Jackson West and Doug Stanton’s hatred for each other hit breaking point on The Rookie Season 3, Episode 5. What happened to Jackson in the end?
I was worried about Jackson going into this episode. Images hinted that something bad was going to happen to him. The question was whether he would make it out of the episode alive.
It was quickly clear that this would bring the end to the Stanton storyline. At least for now. Stanton wasn’t happy with everything that Bradford and Chen did in an attempt to take him down, and he knew that it was Jackson’s fault. Because, ya know, he can’t take responsibility for his own racist actions!
When the precinct went into lockdown on The Rookie Season 3, Episode 5, we knew things could get bad. Stanton and Jackson wouldn’t get any backup if they needed it, so, of course, Stanton could use that to his advantage. He probably didn’t know that Jackson would end up taking a beating, but he used it to his advantage by turning his camera off and letting Jackson get beaten up by a group of guys.
Did Jackson make it out of The Rookie Season 3, Episode 5 alive?
Eventually, Bradford and Chen did get to Jackson and Stanton. Was it too late for Chen’s fellow T.O.?
No, but it was bad. Jackson was badly beaten up and needed to be taken to the hospital, but he was also able to think calmly. When Stanton—who said they’d been split up on the call—came over to fake concern, Jackson was able to turn Stanton’s body cam back on.
It turns out the cameras will go back about two minutes, recording everything that had previously happened despite the camera being turned off. This is a safety feature in the real cameras, so was perfectly written into the story. It was also perfectly foreshadowed in the previous episode.
Everything Stanton did not to help Jackson was caught on camera. Sergeant Grey had everything he needed to put Stanton on administrative leave.
Is this it for Stanton? Probably not, but it does mean Jackson is going to make it through his probation. He has the right people on his side, and it’s time for him to be the best cop he can be. There’s a lot of hope for that considering everything he was willing to do on The Rookie Season 3, Episode 5 to take down Stanton.
What did you think of Jackson’s actions? What’s to come next with Stanton? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Rookie airs Sundays at 10/9c on ABC. Catch up the following day on Hulu.