While waiting for the premiere of The Rookie season 6, there are a few theories surrounding the upcoming episodes that need to be discussed.
The Rookie season 6 likely won’t premiere until (at the earliest) the winter of 2024 since, as of the writing of this article, the Writers Guild of America and the studios have failed to come to terms on a new contract. So the writers’ strike continues, but that won’t stop the theories surrounding the upcoming episodes of the ABC series. It’s all that fans can do while waiting for the sixth season.
The Rookie season 5 finale ended with a handful of cliffhangers as the police officers and detectives of the Mid-Wilshire station of the Los Angeles Police Department encountered a new threat during the final episode. Aaron Thorsen was shot and remained in critical condition at the hospital at the end of the hour. Plus, the season concluded with the reveal that a new villain was behind the finale’s events, and their plans had only begun. So there is a lot of material for the writers to work with going into The Rookie season 6.
8. Elijah Stone Is Connected To The New Villain From The Rookie Season 5 Finale
The Rookie season 5 concluded with a mysterious man in a black SUV driving toward downtown LA while police cars drove past him. They were heading to a scene where the Mid-Wilshire cops had just confronted a suspect named Luke Moran and his masked mercenaries. The characters believed that Luke was at the top of the food chain in the group of criminals, but that spot was actually claimed by the man in the SUV. The new villain said, “Weaponizing Luke Moran against the LAPD has driven every cop in the city away from our target. And by the time they’ve realized the damage we’ve done, we’ll be long gone.”
It’s unclear who this man is or his plans for LA, but he may have ties to Elijah Stone, who never seems to go away. The LAPD arrested Elijah in The Rookie season 5, episode 17, but at the end of the hour, he met his neighbor in prison — Oscar Hutchinson. Based on their interaction, in which they briefly discussed revenge, it was clear that wouldn’t be the last time the audience saw either villain.
Love him or hate him, The Rookie set up Elijah’s return in season 6, and it would make sense if he is involved with the new antagonist from the season 5 finale. Perhaps Elijah is the one pulling the strings from his prison cell. He does have a motive for wanting to get revenge on the cops of Mid-Wilshire, after all.
7. Monica Returns To The Rookie As A Main Antagonist
If Elijah returns in The Rookie season 6, Monica Stevens undoubtedly will, too. She was the criminal’s lawyer, and she was never as innocent as she made herself out to be. Following Elijah’s arrest, which she helped orchestrate (but only once the odds were stacked against her), Monica called Abril Rodas, a cartel leader, to offer assistance. Unfortunately for Monica, Abril died during a confrontation with the FBI in The Rookie: Feds season 1. However, that doesn’t mean Monica’s devious ways are behind her.
Monica is one of the most intriguing villains in The Rookie, so the writers would be wise to bring her back as a more fully developed antagonist in season 6. The dominoes are perfectly lined up for her return, and her past with Wesley Evers makes her status as a full-fledged villain even more exciting. Now, the writers just have to seize this opportunity and run with it in season 6.
6. Nolan & Bailey Call Off Their Wedding
Bailey Nune is John Nolan’s longest love interest in The Rookie, and she is probably the woman he has formed the deepest connection with over the course of the show. They are engaged and live together, after all. However, that doesn’t mean that Nolan and Bailey will get married in season 6.
The Rookie season 5 contained many clues that Nolan and Bailey’s relationship won’t go the distance. Nolan couldn’t bring himself to kill Rosalind Dyer to save Bailey. Later, Bailey wasn’t comfortable moving in with Nolan, even though she had proposed. Plus, he didn’t introduce her as his fiancée when the couple returned to his hometown to sort through his mother’s things.
Perhaps these are meaningless clues, but the real kicker that proves Nolan and Bailey won’t make it down the aisle is that it didn’t happen already. They got engaged in The Rookie season 5, episode 4, yet their wedding was rarely mentioned for the rest of the season. A wedding between the main character and his love interest should have been a significant event, but it was constantly brushed over to focus on other storylines. Therefore, Nolan and Bailey likely won’t get married in The Rookie season 6.
5. Aaron Survives His Gunshot Wounds (But Celina Dies)
The Rookie season 5 finale ended with a code blue from Aaron’s hospital room, meaning he was flatlining. The masked criminals shot him earlier in the hour, and he remained unconscious in his hospital bed. Viewers were left wondering if Aaron would survive past season 5, but perhaps they should be more worried about Celina Juarez.
It wouldn’t make sense if Aaron died during the season 6 premiere. The show had been building up to a storyline revolving around him wanting to be a detective like Nyla Harper and Angela Lopez, which would all be meaningless if Aaron died. However, it would make sense if Celina died in The Rookie season 6. She’s Nolan’s first official rookie, so her death, while tragic, would carry more weight and serve as the catalyst for Nolan’s season 6 storyline. Celina was hit in the head during the season 5 finale, so perhaps her concussion is more dire than once thought.
4. Nolan Gets A New Rookie
Even if Celina doesn’t die in The Rookie season 6, Nolan will likely still get a new rookie. He needs to be truly challenged when the ABC series returns with new episodes, and Celina never pushed him to his limits. Nolan and Celina quickly developed a close friendship, and their working relationship rarely faced any serious hardships. If Nolan is going to become a fantastic training officer one day, he will need to encounter a few tough rookies.
3. Tim & Lucy Move In Together In The Rookie Season 6
Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen started dating in The Rookie season 5, much to the delight of Chenford shippers everywhere. Since they built the foundation of their relationship on a close friendship, it didn’t take long for their romance to get serious. So the next step will probably be moving in together in season 6. A previous episode teased the occasion when Tamara Colins, Lucy’s current roommate, worried that Tim would move in and kick Tamara out. Therefore, it’s only a matter of time before Tim and Lucy become roommates in The Rookie.
2. The Detectives Exam Throws A Wrench In Chenford’s Relationship
If Tim and Lucy move in together in The Rookie season 6, it won’t solve their problems. Of course, they are great together, but they need to work on their communication skills. Lucy didn’t tell Tim the true story behind his move to Metro, which angered him once he found out, resulting in the couple’s first fight. However, Lucy seemingly didn’t learn from her mistake because she lied again to Tim about her chances with the detectives exam later in the season.
Lucy likely won’t pass the test because of how she secured the job at Metro for Tim. Some of the graders are not fans of her antics, so they are less likely to give her a passing grade. Tim will undoubtedly learn this information, likely leading to another fight between him and Lucy. Hopefully, it won’t result in Tim and Lucy breaking up, but there will definitely be some angst between the couple in The Rookie season 6.
1. The Rookie Season 6 Has A Real Crossover With The Rookie: Feds (If It Gets Renewed)
If ABC renews The Rookie: Feds for season 2, the network should plan for a real crossover between The Rookie and its spinoff. During the 2022-2023 television season, ABC constantly marketed episodes of both series where one character from the other show appeared for a scene or two as crossovers. However, a true crossover consists of multiple characters popping up and (constantly) working together to solve a nail-biting case. It should be more involved, and if ABC has learned from its mistakes, The Rookie: Feds and The Rookie will work together better in future episodes.
