Will Trent delivered in the first part of its Season 1 finale by featuring a case that combined Amanda and Evelyn's past with Will and Angie's and kept the team guessing.

When the team found two victims with their lips and eyes sewn shut on Will Trent Season 1 Episode 12, it reminded Amanda of a case she and Evelyn worked on in the 1980s.

Amanda's past caught up to her at the worst time, just as Will had made peace with his past.

It was a different time in the 1980s, especially for African-American cops. While Amanda and Evelyn tried to protect those prostitutes, they only had so much access to that case.

The other cops, Butch and Rick, often kept them busy by doing their reports instead of letting Amanda and Evelyn work in the field.

Amanda still blamed herself that they couldn't; save those prostitutes from the 1980s and was terrified that the same vicious killer.

Evelyn, I need you. He’s back.

Amanda

• Permalink: Evelyn, I need you. He’s back.

The marks on those victims were disturbing. Seeing their mouths and eyes sewn shut insinuated that they'd heard and seen something they shouldn't have. See no evil and speak no evil.

The body trauma is uncanny. This is a very specific kind of psycho.

Will

• Permalink: The body trauma is uncanny. This is a very specific kind of psycho.

The 1980s segments showed how women were supposed to keep their mouths shut and do what they were told: the prostitutes and the female cops.

It's why Amanda regretted not asking more questions back then, especially of the pimp's lawyer.

Racism still existed in the current case. The waitress practically forbade Amanda and Evelyn inside when they wanted to see James. At first, he didn't remember them either, but then he did a quick 180 and sang their praises.

James almost definitely knew something more about Lucy's murder or Will's family than he was saying. Do Amanda or Will want to see the truth?

Both Amanda and Will kept parts of the case a secret, putting the Mitchell women in the middle. Evelyn and Faith know that keeping secrets nearly destroyed their family, so they both urged Will and Amanda to confide in each other.

Will was confident that Amanda wouldn't let him work the case, and Amand thought Will would never forgive her. Keeping secrets only made things worse.

Since Will Trent Season 1 began, Will has felt a kinship to foster care victims because of the torture he endured in most homes. When he found the infamous handkerchief on the second victim, it linked him to the children's home.

While the children's home wasn't as bad as some of the other houses, it still didn't have good memories for either Will or Angie. They felt unwanted and disposable, like leftover canned vegetables.

However, as more of the old residents kept getting murdered, both of them dipped their toes into the lion's den.

I swore I’d never come back to this after I left, yet here we are.

Will

• Permalink: I swore I’d never come back to this after I left, yet here we are.

Neither of them ever wanted to revisit that part of their lives, but they wanted to stop the killer before they harmed someone else they knew.

Will has only ever longed to feel wanted by someone, either by family or Angie.

The only good thing to come out of his childhood was meeting her, and half the time, they are both too scarred by their past to have a healthy relationship. Hopefully, they will have a chance if they make it past this.

Will carries Betty everywhere because she's his safety set, and he can't lose her too. Will has held on so tight to the people in his life, and he reacted severely to hearing that Amanda knew about his mom for over 20 years.

Amanda has been in his life since college and was like his mom. He trusted her more than anyone. Hopefully, they can repair their relationship once he hears the entire story.

While it was entertaining seeing Mark-Paul Gosselaar return as Paul Campano, the character didn't gel with the seriousness of the case.

They needed to bring him back since he was one of the residents of the children's home, but he brought more comic relief than angst to the case.

Paul, Will, and Angie have such a fun rapport. They aren't exactly friends, but their rich history allows them to swing insults at each other like only family can.

It's also interesting that Paul Campano still hates cops and only trusts Will to protect him.

Will Trent excels when combining impactful storylines with emotional character development. Some of the best episodes have been when the team worked together to solve the case.

After the team worked to get Faith back on Will Trent Season 1 Episode 9, Omewood understood more the importance of Will fighting for his own.

On Will Trent Season 1 Episode 12, he understood why Will and Angie had to uncover some buried secrets themselves and was happy to be Will's wingman to question Percy.

It finally felt like the team had cemented as one large group instead of two segregated groups. Hopefully, we don't lose Angie after all that. That would destroy Will.

Talk about a cliffhanger. The Will Trent Season 1 finale's first part ended with many questions.

Will the team find Angie in time to save her? Can Will forgive Amanda for keeping so many secrets from him?

Who is the killer, and how are they connected to Will?

Comment below with your theories.

Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on X.