Chicago P.D. has never been afraid to go dark. The show thrives in the grey zones — between right and wrong, law and loyalty, justice and vengeance. But Season 12 feels different. From its very first episode, there’s been a tension in the air, a sense that something is unraveling beneath the surface of every character.
Voight, once the untouchable leader of the Intelligence Unit, is beginning to look weary — haunted by every decision, every death, every officer lost. For years, fans have speculated that Voight may one day reach a breaking point. Could this be the season he either retires… or dies?
Meanwhile, Hailey Upton is still spiraling in the emotional aftermath of Jay Halstead’s departure. The absence of communication from her husband — who left for Bolivia in Season 10 and hasn’t been heard from since — has left her raw, hollow, and increasingly reckless. Her emotional scenes this season have been heartbreaking, and her choices on the job feel more dangerous than ever. She’s running on fumes, and that puts her at serious risk.
After surviving her near-fatal kidnapping, Kim Burgess returned to the Intelligence Unit with new strength — but also new fragility. Her PTSD is still present, though she’s learned to live with it. But as she and Ruzek grow closer again, both professionally and personally, fans can’t help but feel nervous. If the writers choose to take a devastating turn, Burgess or Ruzek could become the season’s ultimate emotional casualty. Ruzek especially has been walking a dangerous line, eager to protect his family but sometimes too quick to take risks. Could tragedy strike just when Burzek is finding their rhythm again?
Dante Torres has emerged as one of the most compelling new voices on the team — quiet, fierce, and deeply principled. But this season has tested him in ways we’ve never seen before. Torres is still trying to prove himself, but he’s also trying not to lose himself. Coming from the very streets the unit patrols, he walks a fine line between duty and community. And in Season 12, that line is beginning to blur dangerously.
In one recent episode, Torres nearly lost control during an interrogation — reminding fans that his rage, though buried deep, is still there. As the season progresses, it’s becoming clear: he might explode… or implode. And either option could be fatal. Midway through the season, a slow-burning subplot is unfolding: a new player is manipulating cases from the shadows, possibly with ties to past enemies of the Intelligence Unit. Whether it’s cartel-related, political corruption, or an inside betrayal is still unclear.
Voight’s enemies don’t just attack the system — they attack the people he loves. If the Intelligence Unit is truly in someone’s crosshairs, then every team member is vulnerable. And fans know from bitter experience (RIP Olinsky) that Chicago P.D. doesn’t shy away from killing off beloved characters. There’s something haunting Season 12 — and it’s not just the threat of death. It’s the growing awareness that this team, these characters we’ve come to love over 12 years, might not survive emotionally intact.
The show has matured. It’s no longer just about catching bad guys. It’s about what happens to good people when the world keeps demanding more than they can give. When justice hurts more than it heals. When loyalty demands silence. When doing the job means losing yourself. Season 12 is diving deep into that emotional terrain, asking hard questions and offering no easy answers. And that makes it powerful — but also painful to watch. If the show is building toward a major loss, here are the characters at the highest risk.
