"We leave it on such a cliffhanger": Annie Ilonzeh addresses S.W.A.T series finale; explains how "Hondo has that big brother, tough love vibe"

The final episode of S.W.A.T. completed its saga with a dramatic and emotional two-part sendoff following eight years on the air. The last two episodes delivered a combination of personal crises and a mission of life and death that challenged the whole team.

One of the emotional parts in the series finale was about Devin Gamble, a member of the S.W.A.T. team. She was caught between loyalty to her own brother, Leon, who turned out to be in a carjacking gang.

Even when Devin was unsure whether her brother was guilty at first, she still attempted to protect him. But later on, she straight-out confronted Leon, hearing the truth.

However, the CBS drama ended with an unresolved situation between Devin and her brother. Annie Ilonzeh, who plays Devin, recently sat in an interview with Screen Rant and was asked to shed light on the same. The actress said:

"I am just as confused as the audience, literally. [Laughs] I'm like, "What happens?" We leave it on such a cliffhanger with that relationship."

The S.W.A.T. cast member also joked that she wanted to imagine a scene where the family reunites at a barbecue, things seem fine, and then — boom, a heated argument erupts between the siblings.

Ilonzeh said those messy family moments would be fun to explore in future episodes. Unfortunately, since the show ended on a bit of a cliffhanger for that storyline, it remains open to interpretation.

Keep reading to explore what the actress said about Hondo.

Annie Ilonzeh talks about Hondo being a "big brother" in S.W.A.T.

Even though many fans might feel disappointed, S.W.A.T. won't return for more action and drama as it has been canceled by CBS. The series has recently concluded with the Season 8 finale, focused on Gamble and a threat from a highly trained team of Russian mercenaries known as Red Sword.

As previously mentioned, one of the cast members of the show, Annie Ilonzeh, talked about the last episode. The actress was asked about Gamble's decision as her choice caused friction between her and her team leader, Hondo, who felt let down by her decision.

Annie Ilonzeh said:

"Hondo has that big brother, tough love vibe for sure. If the shoe was on the other foot—he doesn't do that with Gamble at all, and he certainly doesn't lead with empathy in the beginning. He's very tough, and I think he was disappointed with her."

According to Ilonzeh, Hondo took a strict, no-nonsense approach and didn’t show much empathy at first. That hurt Gamble, especially since she sees Hondo as a leader and a protector.

Ilonzeh also shared that both she and Moore (and by extension, Gamble and Hondo) connected on a deeper level. For her, it was especially painful for Gamble to feel abandoned by someone who should understand her struggle.

She called this lack of support "insulting," but also said it made their eventual reconciliation in S.W.A.T. more meaningful. Overcoming such a big conflict made their relationship even stronger in the end, and viewers saw that in the final scene where they patched things up.

Also Read: “I never take anything for granted”: When S.W.A.T. star Shemar Moore opened up about feeling blessed because of the show

Annie Ilonzeh believes S.W.A.T. should continue after Season 8

Although Ilonzeh respects how the writers and actors wrapped up the story in season 8, she believes the show shouldn’t end there. The actress believes that the characters in S.W.A.T. still have more life, stories and missions to tackle.

Ilonzeh said:

"I am satisfied with how we could tell the story for the finale... but I am not satisfied with it ending just at season 8. There's much more story to tell."

She continued:

"There is much more life to be thrown into these characters. When the fans watch the finale, they will absolutely agree... There's more 20-Squad. We're not done. This train is still kicking hardcore."

Per Ilonzeh, the Squad-20's journey is far from over. She described the show as a train that’s still going strong, and said she’s keeping her fingers crossed for another season, possibly on a new platform.

Trending

Also Read: What happened to Jack Mumford in S.W.A.T.? Peter Onorati character's fate in the police procedural, explored

Continue exploring Soap Central for regular updates on TV series, films, and more!

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback