ABC's Will Trent ended season 4 episode 15 with the death of GBI Deputy Director Amanda Wagner, played by Sonja Sohn since season 1. The episode, titled 'The Blank Expanse of Nothing,' saw Wagner die while tracking a suspect tied to Will Trent's past. Co-showrunners described the loss as a painful but exciting reset for season 5.
In Tuesday's episode of Will Trent, Amanda Wagner secretly collaborated with the FBI to pursue the Commander, a young man connected to James Ulster's daughter, Adelaide Trevens. Wagner, played by Sonja Sohn, tailed him on foot but was intercepted by an unseen assailant, possibly Adelaide herself. Meanwhile, Will Trent met Adelaide at a bar, attempted to plant a tracking device, and later discovered Wagner's body as a grim 'gift' left nearby. Adelaide, portrayed by Mallory Jensen, had been holding Will's uncle Antonio captive and contacted Will secretly without informing Wagner. The burner phone from the Commander linked back to these events from episode 13. Amanda had been a maternal figure to Will throughout his adult life. She rescued him as a baby after his mother, Lucy Morales, died in childbirth, protecting him from serial killer James Ulster. Though unable to adopt him in 1980s Georgia, she later gave him her mother's maiden name, Trent, and mentored him after his arrest for stealing food 19 years later, guiding him to become the GBI's top agent. Co-showrunner Karine Rosenthal told Variety that Wagner's death creates a new dynamic at the GBI, as her replacement lacks the same bond with Will. 'Her death had the most impact on the most amount of characters. It really sets everybody reeling from this enormous loss. So it's such a reset for our characters in a way that is painful but exciting for Season 5,' Rosenthal said. Co-showrunners Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen noted Sohn was informed early in season 4 and responded with grace. Thomsen added, 'She is a total pro.'