FBI fans, your favorite federal agents are back at it with all new cases to solve in FBI season 5. The return flagship iteration of the CBS crime drama franchise — sharing the spotlight with FBI: Most Wanted season 4 and FBI: International season 2 — has many fans excited to see what's in store with this new season.
After the events of season 4 and with the start of FBI season 5, here are the some of the biggest questions fans are looking to have answered.
*Warning, SPOILERS AHEAD*
What happens to Maggie Bell?
In FBI season 4 episode 18, Special Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym) was exposed to deadly sarin gas when trying to apprehend a terrorist. Her partner, Special Agent Omar Zidan (Zeeko Zaki) risked exposure and his life to save her. After hospitalization and treatment, Maggie Bell survived but according to doctors, needed a lot of physical therapy to fully regain her health.
Viewers were initially worried that this was a permanent exit for Agent Bell, but we have since learned that she’ll be back for later episodes. Fans still have many questions. Will she be well enough to be allowed back in the field? How will she cope with the inevitable emotional trauma of the incident? Will Special Agent Omar Zidan be overprotective of her, causing a strain in their relationship? Only season 5 can provide these answers.
How will the new partnership between Omar and Nina play out?
Special Agent Nina Chase (Shantel VanSanten) has temporarily become Special Agent Zidan’s partner in the field. She’s on loan from the narcotics division and worked a case with the team before. Chase and Zidan are still learning how to work with each other after she doubted his gut instinct on a previous case. After attributing Agent Zidan’s sightings of an infamous terrorist to him struggling with PTSD, their relationship became a bit strained.
With the news of Maggie Bell’s definite return, Agent Zidan may be less inclined to develop a real partnership with Agent Nina Chase. Viewers want to know, will Agent Zidan and Agent Chase ever really trust each other? Will the slightly strained relationship affect their work?
Will Special Agent Nina Chase become a permanent team member?
Special Agent Nina Chase first appeared in season 4 episode 17, as she reluctantly worked alongside Agent Stuart Scola (John Boyd) and Agent Tiffany Wallace (Katherine Renee Kane) to apprehend a drug trafficker responsible for the murder of two young persons. She is then assigned to work with the team after Agent Maggie Bell’s sarin gas poisoning.
Viewers may have accepted her as a new cast member, but not at the expense of Agent Maggie Bell. With confirmation of Maggie’s return, questions arise about the length of Agent Nina Chase’s stint in the New York FBI field office. If she stays, what will be her role?
Who will take Rina’s job?
Assistant Director in Charge Rina Trenholm (Kathleen Munroe) was murdered as part of a revenge plot ordered by drug kingpin Antonio Vargas. She was chosen for the position over Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille (Alana De La Garza), largely because of office politics. With Rina’s murder, the position of Assistant Director in Charge became vacant again and wasn’t filled at the end of season 4.
Fans of SAC Castille are wondering if she will be promoted to the position. If not, is someone else coming in, potentially a new cast member? How will that affect the relations in the New York FBI field office?
What will happen with Antonio Vargas’ plan to kill the entire team?
Drug kingpin Antonio Vargas (David Zayas) was finally apprehended when the team used the location of his wife and son as leverage to diffuse a bomb he planted in New York City. Unbeknownst to the team, Vargas’ wife and son were murdered and this triggered a revenge plot with the entire team and their families marked for assassination. The plan successfully took out Assistant Director in Charge Rina Trenholm and injured Special Agent Maggie Bell, but the team was able to foil the plan before the rest of the team was killed.
However, Antonio Vargas swore to keep trying and with his reach, and literally nothing to lose or live for, the team remains at risk. This begs the question, what will the team do to protect themselves?
For answers to all these questions and more, watch FBI season 5 Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on CBS, with episodes available the next day on-demand via Paramount Plus.
