someone he felt was morally grounded. His relationship with Angie was passion, but Will needed practical.

While Will and Marion’s connection could err on the side of steamy, it was the emotional connection that seemed to genuinely be helping the titular character move forward after his loss. Will seemed to be repairing his relationships with everyone, including Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson) and Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn), but as Will realized his romance with Marion couldn’t fix everything it fell to the wayside.

Marion Provided A Surface Fix For Will’s Deep Wounds

She Was A Strong Character, But Couldn’t Change His Past

Although Marion was a challenge for Will at first, she quickly became an antidote to what had been ailing him. Early in Will Trent season 3, Will had shrunk out of Atlanta in shame, but once he returned it was clear he was looking for an anchor. Marion provided that in a new, fun way that distracted him from Angie’s absence in his life.

Safe and similar enough to the relationship he’d shared with Angie in shape, Will was happy to have someone he could rely on and who understood his work. Unfortunately, things with Marion were doomed from the start for Will as he moved through a difficult season that served him all-new challenges. Will’s trauma, something he’s consistently buried on screen, came back in full-force, quickly proving Marion incapable of helping.

Though Will appeared to be moving past Angie, it quickly became clear when he was at his most plagued that he hadn’t even started to unpack the relationship coming to an end. While Marion was hopeful that she’d be able to break through his walls, a romantic relationship wouldn’t fix Will. Instead, their connection became more of a springboard for conflict than a resolution.

Will Can’t Resolve His Issues Through A Romantic Relationship

His Issues Are Deeper & More Nuanced Than That

Although Marion isn’t the answer Will was looking for at the top of Will Trent season 3, neither is Angie, nor is anyone outside himself. Will’s struggles stem from more than one place, but at his core, his problems are always going to be something he has to figure out on his own. No one is going to fix Will but himself.

Even so, the relationship between Will and Marion proved some interesting truths for the series, especially for those who were certain Will getting into a different relationship would change him. While Angie is always going to be someone to Will whether she’s in his life or not, it’s clear that their romance is a thing of the past.

Moving forward, however, Will has to accept the idea that Angie is an important person in his life without being someone he’s going to center his life around. Will Trent season 4 promises to bring more complicated emotions into the mix, especially with Angie’s pregnancy, but Will’s in a great position to understand that a romantic relationship isn’t going to fix him.

Will Trent has made it abundantly clear that, despite what fans are hopeful for, Will looking for someone to replace Angie was more of a problem than a solution.

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