The Rookie is losing another character as Tru Valentino, who plays Officer Aaron Thorsen, is leaving in season 7. However, Aaron’s exit isn’t too worrying, following a promising update concerning his future on the show. Many main characters have disappointingly left The Rookie over the course of its seven seasons, and Aaron is only the latest to depart. So, when season 7 opens, Aaron will already be gone. While the reasoning behind his exit is unknown ahead of the premiere, comments from the ABC police procedural’s showrunner, Alexi Hawley, regarding the matter are reassuring.
Several villains threatened the team during The Rookie season 6 finale, but most of the focus was on Monica Stevens. Unfortunately, by the end of the hour, Monica got away. Two other notorious The Rookie villains — Oscar Hutchinson and Jason Wyler — broke out of prison in season 6’s last episode. When season 7 opens, the police officers and detectives will have a lot on their hands, but they will have to get the job done and find the loose criminals without Valentino’s Aaron.
Tru Valentino’s Upcoming Exit From The Rookie Explained
Aaron Thorsen Won’t Appear In The Season 7 Premiere
Tru Valentino as Aaron, who was first introduced during the second episode of season 4, is exiting the series ahead of The Rookie season 7 premiere (per TVLine). Consequently, the season 6 finale served as Valentino’s last episode. The actor never clearly stated why he decided to leave the show. However, soon after the announcement of his departure, Valentino wrote on his Instagram stories, “I will always cherish my time on The Rookie but couldn’t be more excited for what the future has in store.”
| The Rookie Season 7 Cast | Character |
|---|---|
| Nathan Fillion | John Nolan |
| Richard T. Jones | Wade Grey |
| Alyssa Diaz | Angela Lopez |
| Eric Winter | Tim Bradford |
| Melissa O’Neil | Lucy Chen |
| Mekia Cox | Nyla Harper |
| Shawn Ashmore | Wesley Evers |
| Jenna Dewan | Bailey Nune |
| Lisseth Chavez | Celina Juarez |
| Deric Augustine | Miles Penn |
| Patrick Kelehe | Seth Ridley |
Based on the actor’s comments, Valentino seemingly exited The Rookie to seek other opportunities or it was a creative decision by the writers (although the reasoning is still unconfirmed). Whatever the case, Aaron will be missing when season 7 opens. The good news is that it’s quite unlikely that The Rookie will kill off Valentino’s character as the series has done to others who have left Mid-Wilshire.
The Possibility Of Aaron’s Return Makes Tru Valentino’s Exit Better
Aaron’s Departure Likely Isn’t Permanent
While speaking with Screen Rant, showrunner Alexi Hawley addressed Aaron’s exit before The Rookie season 7 premiere. Thankfully, Hawley’s quote makes the character’s departure less concerning. When asked if the door remains open for Aaron to return, Hawley said:
“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.”
Aaron will not be dying during The Rookie season 7 premiere. It’s still unknown why he leaves Mid-Wilshire (perhaps because he moves out of state or transfers stations), but fans worried about Aaron’s fate can rest easy. Plus, it sounds as if Aaron’s future in The Rookie is still very much alive, meaning his return is imminent.
