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The Rookie’s Jackson West quickly became a fan favorite character after his first arrival in the show. Inspired by his father, Jackson wanted to become a cop with the ability to make a better change in society. He followed the law and made sure that the department also followed the law. His loyalty and dedication towards his work made him a remarkable character in the series.
However, it is truly devastating to see such a compelling character die. At the end of season 3, Jackson West gets kidnapped by Sandra de La Cruz’s men. Things take a gritty turn in season 4. Viewers were expecting Jackson to make a comeback in the fourth season.
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However, it was revealed that Jackson had been killed. The manner of his death also raised many eyebrows among the fandom. Let’s explore the reason Jackson West was killed off in The Rookie.
Why was Jackson West killed off in The Rookie?
The reason behind killing off such a compelling character has been revealed by Alexi Hawley, the showrunner of The Rookie, in an interview with TVLine.
“What I can say is that Titus [Makin] was not coming back to the show, so we needed to do the best that we could to honor the character who’s been so primally a part of the show.”
Hence, the decision to kill off such a character was mainly because of the actor Titus Makin, who plays the role of Jackson West in the series. Alexi also added,
“It’s heartbreaking, but I didn’t really have a choice. He wasn’t coming back, and because of the way we set things up with the [Season 3] finale, there was just no way to tell that story without Jackson…. But we lean really hard into honoring how he was the heart of the show, and it was definitely impactful for us to have to deal with that.”
It cannot be denied that Jackson West’s character added a lot of intrigue to the show. His death, which can be seen through footage in the show, is also quite surprising. Many fans were disappointed. Fans eagerly pointed out that maybe the show should have handled his death in a more nuanced manner.
Jackson’s character in The Rookie undoubtedly deserved a more heroic departure from the show. However, the actor’s decision led to the eventual grounded nature of his death. Though how Jackson dies reflects a crucial message. It denotes the dangers and the unpredictability of the line of work.
In an interview with ET, actor Titus Makin explains his reason for the departure,
“A lot of people are finding a voice, and I found that for myself, where I was like, 'Oh wow, I've been complacent,'. I woke up one morning and I was watching the news, and I was like, 'I can't do this. I can't go play a cop on a show and not talk about the fact that I'm a Black cop.”
Jackson’s death in The Rookie left a lasting impact on Angela. Angela and Jackson’s bond grew from the very first season. Over time, their friendship grew deeper.
For more such interesting pieces, stay tuned to Soap Central.
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