ABC’s “Will Trent” shocked audiences last week with the reveal that Amanda Wagner had been killed while pursuing James Ulster’s daughter, Adelaide Clemens. Tuesday’s follow-up — directed by series lead Ramón Rodríguez — only deepened the wound, bringing Sonja Sohn back to depict the GBI deputy director’s gruesome stabbing at the hands of one of Adelaide’s acolytes.
The hour picked up as authorities arrived at the scene, with the ambient sound briefly muffled to reflect what we can only imagine was the ringing in Special Agent Trent’s ears. Faith arrived, equally shattered, alongside Angie, Ormewood, Franklin, and Captain Heller. It was Angie who had the unfortunate task of telling Will they needed to step aside and let the techs do their jobs. But Will insisted on closing the body bag himself.
(If you were too shocked to cry at the end of the preceding hour, you’d be hard-pressed to avoid tears at this point. Rodríguez, a three-time Performer of the Week honoree, somehow made you feel every pang of sadness in those opening moments at the crime scene, even as Will’s emotions remained largely muted. He continued to prove he’s one of TV’s best actors in the following scene at GBI headquarters, when Will confronted acting deputy director Appleyard, believing he was there not to pay his respects, but to move into Amanda’s office. Iantha Richardson and returning guest star LisaGay Hamilton were also terrific, as Faith mourned her “Aunt Mandy,” and Faith’s mother, Evelyn, said her final goodbyes in the morgue.)
Adelaide Falls, Antonio Is Saved… But the Grief Lingers
GBI and APD worked together to apprehend Adelaide’s disciples — at least those who weren’t already dead — and learned that she was in pursuit of a secret trust that had been liquidated before Ulster’s prison escape. She had also convinced Ulster’s former fiancée, Janice, to give her the location of the money, the site of Will’s face-to-face with Adelaide in Tuesday’s episode. There, she offered him an ultimatum: if he agreed to kill himself, she’d let his uncle Antonio live; if he tried to apprehend her, she’d kill herself, and he’d never reach Antonio in time to save him. She tried to escape, only to be cornered by Faith. As she appeared to get down on her knees to surrender, Will spotted a gun hidden in her shoe and fired two shots into her chest from behind. Luckily, Adelaide had shown Will live surveillance footage of Antonio beforehand — including the sound of a passing train — allowing Will and Angie to narrow down a list of potential locations to an abandoned train yard, where Will rescued his uncle in the nick of time.
Afterward, a service for Amanda was held at Kay’s Slaughterhouse. Faith’s son Jeremy flew in for the memorial, where Heller, Evelyn, and Faith all paid their respects. But Will couldn’t bring himself to attend. As the hour drew to a close, he sat in Amanda’s office, staring at a photo of the woman who shaped him into the man he is today. He pressed record on his tape recorder, attempting to speak, but found himself at a complete loss for words.
What Sonja Sohn Has Said About Amanda’s Death
Sonja Sohn is feeling the loss right alongside viewers. In a pair of Instagram videos posted after last week’s shocking episode, the actress said she was “so touched… just so taken with the response to Amanda’s passing,” adding that the outpouring from fans reaffirmed why she does the work in the first place.
“The real reason why I do this work is to touch you guys,” she said, “and to know that my life experiences… can reach you.”
At the same time, Sohn made it clear that Amanda’s exit came down to the realities of the business. “It’s just a job… when you get a pink slip, baby, you don’t ask why. You just say goodbye,” she acknowledged, noting that actors often have little control over when it’s time to move on.
Still, she acknowledged the sting of leaving the character behind, telling fans, “I am so sorry that you’re not going to be able to finish the journey with Amanda.” But she also framed the departure as something bigger than a single role: “It is only the end of a character, but it is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”
Looking ahead, Sohn hinted that her next chapter is already taking shape. “There’s a lot more coming… the next act of my life,” she said, before adding with a smile, “Maybe the best years are yet to come.”
And it’s clear, based on how Tuesday’s “Will Trent” ended, that the ABC crime drama will continue to feel Amanda’s loss in a significant way — especially as Season 4 winds down.
As we await the final two episodes of Season 4 — airing Tuesday, April 28 and May 5 — leave a comment and let us know how you felt the show handled Amanda’s death in Season 4, Episode 16.
