S.W.A.T. Season 6 Episode 9 Review: Pariah
Megan Behnke
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S.W.A.T. dropped a significant bombshell this week, and it changed the life of one of 20-Squad's own.
On S.W.A.T. Season 6 Episode 9, Luca receives some sensitive information and leans on Tan for help.
Meanwhile, as Hondo and Nichelle prepare to meet with Nichelle's parents, Cabrera's family connections could be vital to stopping a series of random shootings.
Six seasons in, very few things still blow my mind, and boy, did this episode deliver a bombshell.
Luca has a half-sister. What?
Yes, Dominique Luca has a half-sister, courtesy of his dad having an affair with another woman years ago.
This information surprised not only Luca but everyone watching.
It was a sudden and surprising reveal that came as fast as it happened, and it was hard to believe at first.
This changes so much.
Luca
Of course, Luca didn't know what to think since he never believed that his dad would have an affair, and I don't blame him.
It's hard to believe a stranger who claims she's your half-sister that you never knew about.
Tan was with Luca when the bombshell was dropped and gave Luca some wise advice.
Luca was able to come to his senses and confront his sister, who he, not so surprisingly, has a lot in common with, and it's not just biological.
Though after this whole thing, I have many questions.
What is the whole story of Eva's mom and Luca's dad? Will Luca confront his family about it? Will they stay in touch? Will this storyline keep going?
We did get some information on what happened, but it would be intriguing to see them dig even deeper into it, and Luca would be able to, hopefully, confront his family about it.
He deserves answers, and while going straight to the source may sound like the easy option, it could take time for it all to settle in.
Since Luca did seem to have a good thing going with her at the end of the episode, it's pretty safe to say that this sibling bond is just beginning.
With her also being a cop, it's also safe to assume we could be seeing her on cases in the future or popping by HQ.
She's likely one of the good guys, but we don't know much about her. Continuing this storyline would be for the better.
How will the team react? Tan already knows, so he's in the clear, but what about everyone else?
I hope that Luca tells the team on screen, so we see their reactions and know what they think, rather than get it off the screen and come back with them already knowing about it.
It's tough trying to cram everything into 42 minutes and figuring out the best storylines to include, but this is one storyline that needs to be fully explored.
Luca's life changed; it would be a crime if we were robbed of a full reveal to the team.
S.W.A.T. writers, please make it happen.
Speaking of family, is it time for Baby Harrelson to be born yet?
I am just itching for that baby girl to arrive, and I doubt I'm the only one.
The show has been slowly building to the long-awaited arrival, and even now, we are still getting storylines about Hondo and Nichelle that we haven't gotten yet.
Like meeting the parents, though it didn't exactly go as planned.
While I didn't know what to expect, what happened was intriguing.
We finally got this long-awaited meeting with Hondo and Nichelle's parents, only to find out what they really think of him.
This is interesting for two reasons.
It is the first time that Hondo has met Nichelle's parents, so it could have gone either way. Nichelle's dad showing up at HQ was not on Hondo's Bingo Card.
You gotta ask yourself — what's worse? Keeping things status quo for Nichelle and your future kid, or confronting her parents head-on and spoiling everything because your pride can't take it?
Deacon
It was only a preview of what would go down, and it was sad to see him doubt himself because he knew what her parents thought of him.
You also have what was discussed, and it's likely to bring tension to not only their relationship but their relationship with Nichelle's parents.
They not only have differing opinions on where to raise the baby, but Nichelle's parents made it clear that they aren't exactly happy she's with Hondo.
What does this mean for them moving forward?
I'm certainly old enough to make decisions.
Nichelle
Family means a lot to both Hondo and Nichelle, but with their baby coming soon, they will need to have some hard conversations, and they may not like it.
They have been through a lot, between losing an adoption and what happened at the community center on S.W.A.T. Season 6 Episode 8.
While it's hard to tell how they will get through this, they will be able to handle it; fans need them to handle it.
Family seems to be a big theme on S.W.A.T. this week, and this third storyline was just as powerful.
One thing that has been refreshing for S.W.A.T. Season 6 is that they are implementing the newbies and giving them storylines where we get to dig deep into their backgrounds.
Powell and Cabrera have been switching every so often throughout the season already, and while we've gotten some of Powell's background, we hadn't yet crossed that territory with Cabrera. Until now.
I want this sick bastard stopped.
Hicks
While there isn't too much about Cabrera, getting a sliver of her life shows that there is much more to come, and having basically been at the forefront of this case also shows how capable she is.
Not only did she take the lead, but she also opened up about her life and her cousin, who she had a difficult relationship with in the past.
That raises some questions, but the biggest is, will this change anything?
It is the most Cabrera has revealed and the first time a storyline has been centered around her.
She confided in Hondo, who gave her some advice, and her relationship with her cousin is now better than ever.
I know how hard it is, coming from my community, to be a cop. But I do think it's possible to keep one foot in each world.
Hondo
It's yet another storyline that I am just begging the writers to continue.
It's a great way to not only keep the storyline about her family and maybe even reconciliation with her cousin intact but also to keep the storyline about her upbringing.
Connecting Cabrera's family to the case of the week was the cherry on top, as it allowed her to come into her own and take charge.
She may still be a rookie on the team, but seeing her handle the situation with her cousin was interesting, especially since it was so sudden.
The world is way bigger than the hood. You can still escape it like I did.
Cabrera
I'm curious to see if that storyline is brought back in the future or if we get a small Raquel namedrop to tell audiences that the two of them are in touch with each other.
It shows that it's never too late to reconcile with loved ones, even if it may look like a lost cause.
The Powell and Cabrera storylines have been one of the season's biggest highlights so far.
Although it's hard to replace Chris, as she could never be replaced, bringing in two characters who fans already know from S.W.A.T. Season 4 and switching them every so often was a great idea.
Your upbringing is nothing to be ashamed of.
Hondo
They get their spotlights and backstories without worrying about the other, which is so rejuvenating.
Will they ever be on screen together, though?
Seeing Powell and Cabrera together and partnering up would be pretty powerful, even if it's just for a single episode.
There still aren't many females on this show, and having only two together would heal the world.
Plus, fans need something to heal the wounds of the Chris and Erika friendship that never came to fruition.
One can dream, and I wish that dream would come true.
There are still plenty of episodes left of the season, so you never know what could happen.
So, S.W.A.T. fans, what did you think? Were you just as shocked as Luca was when it was revealed he had a sister? Are you hoping he and Eva stay in touch? Or could this all go downhill?
How do you think Nichelle and Hondo will handle the aftermath of meeting with Nichelle's parents? Could this put a kink in their plan and how they will raise their daughter?
Cabrera revealed a lot, but will this change anything regarding her own family? What did you think about her taking charge? Are you hoping to see more of her in upcoming episodes?
Share your thoughts below, and make sure to watch S.W.A.T. online via TV Fanatic!
Megan Behnke was a staff writer for TV Fanatic, who you can follow on Twitter.
