As Chicago P.D. Season 12 nears its thrilling conclusion, all eyes are on Episode 21, titled “Open Casket,” which is set to premiere on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. This penultimate episode is already generating buzz among fans as it promises to unravel critical threads and raise the stakes higher than ever before. With so much hanging in the balance, from unresolved investigations to emotional reckonings, here’s everything you need to know before tuning in.
“Open Casket” centers on the Intelligence Unit’s continuing investigation into Deputy Chief Benjamin Reid—a figure whose presence has cast a long, dark shadow over much of Season 12. Reid’s questionable tactics and secret agenda have already led to disastrous consequences, and now the team is closing in. Detective Dante Torres and Officer Kevin Atwater are hot on the trail of Otero, a suspect who may hold the key to bringing Reid down.
But Reid isn’t going down without a fight. The deeper the team digs, the more danger they face, and with each move, the stakes only get deadlier. In a season already packed with moral gray areas and ethical dilemmas, “Open Casket” puts Sergeant Hank Voight in a familiar but agonizing position: trust his instincts or follow the law to the letter. For a man who’s lived by his own code, the choice won’t come easily. Adding a personal layer to the episode is the growing anticipation around the wedding of Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek—known affectionately to fans as Burzek. Their relationship has survived heartbreak, trauma, and multiple breakups, but Season 12 has shown the pair at their most united. Yet with everything happening around them, one question remains: can they make it to the altar without more tragedy?
Season 12 has also delved into the inner turmoil of Hank Voight. The once-fearless leader has shown signs of wear and emotional fatigue, especially after losing close allies and watching the system around him rot from the inside. Episode 21 will see Voight questioning not just the people around him, but also his own judgment. Detective Dante Torres, meanwhile, finds himself torn between his loyalty to Voight and his duty to uphold the law. Their mentor-mentee relationship has grown stronger this season, but with danger closing in, Torres may be forced to make choices that redefine his future with the unit.
Everything about “Open Casket” suggests that it’s building to something massive. With the season finale (“Vows”) just one week away, fans can expect major revelations, potential betrayals, and a cliffhanger that will leave everyone counting down the days until the next season. The writing team has expertly laid the groundwork for a showdown that feels both personal and epic in scope.
NBC has confirmed that the finale will center on the long-awaited Burzek wedding, but not without danger looming over the ceremony. Could Reid crash the big day? Will every team member make it to the final credits? “Open Casket” may not answer all those questions, but it will certainly set the stage in spectacular fashion.
