9 SWAT Characters Who Must Return In Hondo’s EXILES Sequel
Alexandria is a British-Canadian writer with a passion for network TV.
She has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Aston University, Birmingham. After initially working as a software tester, she rekindled a passion for writing and has written for blogs and publications like Hidden Remote, Make a Living Writing, and The Daily Voice. She has interviewed various actors and showrunners, with her most memorably being Tony Shalhoub and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
After cancellations and U-turns, CBS brought SWAT to an end after eight glorious seasons in May 2025. As soon as the finale aired, fans learned that it wouldn't be the end of Hondo's story. Shemar Moore and the SWAT team had worked together to keep the dream alive while keeping the 300+ crew members working, bringing SWAT EXILES.
Work quickly started, and there were a lot of questions about where it would air, which original characters would return, and what the storyline for Hondo would be. Slowly, those answers arrived, learning that Hondo would be the only series regular from the original series, but that there would be other 20-Squad team members joining the series here and there. At first, Hicks and Deacon were confirmed, and soon after, Tan was added.
However, there are many other characters from the original SWAT series that need to return. Some of these characters had storylines left on a minor cliffhanger at the end of SWAT Season 8, while others were written up rather abruptly during Season 7, when it was thought to be the last. Other characters became integral to Hondo's growth throughout the eight-season CBS series, and some will be able to help Hondo understand the mindset of the new generation.
When characters come back into the story, there needs to be a reason connected to the overall premise and not just for fan service. It only needs to be a one-off appearance in some cases, setting up for a fully fleshed-out arc as explanations are given about why Hondo was forced to retire from a job he loves.
9 Street
SWAT's season 7 renewal came with the caveat that it would be a 13-episode final season. The network walked back on that decision, but some of the writing had still happened by then, and that included giving Street (Alex Russell) an exit storyline. Nobody really wanted to see Street go, but it came with the news that he got a promotion and moved back to Long Beach. There was even a hint that Street and Chris, who had left the team two seasons earlier, were moving to the next stage of their relationship: engagement.
While Street hadn't officially asked Chris to marry him yet, SWAT EXILES would have the chance to show us by bringing him back to help Hondo with a situation. As there is a mole in the new unit, Hondo would turn to the people he trusts the most, but also those who can get people to open up, and Street ticks the boxes. There's also the chance to see him succeed as a team leader, as the SWAT spin-off picks up some time after the character was last on the show.
8 Chris
The last time Chris (Lina Esco) was on the series at the end of SWAT Season 5, she left the team to seek out a new venture. After helping immigrant girls seeking asylum and seeing the work Mama Pina did with her safe house, Chris realized that she could do more to help the community than work in law enforcement. She took over the running of the safe house, which also opened the door for Chris and Street to finally become an official couple, since there was no pressure on them working on the same team.
There was hope that Chris would be mentioned during the next two seasons, but the biggest moment was as Street left, confirming they were still together and he was ready to propose. Many have wanted to see how she is handling the running of the safe house. With cases that involve drugs and gangs, it would be easy for a case to take Hondo back to the safe house. Another option is for one of the newer team members to stumble on a case that involved someone at the safe house without understanding the meaning of it.
7 Luca
Luca's (Kenny Johnson) exit from the mothership series was the most disappointing of the lot. After being injured while not on duty, he had to go through rehab, only to realize that he was likely never going to heal fully to continue his job as a SWAT officer. Being forced into retirement when law enforcement has been his whole life was difficult, but there was an element of hope at the end of his time on SWAT season 7.
The synopsis for EXILES makes it clear that Hondo has also been forced into retirement. This comes from a situation on the job, and while there are no extra details as of yet, the SWAT EXILES trailer notes that he is viewed as a disgrace to the badge. Seeing how Hondo handled the initial few weeks or months after being forced into retirement would be interesting, and turning to Luca for some advice creates the arc to bring the character back. Everyone wants to see how well Luca is doing with his food truck business that seemed to be forgotten about.
6 Nichelle
Moore has already confirmed that Hondo and Nichelle are divorced by the time the offshoot starts. There are no intentions to bring her back during the first season, but SWAT Exiles season 2 is already in the works, and there could be an interesting personal storyline to tell. Adding the personal element to Hondo's character helped him grow as a person, and it's short-sighted not to include that on the spin-off.
