Will Trent Season 3, Episode 17, finally confirmed the identity of Will's father in a shocking twist that came out of nowhere. The titular Atlanta-based agent (portrayed by Ramón Rodríguez) from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has a complex family history in the ABC drama series, with GBI Deputy Director Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn) initially raising him before he was placed into a foster care system.
While the identity of Will's real parents remained a mystery throughout its three-season run, much of the character's family history focused on the fact that he had a traumatic childhood (primarily due to his foster mother's murder), combined with the fact that Will Trent already has dyslexia.
Will Trent's latest episode finally delved into the character's parentage after the big reveal that his long-lost father was still alive and working with him on the week's case.
It turns out that Will's biological father is Bradford County Sheriff Caleb Rousard (played by Severance alum Yul Vasquez), the same sheriff who clashed with Will for the GBI's interference with their investigation about a double murder that took place in a rural Georgia town.
The revelation came after GBI medical examiner Pete Yune examined all of the blood in the crime scene, following a disturbance caused by the victim's cat that led to several injuries among Will, Caleb, and Faith Mitchell.
Will has had a rough Season 3 so far. He dealt with the ramifications of arresting Angie Polaski in the Season 2 finale, starting a new relationship with Assistant District Attorney Gina Rodriguez, but ultimately breaking up with her, and accidentally killing a teenage boy, which led to his suspension from the GBI.
Caleb's arrival as Will's father is poised to open up more emotional wounds for Will and raises unexpected complications as he navigates his personal and professional life in Season 3 and beyond.
Will Trent has already been renewed for Season 4 for the 2025-2026 TV season, and a previous report from TV Line claimed that Vasquez's role as Sheriff Caleb may carry over into Season 4 (which makes sense, storywise).
Vasquez is best known for playing Macrodata refiner Petey on Apple TV+'s Severance, and his other credits include The Outsider, Godfather of Harlem, and American Gangster. The actor joins a stacked Will Trent cast led by Ramón Rodríguez, Erika Christensen, Jake McLaughlin, Iantha Richardson, and Sonja Sohn.
How Will Trent's Big Reveal Changes Will's Journey in Season 4
Will Trent has been grappling with trauma and personal challenges throughout his journey in the ABC series. While he has his friends and loved ones at the GBI to help him cope with all the loss and pain he has to endure, it is still different when one has a parent to lean on in difficult times.
However, what makes it complicated for Will is that he felt his father, Caleb, abandoned him, thus opening up past wounds he had already buried deep within.
TV Line also described Caleb as a "morally complex" character, meaning that an imminent clash between father and son could happen if they disagree with a potential handling of a case in future episodes.
A glimpse at Will and Caleb's complex relationship was already teased in Season 3, Episode 17, after Will outright told his father not to call him son, telling him, "You don't know me; you didn't raise me."
This troubled dynamic is expected to carry over into Season 4, and this changes Will's journey as he directly deals with his past instead of trying to run away from it.
