The Rookie is back. The beloved police drama kicked off season 7 in style, courtesy of a thrilling case and the chemistry of the main cast. Unfortunately, the main cast was a member short. Aron Thorsen, the police officer who made his debut in season 4, was nowhere to be found.
The character, played by Tru Valentino, has been written off the show. The actor confirmed that he would not be returning in a full-time capacity in August 2024, and the season 7 premiere confirmed it. It was sad to forge ahead without a character who had become so beloved during his tenure, but the good news is that the door is not permanently shut.
Aaron Thorsen was sent to another L.A. precinct
While Thorsen did not appear in the season 7 premiere, a conversation between John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) shed light on the character's whereabouts. Nolan inquired about Thorsen, and Juarez assured him that he was doing well following his transfer. She claimed the character was "over in North Hollywood, settling in and happy that no one at the station knows he was a patient of Blair’s."
Fans of police procedurals know that this is as encouraging an update as one can hope for. The Rookie could have easily killed Thorsen off in a ploy to shock viewers, or send him to another state to work as an officer. There are plenty of ways to get rid of characters through ways in which they can never return.
Tru Valentino is open to returning to The Rookie
That is not what occurred with Thorsen. The police officer may be with a different precinct, but he is still in Los Angeles, and there is still a world in which he re-enters the fold at a later date. Tru Valentino played into the possibility of his character returning when he addressed his exit on Instagram.
"I will always cherish my time on The Rookie but couldn’t be more excited for what the future has in store," the actor wrote in the caption. "I adore the friends and relationships made while being there." Valentino didn't need to address the possibility of him returning, but he did so anyway, as a means of comforting the fans.
"You never know who may pop back up in the Mid-Wilshire precinct," the actor added. The Rookie showrunner Alexi Hawley similarly told Screen Rant that he would be happy to write Thorsen back into the show if the opportunity presented itself.