Season 7 of SWAT recently left fans with a huge question: what will the future hold for Jay Harrington's Deacon before the season ends?
Harrington has portrayed Sergeant David Kay (better known as Deacon) since SWAT first hit the air in 2018, serving as the second-in-command for Shemar Moore's leading character, Hondo.
Despite being passed over for a leadership position early in the series, Deacon serves as an important member of the SWAT team, always providing support in the field and his teammates' personal lives.
[ Full Cast of SWAT Season 7 Episode 9 - Every Main Character & Actor Who Appears (Photos) ]
What Happens to Deacon in SWAT Season 7?
Season 7 of SWAT sees Deacon seriously considering retirement, giving Hondo a few weeks of notice before he plans on hanging up his gun and badge.
Currently running SWAT academy classes in Episode 10, Deacon shows teammate Victor Tan how to take over for him when the time comes, although Tan tells Deacon he has to think about it before making that decision.
After a long and arduous search for another killer, Tan decides to take over for Deacon at the Academy, struggling with the choice before realizing he could get the job done.
However, Deacon does not stay long enough to see this come to fruition, as he is officially retired by the time the episode's credits roll, clearing out his locker and leaving his badge behind. This leaves Hondo in a heightened state of emotional distress after thinking he had more time with his former second-in-command.
Season 7 teased this moment on multiple occasions, including Hondo learning from Deacon's wife in a previous episode that he was planning to retire.
Although Hondo tries to understand Deacon's decision from his partner's perspective, it is a difficult thing to hear, leaving him in a bind for where to go with his team.
Will Jay Harrington's Deacon Return to SWAT?
Although Hondo saw Deacon's belongings cleared out at the end of Season 7, Episode 10, fans expect Jay Harrington to stick around for future episodes in some capacity.
Paramount's official synopsis for Episode 12 teases Deacon being called to help with a new crisis while also facing doubts about going through with his retirement plans.
This could leave a Deacon-sized hole for Episode 11, but there is no doubt that the longtime SWAT regular is not done with his time on the series just yet.
Additionally, CBS surprisingly uncanceled SWAT and gave the series the green light for Season 8, shocking fans who believed that the story would come to an end in Season 7.
Following that news, Harrington celebrated the renewal on Instagram, teasing that he would be involved with the next 22 episodes in some form.
While Deacon's official status with the SWAT team remains a mystery with three episodes left in Season 7, fans can rest easy knowing Jay Harrington has no intention of leaving his role behind.
New episodes of SWAT air every Friday on CBS at 8 p.m. PT before streaming the next day on Paramount+.
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