Acting on feelings can have consequences, but sometimes, it can be just what someone needs.
On S.W.A.T. Season 6 Episode 12, a gunman targets rehab centers following his brother’s death, and Powell uses her own feelings about her past to help.
Meanwhile, Annie and Deacon have differing opinions on their daughter, Lila, when it comes to soccer, and it leads to an unexpected consequence.
Previously it was Deacon’s son getting the spotlight; now it’s his daughter, Lila, and his and Annie’s parenting styles only revealed how much they care about her.
After Deacon had struggled with what to do about Matt on S.W.A.T. Season 6 Episode 8, seeing him now deal with a completely different situation with a different kid shows just what a parent goes through.
Although this storyline centered on whether or not Lila playing soccer was a good idea and if she wanted to play or not, there was a much deeper plot to it, and it was all about kids growing up.
Deacon and Annie having differing opinions on what to do only reflected the way that most parents work.
Kays don’t break commitments.
Deacon
Not everything is going to be agreed upon, but at the same time, there might be something more significant behind it.
Deacon admitted that he just wanted to hold on to her for a little bit longer and have something in common with her.
Since they had so many kids and had them all grow up before their eyes, this was normal behavior for him.
It was a little strange that Annie didn’t think to talk to Deacon before telling Lila she could quit soccer, and seeing her so angry that he told her otherwise was not how I imagined her acting.
All I wanted was for her to learn the same lessons that I did as a kid playing sports.
Deacon
The two of them usually talk to each other, but with Deacon busy with S.W.A.T. and Annie busy with school, it’s likely it slipped both of their minds.
They did come to a conclusion by the end, and it was just that their little girl was growing up too fast, which I’m sure is relatable for any parent.
This was the storyline that Jay Harrington told us about in our interview, but I am curious to see if it continues longer or is revisited in some way.
Even though Deacon and Annie did come to an agreement, it’s possible it could be mentioned again.
Maybe another Kay child will have the time to shine in a later episode.
There are plenty of stories to be told about them.
Someone else that got to shine was Zoe Powell, who opened up more about what happened with her partner, Gabe.
Powell initially opened up about Gabe on S.W.A.T. Season 6 Episode 5, and she still felt guilty about what happened to him.
I get that feeling, thinking you let someone down.
Powell
The case that the team took in this episode was a great connector to Powell’s story because she felt similar to what the gunman felt, which was guilt.
She started off being a rebel, not following protocol because she knew what could happen, to helping a literal gunman who has hostages stay off the ledge.
Powell used her own experiences to help, even if it didn’t work the way she had planned.
Knowing how far Powell has come, it was great to see how much she had grown. In the end, she even decided to take her own advice and visit Gabe.
Powell: I think he forgave himself.
Street: Question is, can you?
It’s likely this is one storyline that is far from over, but since Powell isn’t in all of the episodes, it might be a while until we come face-to-face with Gabe.
At least fans can still look forward to Powell growing even more and maybe even realizing her calling as a negotiator.
The case that 20-Squad dealt with revolved around something that is, unfortunately, all too common in the world today: addiction and loss.
Like many procedurals, S.W.A.T. is known for pulling storylines from real-world issues. Still, it was heartbreaking to see the pain that addiction caused for the main antagonist, Tim, who lost his brother to an overdose.
Although Tim was the bad guy, the series kept trying to get it through that Tim was only looking out for his baby brother and wanted him clean more than anything.
This was where Powell was brought in and where the two stories interconnected. Powell helped Tim, and in turn, she helped herself as well.
Having the main storyline not only connect to the real world but to a character makes it even better, and I can’t think of anyone that it would have served better than Powell.
Just like Tim, Powell blamed herself but trying to get through to Tim and showing him Adrian’s video really helped her.
Tim might be the one out there shooting people, but this all falls back on you and this center. Don’t think we don’t know that.
Hondo
It was a well-executed storyline, which can be tricky since it also discussed the lengths that rehab centers may go to bring in addicts off the book.
This episode brought awareness to what’s likely happening in the world and how it may never stop, but one can always find help.
As for the other stories, it was intriguing seeing more of Luca’s relationship with Eva.
After their fallout, Luca still felt the need to protect her, and he tried to patch things up with her, even though she didn’t want it.
I just wanted to get to know my brother. And now I wish to God I hadn’t.
Eva
I’m hoping that they continue this storyline in greater detail because Luca having a half-sibling is not something that should just be thrown around.
There was also a short storyline about Nichelle’s first investigation, and it opened her eyes to what Hondo has to go through every day.
I really enjoy these types of storylines for both Hondo and Nichelle, the ones where they’re realizing more and more what kind of world they live in or what Hondo has to do for his job.
Now that they have a baby on the way, they are thinking completely differently, and with Nichelle now seeing that side, it’s giving her a different perspective.
I would love nothing more than to have an episode that almost strictly follows Nichelle for her cop auditing job and see her reactions in real time and what she has to do.
Getting those different perspectives would make it easier to follow the characters and what they have to go through.
Overall, this episode was entertaining and heartbreaking, with happy endings all around.
Between the action, the storylines, and the character development, I am giving it 4.0 stars.
I’m hoping that they continue to explore Powell’s backstory and what happened before she joined S.W.A.T.
Meanwhile, Luca has stayed adamant about making sure that Eva is in his life one way or another, but he seems okay with backing off until she’s ready again. Fingers crossed, it doesn’t take long.
Hondo and Nichelle always seem to be going through something and worrying, I would like for them to take a nice, stress-free vacation before the baby comes, but it’s S.W.A.T., and anything is unpredictable.
So, Fanatics, what did you think?
What was your favorite storyline? Which one are you hoping will continue?
What are your thoughts on Powell’s character development or Nichelle’s new job?
Would you change anything about how Annie and Deacon solved their problem or how Luca wanted to help Eva?
Share your thoughts below, and be sure to watch S.W.A.T. online any time via TV Fanatic!
Megan Behnke is a staff writer for TV Fanatic, who you can follow on Twitter.
