Chicago P.D. - Ending Explained

The series is defined by shocking character exits and moral compromises. Key spoilers include the death of Justin Voight in Season 3, which broke Voight's moral compass, and the death of Alvin Olinsky in Season 5, which served as Voight's ultimate punishment for his sins. In later seasons, the departure of Hailey Upton and Jay Halstead leaves Voight more isolated than ever. The Season 12 finale is a major turning point: Voight orchestrates the murder of Deputy Chief Reid by manipulating a drug dealer's son, ensuring his team gets their badges back but effectively 'dying' inside. He realizes that while he saved his unit, he has become the very thing he spent a decade fighting. The series enters Season 13 with the Intelligence Unit reinstated but Voight’s relationship with Assistant State’s Attorney Nina Chapman shattered by the truth of his actions.

Critics and audiences are divided on whether Voight is a tragic hero or a functional monster. One popular alternative reading suggests that Voight is actually the series' ultimate antagonist, and the tragedy of the show is watching the younger, "good" cops (like Halstead or Upton) slowly become corrupted by his proximity. Another interpretation views the city of Chicago itself as the main character, with the Intelligence Unit acting merely as its immune system—sometimes violent and erratic, but necessary for the host's survival.