Does Amanda die on Will Trent? Character’s fate explored

Will Trent ( Image via Instagram / @willtrentabc )
Will Trent ( Image via Instagram /@willtrentabc )

Does Amanda die in Will Trent? No, not yet, anyway. Amanda Wagner is shot in the chest when a terrorist attack on GBI headquarters happens at the end of Season 3, but survives a rush of emergency surgery. Her fate is unknown, with the doctors holding their breath, saying that the next 48 hours will determine if she lives or not.

That cliffhanger jeopardizes Amanda's arc and makes the audience wait until Season 4 to see what becomes of her. Amanda's fate is at risk, and although she makes it through the Season 3 finale, survival is not assured.


Amanda in Jeopardy: What goes down in the finale of Will Trent Season 3

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In the Season 3 thriller season finale of Will Trent, titled Listening to a Heartbeat, a domestic terrorist cell attacks the GBI. As chaos erupts, Amanda Wagner demonstrates, as always bravery, but at a heart-wrenching cost. She is shot in the chest, and all the people who have counted on her strength and experience all these years are left unsettled.

The timing is a turning point for both Amanda and the show. Her injury raises the stakes to a whole new level and creates one of the most dramatic cliffhangers ever in Will Trent's history.


An uncertain fate after surgery

Amanda is rushed into emergency surgery after the shooting. The surgery, in the short run, is a success; she lives, but she is wildly unstable. Doctors caution that the next 48 hours will be critical and that survival is by no means guaranteed.

This is where the season stops, leaving us hanging. Amanda does survive, but whether she will ever be herself again is not mentioned, keeping fans hanging around until Season 4.


The effect on the team

Amanda's shooting not only jeopardizes her own life, but it also traumatically affects the rest of the crew. Will Trent is especially shaken, as Amanda has always been more than just a boss to him. She's been a guardian, a mentor, and in so many ways, a surrogate family member.

Faith, Angie, and Ormewood also feel the impact of Amanda's injury, with the show reminding us just how much she does to tip the balance of the team.


A cliffhanger ending that leaves fans in suspense

The season's finale withholds closure, ending abruptly on the warning of the doctors and leaving Amanda's life suspended. It is that cliffhanger that places her health at the show's emotional center. The other subplots, Ormewood's crisis of conscience and Angie's struggles, are tied up, but are overshadowed by Amanda's survival.

The speculation has been driving fan sites and social media chat as fans are asking if and when Amanda will return, and if the injury signifies the beginning of a significant change in the direction of the series.


What's next for Amanda on Will Trent Season 4?

Thus far, ABC or the showrunners have not revealed Amanda's final destiny. Co-creator Liz Heldens confirmed that the cast and crew were indeed still working everything out and never closed any doors for a plethora of possibilities in Season 4. As per Thedirect, Liz said:

"We don’t know yet. I like taking a little bit of time because I think it’s interesting to back fill what has happened in the last three months because our show, sometimes the next episode is the next day, and sometimes the next episode is, like, 30 seconds later, so it’s nice to let people move and change and grow a little bit [between seasons], but we’re not sure yet."

This ambiguity keeps the fans curious. Whether Amanda would be recovering in the next season or the series concludes her story, the decision will significantly affect Will Trent's future.


Therefore, Amanda does not pass away in the Season 3 finale of Will Trent. She is shot during the terrorist attack, recovers from emergency surgery, and is put in a critical condition. Her status remains unknown, however, and the audience will have to wait until Season 4 to see if she survives the experience.

Also read: Will Trent Season 3 cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the ABC drama?

Edited by Sarah Nazamuddin Harniswala