A lot went on over the last episode of The Rookie season 7 episode 8. “Wildfire” was truly blazing over the minds of the fans. Amidst the chaos of Tim and Lucy’s survival, Nyla’s hunt for a serial killer, and Celina’s first day unsupervised, one unexpected story stole the spotlight and kept us on the edge of our seats. Yes, I am referring to the drive-by shooting of James, also the love line of Detective Nyla Harper.
While the story is yet to unfold, a lot of theories have surfaced especially after the accidental walk-in of Officer Nolan. Continue reading this article to get up to date with the rifts taking place in The Rookie. With tensions already high, the timing of these events makes the unfolding drama even more compelling.
Unfolding the drama in The Rookie
At the start of the episode, it is shown that the city of LA is covered in fire. Rescue teams are in action to contain it and help the people evacuate to a safe location. While Detective Nyla is busy following a suspect, and waiting for his slipup, we see James organizing a shelter for the citizens. There he meets an old volunteer named Kylie who seems to be having some personal issues and as we know James is a true gentleman, he steps up for his friend. He tries to help her out by still maintaining his boundaries.
Later on, Kylie’s boyfriend decided to visit her at the shelter. Noticing the heated argument, James stepped in to help, but the situation quickly spiraled out of control. Officers Nolan and Miles intervened, de-escalating the situation and escorting Kylie’s boyfriend out. James became a true hero for Kylie.
Later on, we see James and Kylie talking about what happened and Kylie moves in to kiss him. He quickly pulled away, letting her know that he truly loved his wife. But the writers had something else planned for us. Officer Nolan saw the kiss, but he didn’t witness James stepping back or Kylie apologizing for the misunderstanding.
The cliffhanger of the episode
The kiss might not have been a big deal if Nolan had confronted James directly, but instead, it sparked a wildfire of rumors. Throughout the rest of the episode, Nolan is shown worried as his loyalties lie with Detective Nyla. He seeks guidance from his wife, but she isn’t available to talk so he asks Wesley.
Here’s the catch. This confrontation leads to a gossip that James might have cheated on Nyla. But that’s not where things end. The writers had more for us in the store. The episode ends with a drive-by shooting by an unknown person. Both James and Kylie are seriously wounded, and we will know about their conditions in the upcoming episodes.
Is Detective Harper under suspicion?
Some fans are speculating that Nyla could become a suspect in James’s attack. The timing of events couldn’t be more suspicious. The way the relationship dynamics of Nyla and James have been developing makes it easy to connect the dots:
- Nyla and James were publicly known to have marital struggles.
- Nolan witnessed James kissing Kylie and shared his concerns with Wesley, who is Nyla’s best friend’s husband. So, Nyla might have known.
- James was shot soon after the kiss, making the timing suspicious.
- Given Nyla’s strong-willed nature, some might assume she acted on emotion.
But does the sequence of events really point to Nyla, or is it just an unfortunate coincidence?
Would Nyla let a misunderstanding cloud her judgment?
From a fan’s perspective, Nyla Harper doesn’t seem like a person who would stoop so low and let a misunderstanding cloud her judgment. We have known Nyla for being fiercely independent, logical, and composed and a person who can comfortably navigate personal and professional lives. She would choose words and legal action before getting involved in a crime.
Detective Nyla is an idol character who prides herself on her integrity and she values her career more than anything in the world. Nyla is a level-headed character who we have known for rationally acting in situations. Even while following Oscar, she kept in check her legal boundaries and actions.
Would Nyla attempt to kill James in The Rookie?
The episode is left with an unresolved mystery. James might have been accidentally shot, and Kylie was the real target or this was a completely new conspiracy. We don’t know the details.
Will James survive? Will Nyla become a suspect, or is there another twist waiting for us? Tuesday, March 11 can’t come soon enough! As a true fan, I believe Nyla and James will get over this. I sure hope that they don’t kill off James’s character from this series as he balances out Nyla’s life.
The Rookie airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.
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