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Halstead’s Heartbreaking Last Chicago P.D. Scene Featured a Somber Talk with Voight
Chi-Hards will never forget Intelligence Unit O.G. Jay Halstead and his infinite insight.
Detective Jay Halstead's departure from Chicago P.D. remains one of the most poignant moments in the show's recent history, with many Chi-Hards still missing Jesse Lee Soffer's character.
Quickly making waves with his unyielding sense of justice, tactical expertise, and complex moral compass, Halstead was known as a cornerstone of the Intelligence Unit from the series' debut. Halstead's exit in Season 10, Episode 3 ("A Good Man") marked the end of an era for Chicago P.D., leaving the Intelligence Unit — including Halstead's wife, Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) — to grapple with the void left by his absence.
Many officers have come and gone from the Windy City squad room throughout the years, but Halstead's goodbye was an especially tough blow, largely thanks to the farewell calling out some of the squad's morally corrupt behaviors. Over the years, the Intelligence Unit has been at the center of numerous cover-up schemes, often orchestrated by its leader, Hank Voight (Jason Beghe). Halstead's growing discomfort with the squad's morally murky decisions — and tendency to lean into those shady behaviors — became the catalyst for his departure.
RELATED: Jesse Lee Soffer Finally Reveals Why He Left Chicago P.D.
Though he often acted as Voight's moral anchor, Halstead eventually left the squad to pursue a path more aligned with his principles. Read on to look back on Halstead and Voight's final moments together on Chicago P.D.
A messy cover-up led to Halstead's Chicago P.D. exit
Halstead's time in the Intelligence Unit entered its final chapter in Season 10 after he got entangled in a cover-up scheme while attempting to clean the reputation of a fellow veteran. This cover-up demanded Halstead lie, bend protocol, and even break into a stash house without backup, where his elaborate plan fell apart. After crossing paths with one of the criminals, they got into a chilling physical altercation, forcing Halstead to stab the perp to death in self-defense.
Voight and Upton had been tracking Halstead's actions and, after witnessing the brutal scuffle, started conjuring up another cover-up to protect the Intelligence Unit member. However, Halstead was shattered by the altercation and the acts he committed that led to it and grew increasingly concerned over Voight's affinity for shucking accountability. Chi-Hards will remember that this entire mess occurred just a season after one of Voight's undercover informants was killed under his watch, with the Intelligence Unit commander managing to avoid any repercussions for her downfall.
Halstead's growing list of complaints against the Intelligence Unit beat inspired him to visit Chief Patrick O'Neal (Michael Gaston) "to tell the truth." However, after being congratulated for his valiant efforts and the lives he saved with the stash house bust, Halstead lost all of the wind in his sails. Halstead thanked the Chief and turned over his badge, shocking viewers everywhere.
Chi-Hards gained more understanding of Halstead's decision to leave the CPD during a subsequent chat with his then-wife, Upton. He'd been notified of a job with the army stationed overseas in Bolivia tasked with tracking down drug cartels. Much to Upton's dismay, her husband had already accepted the position and was leaving soon. "Upstead" was subsequently put on ice by Halstead's move, leading to their eventual divorce in Season 11 of Chicago P.D.
RELATED: A Look Back at Halstead and Upton's Slow-Burn Romance on Chicago P.D.
But in Halstead's final moments on P.D., viewers enjoyed a thoughtful chat between him and Voight after his former commanding officer visited him at the airport.
"Thought you hated long goodbyes?" Halstead teased at the terminal, but Voight remained perturbed.
"You can have any job you want in the department. I'd tell you I'd make sure of it, but you don't need me," Voight told him. "You're past that. You don't want to be me."
"No, it's worse than that. I do," Halstead confessed. "I do want to be you. But it's like you've always told me: I'm not. And I shouldn't try."
With a solemn nod, Halstead and Voight shook hands before Halstead bid farewell.
Watch Halstead's final episode of Chicago P.D. — or any episode from all 12 seasons of P.D. — on Peacock, NBC's streaming service.
