What's in store for Victor Tan in SWAT Season 8?

A lot of Victor Tan’s storylines in SWAT have been personal, but Season 7 saw the potential for him to advance in his career. What’s next for him in SWAT Season 8?

During the seventh season, Deacon was set to retire. He wanted Tan to take over his spot as second in command of the team, something that we know Hondo would have been on the side of. Tan is one of three remaining OG cast members going into SWAT Season 8, and he is the third most seasoned agent on the team left.

Then Deacon decided he wasn’t retiring after all. This job was his calling, and Annie made it clear that they would just have to find a way to make their careers work with the kids. So, where does this leave Tan?

Could Tan struggle to follow Deacon again in SWAT Season 8?

It would be natural for there to be some animosity toward Deacon. This doesn’t mean Tan doesn’t like Deacon or understand Deacon’s decisions, but it is disappointing for him. He was getting ready to take that promotion, and now it isn’t going to happen.

It would make sense to see a bit of a power struggle here. Chicago Fire managed it well in Season 12 when Severide returned and Cruz was no longer Acting Lieutenant for Squad 3. This is something that we could see for Tan as he assesses what he’s going to do next.

At the same time, Deacon’s return isn’t going to be in the exact same capacity. For years, SWAT came before everything for Deacon and Annie, but things do have to change a little. This could open the door for Tan and Deacon to find a balance. It’s all going to depend on the capacity Deacon is returning in.

Tan could struggle with Alfaro joining the team in SWAT

There is also the issue of a couple new team members joining the team. One of those is Alfaro, who has been with Twenty Squad for a while here and there. It was clear that Tan and Alfaro didn’t get along, and part of that is Alfaro's maturity levels coming through.

This could change as Alfaro learns more while being part of the team. Hondo sees that something is there, and now Tan needs to trust Hondo in that. Will they be best buddies? No and that's okay! That doesn't stop them from being brothers when on the team.

Tan's personal life should come up again in SWAT Season 8

During Season 7, Tan had to tell his family about him and Bonnie splitting up. It wasn't an easy conversation to have, and it gave us another insight into expectations for Asian-Americans.

However, we also saw him start to move on with someone else. He's interested in love again, and that's setting things up for a bright personal future for Tan. Is he moving on a little too quickly? Maybe, but TV shows are all about the drama, right?

SWAT Season 8 premieres on Friday, Oct. 18 at 8/7c on CBS.