Chicago PD season 6 character review: Adam Ruzek

What it means

While Ruzek wasn’t given the most personal turmoil, it’s fair to say he was put through the ringer professionally this Chicago PD season. From IAD investigations to making enemies with Kelton, Ruzek didn’t have a lot of breathing room in his job anymore. He went from being open and eager, to more closed off and distracted because of all that he was dealing with. His character was left struggling to find a way out, and everyone seemed to have a different opinion of how he should do that.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking moment for Ruzek came in the season finale, when Hank reminded him that he “was not Al” (referring to Olinsky being Voight’s right-hand man throughout the previous 5 seasons), and could not handle the fallout of the charges being brought against him. Seeing Adam shake his head and walk away was a major blow to Voight, who released his anger on a wall with his fist. The cracks were starting to show in the unit’s hierarchy, and Ruzek—being the loyal cop that he is—was putting everything on the line to save it.

While his relationship with Upton was not problematic, it did alienate certain fans, who were wanting Halstead and Upton to be together instead. Their relationship, albeit lasting longer than most expected, actually had a quick progression.

Both Flueger and Spiridakos gave dynamic performances though, and audiences got to see how these two characters interacted when they might not have that much otherwise. While their breakup was in no means typical, it was seemingly amicable, which could potentially leave room for new (or old) relationships to blossom.