For thirteen seasons, Kevin Atwater has been the moral compass and the steady hand of Chicago PD We’ve watched him put his siblings’ safety above his own, sacrifice his romantic life for the job, and carry the weight of being a Black officer in a complex city, often without asking for a single thing in return.
But in season 13, episode 13, "On the Way," we finally saw the cracks in that selfless armor, and it could spell trouble for his future.
The episode kicked off with Kevin eyeing a high-end sports car, a flashy departure from the practical, grounded man we know. While it felt like a classic "existential crisis," it was actually a symptom of something deeper. Kevin has spent his entire career setting everyone else up for success. Now that his family is settled and his place in Intelligence is solidified, he’s finally asking, "What do I want?"
The answer, it seems, wasn't found in a car engine, or an undercover assignment, but in a long-overdue text message.
One of the best parts of this episode was seeing the "OG" bond between Kevin and Kim Burgess. It took a friend who has been in the trenches with him since the patrol car days to call out his "phone-staring" anxiety. Watching Kevin struggle to draft a text to Tasha Fox is something we can all relate to. You miss someone, you want to see them, but what do you say?
When Tasha finally appeared on his doorstep with a suitcase and a Miami badge, the chemistry didn't just sizzle; it felt like a turning point. We’ve seen Kevin have flings before, but his admission that he wanted to "see her more and get to know her better" felt like a man finally claiming a piece of life for himself. Plant that flag, Kevin.
The "Atwater is a family man" trope usually refers to his younger siblings, but the reveal that Tasha is pregnant changes the DNA of the show. When Tasha confessed she was keeping the baby with or without him, we saw a rare moment of Kevin being speechless.
However, the grin that spread across his face told the whole story. Kevin Atwater isn't just ready for fatherhood; he’s been practicing for it his entire life.
Does this mean we will see an Atwater-less Chicago PD as he heads to Miami to be a dad? That is a question we're going to have to wait to get an answer for. Hopefully, Atwater's happy ending won't be the end of his time on Chicago PD.