Alert: Missing Persons Unit just shockingly killed off a character and that can change the entire show!
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for Alert: Missing Persons Unit Season 3, episode 2
Fans of Alert are used to some unexpected twists and turns in cases, but nothing could have prepared them for “Badge #41870.” It opened with Nikki (Dania Ramirez) being kidnapped in her own car in a parking lot.
At the precinct, the team was met by Inspector Bill Houston (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), who wasn’t happy about the maverick actions of Jason (Scott Caan) and Nikki’s husband, Mike (Ryan Broussard). However, he was more concerned as he’d gotten word a convict named Raina had gotten early parole.
Years earlier, Nikki had busted Raina and her criminal brother, killing the man in self-defense. The case made Nikki’s career, so Raina had ample motive for revenge. Realizing Nikki was missing, the team was on the case even as Raina shot and wounded a cop.
Mike and Jason, united by their mutual love for Nikki, were both obviously tense. They caught Raina, who, after being pressured with charges against her girlfriend, admitted that someone had paid her to abduct Nikki and deliver her to a waiting airport hanger.
The tattoo on the man’s hand identified him as Irish mob boss Charlie McGannon (Ian Tracey), with whom Nikki had a tough past. Houston met with Charlie to relate Nikki was going to talk to the FBI and suspected McGannon wanted her silenced, bringing up how Nikki saved the life of McGannon's daughter in the season 3 premiere.
A shocking discovery changes everything in Alert: Missing Persons Unit
Houston brought info to the gang about the location of a car in the woods. Jason and Mike tracked it, where they made the horrifying discovery of a dead body. At first, the audience figured it had to be a fakeout, but no: Nikki was dead of a gunshot to the head.
The team was, of course, devastated, and Mike was almost inconsolable. Their grief fueled them to keep on the case. Mike discovered a drop box where Nikki had left behind a file she’d been building for years on McGannon as an insurance policy, more than enough to put him away for life.
Mike, however, wasn’t interested in due process as he was already hunting McGannon down for revenge. He dragged the mobster into the woods and was almost ready to kill him before Jason showed up to talk him down. Mike was still tempted but agreed letting McGannon rot in jail was what Nikki would have wanted rather than Mike throwing his own life away.
That left us with the team reading Nikki’s farewell letter, including her love for both Mike and Jason and Kemi offering a prayer to her.
What Nikki’s death means for Alert season 3
The death of Nikki was a true shock for viewers as there had been no word about Dania Ramirez leaving the series. Given we never see Nikki’s face with the body, some might cling to the hope it’s not really her and that her death is being faked either to bring down McGannon or some undercover assignment.
However, the grief of Jason and Mike is far too authentic if the body wasn’t Nikki’s. Mike wouldn’t have been ready to kill McGannon unless he was driven by grief and rage and the mourning of the others was also real. So it appears that Nikki is truly dead as we wait for the producers or Ramirez to reveal more about it.
As for the show, Kemi herself says, “This death will not be the end of the team.” The show will continue although obviously everyone is going to be shaken trying to keep up without Nikki. She has been a major part of the series as a mother, wife, cop and leader. Like any family, the team will be shaken hard having lost her.
This may be jarring and yet the show had done a lot already with Nikki's character. Her death is sadly logical for the story mixing it up with a mobster and doing it right after her wedding to Mike is a tragic air to the story. It also proves the writers aren't afraid of taking huge chances with the show and a shakeup that will give the series more drama.
The promo for episode 3 shows Mike throwing himself into work to get over his pain, with Jason, who says he’s not going through it alone. The series will also be adding Lt. Gabrielle Bennett (Megalyn Echikunwoke), a new agent who will likely balance the team out.
This was a massive turn for the show that changed everything and also reminded you that nothing is safe on Alert. Seeing the show go forward after this will be intriguing and make season 3 of Alert: Missing Persons Unit a huge one for fans.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit season 3 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox.