The start point of our narrative orbits around the flawed but compelling protagonist of the ABC police drama, Will Trent, played by Ramón Rodríguez. Will, an agent at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), possesses a disturbed history and a significant amount of unresolved issues. Throughout the narrative, Will has faltered several times, yet, being the primary character in the series, he is often provided with more leniency than others. His endearing persona also contributes to his acceptability among the series’ viewers. However, it is perplexing how easily he escapes accountability for a contentious act, typically considered an unforgivable offense in the world of law enforcement, and not just once but twice.
In the drama of Will Trent, we’ve seen Will betray his fellow police officer on two distinct occasions. Our first brush with Will’s character in the pilot episode reveals him as the linchpin in unveiling a widespread police corruption scandal. This act brought an abrupt end to numerous careers within the Atlanta Police Department (APD). One notable casualty was Evelyn, the mother of Faith.
Faith couldn’t help pointing the finger of blame at Will for the demise of her mother’s career, adding a note of discord to their budding relationship as partners at the GBI. Will’s act of double-dealing didn’t go unnoticed by others in the APD, and a prevalent sentiment of disapproval for his actions was palpable in the early episodes of the series, creating a sense of tension between him and the rest of the officers.
That being said, the discord between Will and other APD officers, including Faith, proved to be fleeting. As we fast forward to the finale of the second season of Will Trent, we witnessed Will repeating the same act of betrayal. This time it was Angie; following his discovery that Angie had concealed Lenny Broussard’s murder at the end of the first season.
The fact that Angie was not the murderer, but was merely covering up for Crystal, put Will at a moral crossroads. He had to decide whether he would assist Angie in sustaining the lie or expose her wrongdoing. He opted for what he believed was the ethical course, which led to Angie’s arrest. Nevertheless, this decision took an emotional toll on Will, given his close relationship with Angie.
Surprisingly, the consequences of Will’s duplicitous behavior remained fairly low-key in the dramatic context of the series. Even though his backstabbing had some fallout, it was not long-lasting. His initial whistleblowing act is almost forgotten due to the swift forgiveness from his colleagues. On the other hand, Angie’s arrest left a more enduring mark, given the deep emotional attachment between Angie and Will.
There was some backlash for Will at the start of season 1, but it was fairly transitory and primarily confined to the pilot episode. The significance of Will’s role in uncovering the corruption scandal and his subsequent fallout with his colleagues was surprisingly not given much gravitas, considering the potential it had to define his character arc and storyline.
Season 3 begins with Ormewood and Franklin displaying a noticeable resentment towards Will for causing Angie’s arrest. Obviously, Angie was not thrilled either. However, the negative reaction was more directed towards the person Will betrayed, which was Angie, not because of her position as a detective.
The pattern of relatively low impact consequences for Will’s polemic actions is somewhat irregular. The swift absolution that the series provides for Will’s betrayals could be convincingly perceived as the keen oversight of a dramatic narrative potential. The tensions between Will and his colleagues, which surfaced at the onset of seasons 1 and 3, subsided too soon, preventing a more profound exploration of the storyline.
The narrative arc focusing on the friction between Will and his fellow officers remained underdeveloped and was resolved rather hastily. The opportunity of delving deeper into that storyline and providing it with the time and attention it deserved was essentially overlooked.
Coming back to Will’s controversial acts at this stage of the series might seem forced and redundant, further complicating the narrative. Moreover, him reprising his role as the betrayer for the third time might stretch the viewers’ suspension of disbelief a bit too far. Therefore, it seems the most judicious decision would be to not reopen this plot.
By moving past this storyline, the upcoming season 4 of Will Trent can focus on different dimensions to develop Will’s character and plot, making way for fresh situations and challenges. The viewers can also expect some new relationships, foes, and alliances to shape up, adding more layers to the narrative.
The post Will Trent: The Story of a Contentious Hero appeared first on Real News Now.
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