What happened before the fall break in Chicago P.D. season 13? A quick throwback before the series returns

Chicago P.D. season 13 returns to screens soon in 2026, picking up right after a high-stakes fall finale that left a member of Intelligence in grave danger. The final episode before the winter hiatus was Episode 7, "Impulse Control," which aired on November 12, 2025.

In the episodes before the break, Intelligence fought bureaucracy and resource shortages to operate off-book. In the premiere, Voight's tactics reunited the unit but created a new enemy, Commander Devlin, who delivered threatening messages. The trauma of his job led Torres to act dangerously to help an escaped prisoner prove his innocence. The unit became involved in the Bells' violent past, which led to the fall finale's dramatic cliffhanger.

Blackmail & Badges: Voight Forces Intelligence Reinstatement in Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 1

Four weeks after disbandment, Voight fights to get Intelligence back. After a fatal shootout, he pursues the case, clashing with ATF Officer Imani. Voight recruits Burgess for an off-book operation where he kills gun runner Dee Heart. Imani covers for him, securing temporary help from Intelligence. Following the arrest of main runner Raptor, Voight blackmails Commander Devlin with evidence of stolen guns to force the unit's reinstatement. Voight invites Imani to join and returns Torres's and Burgess's badges.

Torres' Open Wound: Kidnapping, Near-Fatal Shootout, and the Search for Pain

Torres, struggling with personal trauma and insomnia, was injured while investigating the kidnapping of his neighbor's husband. After the husband was found dead, a devastated Torres aggressively pursued the killer. During a rooftop standoff, Atwater intervened, preventing Torres from firing a fatal shot in a moment of despair. Seeking release, Torres admitted to a tattoo artist that he uses pain to feel something. The episode closed on Torres embracing a dark, physical relationship that mixed pain and pleasure.

Canaryville Betrayal: Best Friend Killer and the Undercover Save

A Burgess and Ruzek neighborhood homicide prompts Intelligence to investigate a close-knit community. Near her home, 19-year-old Sasha King was found dead. Burgess, who secretly considers moving their daughter Mac for safety and racial reasons, is invested.

Initial suspicion falls on Tommy Walsh, Sasha's ex-boyfriend and a known thug whose cop father protects him. However, Sasha's audio diaries mention a dangerous "familiar stranger".

Sasha was helping her friend Edna, who was s*xually assaulted by major political donor Alex Feldman at a party, which changed the investigation. Sasha searched Feldman's closed campaign office for evidence. Burgess wears a wire at a follow-up party with Edna. Burgess discovers the women are drugged by hand stamps. Ruzek breaks protocol to save her from an attack. Ultimately, Sasha's best friend, Lily, was revealed as the killer, driven by jealousy. Lily and her cop father, who covered up the murder, were both arrested.

The Yellow Envelope and the Su*cide of Gary Bell

Voight and Imani were paired for weapons training when a yellow envelope with a mysterious photo appeared. They investigated Gary, a violent robber who later killed a woman. Gary was the disturbed son of wealthy Raymond Bell. Imani went undercover to find Gary's girlfriend, Sage, who revealed Gary's abusive behavior. Cornered, Gary suffered a breakdown, blaming his father, before fatally stabbing himself in the eye. Imani later realized the photo in the envelope showed Voight in a 70s police uniform, confirming the case was linked to his past.

Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 5: The Downtown Bombing and Tasha's Miami Goodbye

A downtown Chicago bombing at a high-end real estate office became an Intelligence case. Atwater, still working patrol, was first on the scene and reunited with his old academy friend, Tasha Fox, who was planning a transfer to Miami. Atwater got Tasha temporarily assigned to Intelligence to help. The team determined the bomb was delivered in a package. Tasha helped find footage of the bomber, Chris Lubiak, a chemical engineering dropout, captured accidentally by a civilian's stalking camera. Lubiak detonated a second bomb. Intelligence cornered him in a closed building where he resisted. Tasha took a grazing wound, and Atwater fatally shot the bomber. The case was closed, and Atwater and Tasha slept together before she left for Miami, rekindling their old academy relationship.

Torres Fights for an Innocent Man as a Conspiracy Emerges

Torres, struggling with insomnia, was taken hostage by escaped prisoner Morgan after a deadly transport crash. Morgan claimed innocence and convinced Torres to help clear his name. Ignoring police protocol, Torres hid the injured Morgan. They confronted Morgan's brother-in-law, Carter, who confessed to framing Morgan under duress from a conspiracy. Before naming "them," Carter was fatally shot. Morgan died shortly after. Torres was left with a renewed purpose to expose the powerful organization responsible.

Blackmail and Basement Secrets: Unmasking Raymond Bell

Voight received a blackmail photo of his father and a resignation demand, confirming Commander Devlin was the culprit. He investigated a murder victim with mangled hands, linking the case to Raymond Bell. The team learned Bell used his basement's "wine cellar" to dispose of people, including a nurse named Aurelia. Voight interrogated Bell, baiting him into confirming a key location for a tracker. Frustrated by the delay, Imani received a distress call from Bell's granddaughter, Julie, and broke into Bell's house, ending the episode in danger.

Chicago P.D. season 13 episodes are available to stream on NBC.