The gloves are coming off for the veteran cop in season 11.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again here: we did not expect Noah (Bobby Hagan) to die in the episode “The Living and the Dead.” Despite the best efforts of Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and the IU, the troubled teen met a tragic end at the hands of a serial killer.
Given that Noah’s death was revealed at the very end of the Chicago PD episode, fans didn’t get a lot of time to sit with Voight, and see how the tragic event affected him in an emotional sense. He made an attempt to be emotionally open with someone, and how he’s lost them, which is something that’s going to be felt for the rest of season 11.
Jason Beghe says Voight will ‘revert’ in behavior
Jason Beghe talked to The Hollywood Reporter about his character, and how he will attempt to reckon with what happened. In the actor’s estimation, there will be a reverting to old ways, a reliance on the brutal, at times emotionally distant facade that Voight has adopted during crucial periods in his life:
“He kind of reverts back to his safe response which is, ‘I’m gonna rip your throat out!’ So, we will see going forward how much he’s going to be able to allow his feelings.”
One can understand the temptation to put up a shield. Voight has pulled back, emotionally, from the people in his personal life over the last few years, and given how many friends and family he’s lost (from before Chicago PD even started), it’s hard to criticize him for doing so.
The ‘savage’ Voight will resurface in S11
The thing that’s going to make the character’s decision to revert interesting is the fact that Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) is going to be leaving the IU at the end of the season. The two characters have bonded over their shared sense of loss in recent seasons, and so Upton’s decision may ultimately feel another loss for Voight.
“[We’ll see] how much he is going to stay at this kind of savage, more animalistic Voight, which is a very compelling guy, too.”
Chicago PD was recently renewed for another season by NBC, so fans will get a chance to see how Voight progresses into the backend of his police career. We hope he catches a break, frankly.