Nichelle and Hondo share a child, and if they're divorced, it will mean co-parenting. A small scene of Nichelle dropping off or picking up their daughter for custody time would allow viewers to see how well they co-parent, and that maybe, divorce was the right thing for them. If they're not co-parenting, then having a scene between them to show why that would be helpful to show where Hondo's mindset is.
5 Gamble
20-Squad felt new throughout the third season, and Devin Gamble (Annie Ilonzeh) was part of the reason for that. She joined the team for that eighth and final season, bringing friction as she came from a family of criminals. The backstory involved her father being incarcerated, and she seemed to have a target on her back both in her personal and professional lives. Things came to a head at the very end of the season, and as SWAT season 8 wrapped, it felt like there was so much more to learn.
Including her in SWAT EXILES would allow time to revisit her family dynamics. There would be a chance to see if 20-Squad tracked down her brother, who was on the run from the law, and whether Gamble had fixed the issues with her family after choosing her career. She could also offer some great words of advice and encouragement to both Hondo and the new members of the team, as they knock heads and struggle to find their place together.
4 Powell
After joining SWAT in a recurring role during the fifth season, Anna Enger Ritch was finally upped to series regular for the eighth and final season. It created more time to get to know Powell, as we learned that she had given up a baby for adoption when she was a teenager. As she told the team more about her life before them, a stronger found-family bond formed between them all, and it's this type of bond the new team on SWAT EXILES will need.
Out of all the characters in the series, Powell had the most closure with a sense of hope. Seeing her in SWAT EXILES would serve the story itself more, while offering a look at whether that hope turned into something positive. When you start trusting the people around you, there's more of a safety net for making mistakes, and Powell has the chance to speak directly from experience.
3 Alfaro
It took a long time for Tan and Hondo to trust Alfaro (Niko Pepaj). This was a man with a lot of anger, and he felt like he had a lot to prove. He also didn't necessarily like being told what to do or how to do something. Yet, like Powell and Gamble, he learned that the best people to trust and lean on were those who made up 20-Squad. His storyline didn't gain full closure at the end of the eight-season story, but it was enough to feel like he was now part of the found family, and he had learned from his mistakes.
If it ever came to Hondo needing someone on the outside to help him find the mole on his team, Alfaro would be the one. He has the ability to get people to feel safe and open up. At the same time, he could offer Hondo some reminders about how to handle wild cards like him.
2 Andre Harrelson
Speaking of wild cards, Andre Harrelson (Freddy D. Ramsey Jr) is someone who needs to return to SWAT EXILES. Hondo's cousin proved that a leopard can change its spots, as he went from a boy who got messed up with the wrong people and brushed off responsibility, to a Marine who learned to trust those close to him.
If there is anyone who can remind Hondo that people can change, it's Andre. He would be the best person to help a commander learn trigger points and test theories when it comes to connecting with people. He's also slightly younger than Hondo, giving him more of an insight into the Gen Z lifestyle and expectations. On top of that, as he's not a SWAT officer, it allows him to move around a little more undetected around the new group, helping to flush out the mole that Hondo believes is there.
1 Daniel Harrelson Sr.
Hondo and his father certainly had some tough moments, but it was a highlight whenever Obba Babatundé would appear on the screen. He added humor to storylines, whether he was only there for one scene or the entire episode focused on him. Daniel Sr. was a man who learned to grow and adapt. It wasn't easy for him to show up when he was needed, but he eventually did. Like Andre, he proved that people can change when they want to.
At the same time, he was a divorced dad with a life that didn't gel with having a family. Now that we know Hondo is divorced, his father coming along with some wise words of advice would help to add the personal touch SWAT's earlier seasons had. Plus, if there is a reason Hondo and Nichelle aren't co-parenting and Hondo isn't seeing his child, Daniel Sr. can empathize and support.
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Starring Shemar Moore, S.W.A.T. is an Action and Drama television series that was developed by Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and Shawn Ryan and began in 2017. The series follows a team of SWAT members in the Los Angeles Police Department as they attempt to keep the city safe.
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SWAT Exiles - Season 1
- Release Date
- September 25, 2026
- Network
- Starz
- Series
- S.W.A.T. Exiles
- Episodes
- 1
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