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The S.W.A.T. season 7 premiere is full of twists, but star Shemar Moore (Sergeant Hondo) has a good explanation for the episode’s ending. Having been inspired by the 1975 show and the 2003 movie, S.W.A.T. continues a long legacy of on-screen adventures that pit an elite police force against some of the nation’s most dangerous criminals. Unfortunately, season 7 will be the last season, meaning that it will need to wrap up some storylines along the way.

With S.W.A.T. season 7 beginning with a near-death experience for Anna Enger Ritch’s Powell, her close brush with death seemingly indicated that she would not be returning. In an interview with TV Insider, however, Moore explained why Powell means so much to the team and what her role is in the greater narrative. He also explains the purpose behind her almost fatal encounter with Rick Mancia’s Gabriel Bautista. Check out Moore’s quote below:

It makes for some drama. Powell is a much more intricate part of the show and the team. Anna’s a sweetheart, so we’re enjoying having her. She just brings a fresh, new dynamic. You’re going to watch Hondo, Deacon [Jay Harrington], and the team struggle with that and fight to keep all the pieces together and still be at their best saving the day. [Bautista,] this punk, he’s got a bomb in his hand that can cause all kinds of craziness. We gotta band together and go get the job done, and we do it in a very cool, action-packed way.

Powell Will Be Returning In S.W.A.T.

The premiere takes pains to ensure that viewers will wholeheartedly believe that Powell could be dead. After she discovers that Bautista has the stolen bomb, she is taken by surprise and strangled. If Powell was anyone else, it would have been likely that the character was dead. Instead, the fact that Powell is now considered a regular cast member will protect her from any true ramifications.

The fake-out death does not mean that the cliffhanger was just for shock effect, of course. As Moore indicated, the “drama” created by the situation is compelling in itself. Powell was trying to connect with Bautista on a personal level, and it ended with suffering and strangulation. Her near-death experience could very well change her outlook, causing her to trust her fellow S.W.A.T. members less than she did before. That would make sense, as it was a fellow officer who targeted her.

With just one season to go, the long-term future of all of these characters is in question. As the finale approaches and the actors say goodbye to S.W.A.T., Powell’s new perspective could see her take a darker path. It will have to fall to Hondo to bring her back to her old self, while also straining to bring Bautista to justice. The show may be coming to an end, but there is still an entire season’s worth of drama to explore.