Bailey’s contact with Malvado has finally been found out in The Rookie, but Nolan’s inevitable reaction only makes his own mistake even worse. Season 7, episode 5, “Til Death” saw The Rookie’s cast of characters dealing with threats on two fronts. As Nyla went head-to-head with a suspected serial killer, Nolan and Bailey dealt with the return of her dangerous ex-husband, Jason. After abducting Bailey, the situation spiraled out of his control. Following repeated assaults, Bailey fought back and caused Jason’s car to crash.
Partnered with his accomplice, Drew, The Rookie season 7 villain was forced to flee as police backup, led by Nolan, arrived on the scene. Though they gave chase by tracking Drew’s phone, Nolan was too late to apprehend her or Jason, as Malvado, an assassin, stepped in and killed them both. A bigger shock came later on when Nolan discovered Bailey had been assisting Malvado. Nolan’s reaction, however, runs the risk of being a tad hypocritical.
Jason’s Murder On The Rookie Was Partly Nolan’s Fault
Malvado Was Only On The Loose Because Of Nolan’s Mistake
On one hand, it’s understandable that Nolan feels dismayed. After all, his wife actively aided and abetted a known criminal and a fugitive from justice in his own right. In the eyes of the law that Nolan so steadfastly serves, Bailey could now be considered an accessory to murder. On the other hand, however, Malvado was only on the loose because of Nolan’s own reckless behavior and foolish mistakes in The Rookie season 7, episode 3, “Out Of Pocket.”
After successfully tracing Malvado’s car, Nolan was able to track the hitman down. Though he initially was able to apprehend him, Nolan ultimately let Malvado slip through his fingers as he tended to a wounded man. Had he not gone rogue in the first place, and called for back-up, the man wouldn’t have been wounded, or, at the very least, could’ve been treated by other officers. More importantly, Malvado would have been behind bars. Therefore, Nolan was the first domino that put all subsequent events in motion, including Bailey’s indiscretion.
Nolan Still Needs To Atone For His Mistake Before Judging Bailey
Nolan Deserves More Consequences For His Actions
In subsequent episodes, Nolan suffered no consequences for his season 7 mistakes. That was in stark contrast to Seth and Miles, who were almost kicked out of the training program for going similarly rogue. Though Nolan didn’t defy any set orders when he pursued Malvado, he nonetheless broke protocol and marched into a risky situation without the much-needed back-up. By thinking he could handle it alone, he acted like Tim in The Rookie season 6. The only difference was that Tim lost his relationship with Lucy Chen and was demoted for it.
The distinct lack of consequences, even just being taken to task by Lieutenant Grey, will hang over any confrontation Nolan has with Bailey. Though he will lawfully be in the right, any words exchanged with his wife will ring potentially hollow until he at least acknowledges his own mistakes. Given the trajectory of The Rookie season 7, however, it would appear as though the show will continue to gloss over Nolan’s missteps. That would be a mistake, as even main characters should be flawed and able to grow, even at the expense of the high road.
