Season 12, episode 10 of Chicago PD introduced an intriguing new villain to the series, but his story arc has now been disappointingly cut short just a few episodes later for likely unavoidable reasons. Chicago PD season 12 has done a lot to elevate the series’ ranking among the best One Chicago shows, and tenth episode “Zoe” was one of the season’s most intriguing thus far. The episode introduced John Patrick Flueger’s Adam Ruzek to a mysterious young girl, and the mystery of her true identity became more elusive with every new clue.
Aside from the titular Zoe, the episode also introduced the character of serial killer and child abductor Thomas Cronin. He finally appears onscreen after abducting Zoe from foster care in season 12, episode 14, but a scene that initially seems to suggest his escape from police custody ends with the reveal of his suicide. His death distressingly leaves the Chicago PD cast with no leads as to Zoe’s whereabouts, but that’s not the only thing frustrating about Cronin being written off so quickly.
Cronin Could Have Easily Been Chicago PD Season 12’s Overarching Villain
His Cunning And Viciousness Made Him A Terrifying Threat
“Zoe” establishes Cronin as a ruthless killer of women and children across multiple states, his MO being that he inserts himself into families before ultimately murdering everyone but Zoe. The only thing matching his cruelty is his uncanny ability to evade the police as a cunning master of changing identities with every relocation. Even when the police are able to identify his face, false sightings nonetheless impede their investigations. Leaving such a villain in the wind for additional episodes would have kept his story arc rich with suspense.
Her identity could have been one of Chicago PD’s biggest mysteries, but the resolution of Zoe’s story is too rushed in the last few scenes to feel rewarding.
By the same token, keeping Cronin’s story open would have allowed for more time with Zoe and her heartstring-tugging portrayal by child actor Annabelle Toomey. At the end of “Marie,” Zoe is eventually found and her identity discovered so she can be placed in the care of surviving family. Her identity could have been one of Chicago PD’s biggest mysteries, but the resolution of Zoe’s story is too rushed in the last few scenes to feel rewarding. Allowing her story extra time to breathe would have made her happy ending more impactful.
Why Chicago PD Season 12 Likely Didn’t Have A Choice But To End His Story Right Away
Zoe Limited How Much They Could Do With Cronin’s Role
Seeing more of Zoe and Cronin might have been great, but the reality is that season 12 of Chicago PD has a lot of storylines to manage. Adam alone was already juggling multiple story arcs at once, with Burgess and Ruzek’s wedding likely to receive at least a few minor subplots leading up to the season finale. Cronin made for yet another Ruzek-centric storyline, and Adam’s father impeding the search for Zoe showcases how poorly that particular subplot’s been balanced with the rest of the show. Piling too much attention on a single investigation would only complicate the issue further.
But the real problem with prolonging Zoe and Cronin’s story is Zoe herself. Having Cronin escape in “Marie” to continue targeting Zoe time after time would have quickly become repetitive, but he couldn’t abduct her successfully because Cronin’s established MO would’ve given him no reason to stay in Chicago after acquiring Zoe. There might have been some appeal in seeing more of Eric Sheffer Stevens’ performance, but there simply weren’t many workable excuses to write in more screentime for him. On top of that, inflating Cronin’s role might’ve taken time away from Chicago PD’s real season 12 villain.
Who Is Chicago PD Season 12’s True Overarching Villain?
Season 12 Already Set Up A Different Kind Of Threat
Unless there’s somebody else pulling his strings, the real villain of Chicago PD season 12 is unquestionably Shawn Hatosy’s Deputy Chief Charlie Reid. His motives have become more questionable with every appearance, and Reid suggested to Voight in the midseason finale that there was blackmail on the horizon regarding Torres’ relationship with his late informant Gloria. And it seems that Reid only plans on upping the ante as the season continues. As Chicago PD showrunner Gwen Sigan tells ScreenRant:
If Reid is holding this information and wanting to be friends, there’s a good reason for that, and we will see through the second half of the season how that relationship grows and what Reid’s motivations are in keeping Intelligence in his pocket and what he wants to use them for throughout the rest of the season. It’ll keep going. It’ll go all the way to the finale.
Sigan also mentions that Jason Beghe’s Sergeant Voight will spend much of the remaining season keeping quiet about what little he knows of Reid’s intentions, despite Voight’s usual distaste for people keeping secrets from his team. It seems clear that Reid’s story arc in Chicago PD has been thoroughly mapped out, and it doesn’t leave much room for a villain like Cronin. Reid may not be a terrifying serial killer, but he has his own way of jeopardizing the Intelligence Unit’s wellbeing that should help the series build more than enough suspense in the episodes to come.
