Sumith Prasad
Rarely does a character’s introduction changes the dynamics of the narrative of a show as much as Officer Dante Torres’ introduction in NBC’s police procedural series ‘Chicago P.D.’ Torres is nothing but a gift to the viewers who have been worrying about the aftermath of Jay Halstead’s departure from Sergeant Henry “Hank” Voight’s Intelligence Unit. Torres soon becomes an integral part of the unit, especially with his courage and resilience which he displays while working undercover. As the tenth round of the series progresses to its conclusion, the viewers are worried about his fate in the show. Well, let us share what we know about the same! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Mystery Surrounding Dante Torres’ Absences
After Jay Halstead departs from the CPD, Voight deals with a vacuum caused by the resignation of the former. The same is filled by Dante Torres, who gets involved in several intricate cases despite being a new addition to the unit. He is mentored by Adam Ruzek and Kevin Atwater, who help him become a commendable police officer. When a murder happens in the neighborhood he grew up in, he even leads the investigation to take advantage of his familiarity with the people and the place. However, in the second half of the tenth season, the viewers notice his absence in multiple episodes.
In the seventeenth episode of the tenth season, Voight notices Torres’ absence during a robbery investigation. Atwater tells his superior that the newest member of the unit is attending a “narcotics and addiction seminar.” Although Torres returns from the seminar in no time, he disappears again in the nineteenth episode of the season. In the episode, Kevin finds a nearly-dead body of a boy in the basement of an apartment complex. Voight and his team try their best to find any lead concerning the shooter but Torres isn’t part of the investigation. When Kim Burgess asks Voight about the same, the latter replies that Torres is testifying in a jury trial all week.
Since Torres’ absence is becoming frequent, the viewers must be alarmed about the character’s future in the show. Is Benjamin Levy Aguilar leaving the police procedural, following Jesse Lee Soffer, who left the show earlier current season? Let’s see.
Benjamin Levy Aguilar is Likely to Continue in His Role
As of now, neither NBC nor Benjamin Levy Aguilar released a statement concerning the actor’s departure from ‘Chicago P.D.’ Since Torres’ absence usually last an episode long, it doesn’t really indicate that Aguilar is slated to leave the police procedural. These single-episode absences are common even among the main cast members in network television shows, often conceived for a particular episode to focus on another character or characters. The two recent episodes Aguilar doesn’t feature focus on Kim Burgess and Kevin Atwater respectively.
Since Aguilar is one of the newest additions to the cast, he must have signed his contract for a limited number of episodes rather than a complete season, which explains Torres’ occasional absences. Furthermore, it is unlikely that the creative heads of the series would want another main cast member’s exit from the series after Soffer’s departure from the police procedural. Since Aguilar hasn’t expressed any desire to leave the series, we can be hopeful that he will remain a part of the show’s cast in the near future.
Furthermore, Torres has immense scope in the narrative of the show, especially as it progresses to its recently-greenlit eleventh season. We may see him being a part of more undercover operations and life-threatening cases, which will shape the police officer in him. Considering these possibilities and factors, we believe that Aguilar most likely will continue featuring in ‘Chicago P.D.’
Read More: Did Patrick John Flueger’s Adam Ruzek Gain Weight in Chicago PD?
