S.W.A.T. Season 8 Episode 20 recap: Why did Captain Peters frame Andre?

S.W.A.T. Season 8, Episode 20 brings intense action and emotional family drama. It's one of those episodes where you're not just sitting at the edge of your seat, you're gripping the edge hard. With betrayals, surprise twists, and raw human emotion, this episode delivers a powerful punch as it follows Hondo’s mission to clear his cousin’s name and navigate a deadly conspiracy.

Everything begins when Hondo gets a strange and unsettling phone call. It sounds like his cousin Andre is in trouble. Hondo’s instincts kick in immediately, but when he talks to his teammate Deacon about it, Deacon brushes it off, thinking Andre is dodging responsibility again, something he’s done before.

Still worried, Hondo heads to the Marine boot camp with Andre’s Uncle Bob. There, they’re met by Captain Peters, who delivers a chilling update: a body has been found behind the mess hall. Thankfully, it’s not Andre. It is Private Randall, a fellow recruit in Andre’s unit.

Peters tells them that Andre and Randall had been seen fighting during a training session and were also seen arguing at a bar later that day. Now that Randall is dead and Andre is missing, Peters believes Andre is the killer. Uncle Bob isn’t buying it. He immediately defends Andre and says the evidence is shaky at best.

Not convinced by the military’s story, Hondo and Bob start digging. They convinced a sergeant to let them into Andre’s barracks. Surprisingly, all of Andre’s things are gone, except for one small item: a memento his father gave him on his 18th birthday. Uncle Bob insists Andre would never leave it behind unless forced to.

This makes Hondo even more certain that something bigger is going on.

The next stop is the local bar where Andre and Randall were last seen. The bartender remembers them, but instead of arguing, he says they were celebrating after finishing the Crucible, a major Marine test. Andre even bought the drinks. That’s a far cry from the fight story Peters told.

Captain Peters framed Andre because Andre and Randall accidentally witnessed his illegal weapon deal. Framing Andre helped cover up Peters’ crimes.

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A tattoo that tells a story

Following another lead, Hondo and Deacon head to a tattoo parlor, a popular place for Marines who complete the Crucible. They find a picture of Andre smiling, showing off a fresh eagle tattoo. That doesn't look like a guy planning to run away.

At the tattoo shop, they find signs of a break-in. The owner says someone stole his first aid kit and left behind blood. Could Andre have come here, wounded and desperate?

Eventually, Hondo and Deacon track Andre to an abandoned building. He’s hurt, shot in the leg, and terrified. Andre drops the bomb: Peters is behind everything. He and Randall accidentally saw Peters trying to sell military weapons. Randall got caught and killed, and now Peters is trying to pin the crime on Andre to cover his tracks.

The military police show up and take Andre away. Hondo hates letting him go, knowing Peters might try to silence him for good. But clever Uncle Bob secretly slips an AirTag into Andre’s pocket so they can keep tabs on him.

Back at base, Hondo starts digging deeper with his SWAT team. Security footage near the church shows a suspicious blue Ram truck.

They identify the truck’s owner, Dale Radcliffe, a shady ex-ATF agent. Turns out, he served with Peters years ago. The second man involved is Ryan O’Keefe, a militia leader wanted by the FBI. These aren’t small-time criminals, they’re dangerous terrorists.

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The final showdown

Bob creates a distraction at the hospital so Peters won’t notice the team’s moves. When Peters tries to sneak Andre away, the AirTag leads Hondo and Deacon to an old ammunition factory.

There, they find Peters, Radcliffe, and O’Keefe in the midst of a massive illegal weapons deal. We’re talking XM7 rifles, XM250 machine guns, advanced combat gear, weapons that could wreak havoc in the wrong hands.

Even though they’re outnumbered, Hondo and Deacon launch a surprise attack. After a fierce gunfight, they manage to stop the sale and arrest everyone involved. Peters is finally exposed.

Andre is now cleared of all charges. But instead of going home, he chooses to stay and finish training. Despite everything, the injury, the betrayal, the fear, he wants to prove himself. Uncle Bob, who doubted Andre before, now beams with pride.

Meanwhile, a lighter (but still awkward) story plays out. Commander Hicks finds out his daughter Molly is dating SWAT team member Rocker. At first, he’s furious. He even threatens to put Rocker’s team on night duty forever.

But eventually, Hicks talks to Molly, hears how happy Rocker makes her, and (very awkwardly) accepts their relationship over dinner.

Officer Miguel “Miko” Al Farro has his own emotional moment. He finds out his mother is being abused again by her ex-boyfriend, Collins. Old memories and rage resurface. Miko wants revenge.

Collins is arrested before Miko can act, but Miko bails him out to confront him directly. Collins mocks him, saying they’re both full of anger. But Miko doesn’t take the bait. He walks away, reminding Collins that he’s dying of liver failure and will end up alone, without lifting a finger.

This episode hits hard. It shows how deep loyalty runs in families, how hard it is to do the right thing, and how much strength it takes to walk away from violence. From Hondo’s relentless search for justice, Andre’s growth, Hicks learning to trust his daughter, to Miko’s restraint, S.W.A.T. delivers an action-packed yet emotionally layered episode.

It’s a powerful reminder that true strength often lies not in pulling the trigger, but in walking away when every bone in your body screams not to.

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