Chicago P.D.‘s Season 12 didn’t end the way one would think an episode called “Vows” would, especially with the wedding, finally, of Burzek. Instead, the long-awaited moment became a footnote in the larger narrative surrounding Voight (Jason Beghe) taking down Reid (Shawn Hatosy), returning to his old tricks instead of keeping his word about operating within the law, shifting the moral compass of the unit as a whole. What the Intelligence Unit needs is a figure that can restore that moral compass, keep an eye on Voight, and even stand up to him if need be. Does such a unicorn exist? Yes, and his name is Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda).
Antonio Dawson Begins as Voight’s Second-in-Command in ‘Chicago P.D.’
Antonio Dawson joined the Intelligence Unit in “Stepping Stone,” the pilot episode of Chicago P.D., recruited out of the Vice Squad thanks to his skills at undercover work. He wasn’t an unknown in the One Chicago franchise, however, having appeared in the third episode of Chicago Fire‘s first season, running interference with the CFD after Voight’s son Justin (Josh Segarra) got into a drunk-driving accident. Things didn’t start well for his time in Intelligence, when his partner, Julie (Melissa Sagemiller), was tragically killed right in front of him while pursuing crime boss Adres “Pulpo” Diaz (Arturo Del Puerto).
Diaz didn’t stop there, kidnapping Dawson’s son Diego (Zach Garcia) in Episode 2. While he was rescued, the act placed a rift between him and his wife, Laura (America Olivo), which would only deepen after Dawson is shot and seriously wounded by Diaz in “My Way,” the thirteenth episode of that first season. The final straw was Dawson returning to work shortly after, when she wanted him to quit and have the family move closer to her sister in Illinois. Eventually, Laura took up and left with the kids while Dawson was at work, leaving him with an empty house and a letter on the table. The ensuing divorce would play a large part of Dawson’s narrative throughout his time on the hit NBC series.
Antonio Dawson Sets Himself Up as ‘Chicago P.D.’s Moral Compass
While Voight was (and is) not above working outside the law to achieve justice, Dawson is the opposite, proving himself to be the moral compass of the group when his commanding officer skirts it away. This is most evident in the storyline that begins in Season 5’s “Homecoming.” Olinsky (Elias Koteas), the Intelligence Unit officer in prison after being connected with the murder of the man who killed Voight’s son (taking the proverbial bullet for Voight), is killed in prison after being stabbed by an inmate, doing so at the request of Carlos DeLeon (Jason Martinez). When the inmate is found severely beaten and left bleeding on the floor, Dawson approaches Voight, who lies at first but admits that he did it, and if Dawson didn’t like it, he could take himself off the investigation.
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Voight hunts down Carlos, confronting him on a rooftop. Carlos, unarmed, begs for his life, but Voight shoots him anyway — twice —later saying he was reaching for a gun. Dawson finds a gun, but two witnesses saw Voight kill the man “in cold blood.” Dawson tries to find out the truth, putting him at odds with Ruzek (Patrick Flueger), who sees it as a well-deserved end for the man responsible for Olinsky’s death.When Dawson is called before the Police Board to talk about what happened, he answers truthfully, leading to a fight between him and Ruzek. Security footage ultimately clears Voight, but Dawson has proved that he is unwilling to break his morality, even if it means placing a fellow officer before the board. That strength of character leads to a mutual respect between the two.
Antonio Dawson Has a Shocking Arc on ‘Chicago P.D.’
In Season 6, Dawson is injured in the line of duty, and develops an addiction to painkillers while treating it. He offers protection to a drug dealer in exchange for pills, but the man gets arrested anyway, leading his brother to kidnap Dawson’s daughter in revenge. Dawson tracks him down, and in a drug-fueled rage, shoves the man out of a window. The out-of-character act alarms Voight, who confronts Dawson about it. He confesses that he is an addict, and as a result, Ruzek takes responsibility for the man’s death while Dawson is ordered to rehab. On his return, the shame of leaving Ruzek to take the blame is overwhelming, and in the Season 6 finale, he relapses on painkillers. In the Season 7 premiere, it’s learned that Voight took Dawson to an off-book rehab center, and in Episode 3 it’s learned that Dawson resigned and moved to Puerto Rico to be with family.
It was a shocking end for a fan-favorite character, one who deserved a better send-off than what he got. Now, with the new season approaching, Chicago P.D. has a chance to right that wrong. Seda, for one, is open to a return, saying that, “as long as the show is still going, I’m willing at any time. Antonio is still alive. If they ever wanted me to come back for an episode, or come back, or whatever, I’d be totally up for it. I’ve learned to never say never.”
There’s no reason why he couldn’t come back. The question is, should he? And the answer is a definitive yes. The Intelligence Unit has just gone through a tumultuous season, and Voight has, once again, resorted to illicit means to achieve so-called “justice.” The team has lost its way, and the return of Dawson, a man fully in control once again, would bring it back towards a moral centrality. He also wouldn’t be afraid to call Voight out for his actions against Reid, and after evading repercussions for so long, maybe it’s time someone did.
- Release Date
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January 8, 2014
- Network
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NBC
- Showrunner
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Derek Haas
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Marina Squerciati
Kim Burgess
