The Rookie’s Rosalind: Death and Future Explained

Rosalind's Shocking Demise

In The Rookie season 5, episode 4, Rosalind Dyer's intriguing storyline came to an end when the standout character was killed. Though it was a shocking end for such a seemingly key character, her death set up an interesting future for the series and its spinoff. The Rookie is a police procedural starring Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, a middle-aged man who decides to pursue his dream of becoming an LAPD cop. The series has five seasons at the moment and a new spinoff series, The Rookie: Feds.

Annie Wersching as Rosalind behind bars in The Rookie

Rosalind Dyer is a serial killer and recurring villain on The Rookie. She first appeared in season 2 after being temporarily released from jail to show investigators where to find the bodies of her victims. It was revealed that she had a past with Nick Armstrong because he was on the task force that arrested her. She also helped Nolan figure out that Armstrong was corrupt and working with a crime family. Later, Rosalind reappears in The Rookie season 5 when she escapes from jail and wreaks havoc on the police force before eventually dying. The shock of Rosalind Dyer's death was such a memorable moment in the series and one that still raises a lot of questions.

Rosalind in an orange jumpsuit with her hands in the air and surrounded by officers in a police station in The Rookie

The Aftermath of Rosalind's Death

Ultimately, Rosalind Dyer is killed at the end of The Rookie season 5, episode 4 when she is shot by a sniper. After Rosalind escapes prison, kills her parents, and pilots an airplane, Nolan eventually takes control of the situation and arrests her. This is an important decision because Nolan is given the opportunity to kill Rosalind, but chooses to take the moral high road and simply arrest her. However, in a shocking turn of events, Rosalind is killed anyway by an unknown sniper with mysterious motives.

Harper and Nolan restrain Rosalind as she smiles with a cevlar vest in The Rookie.

Although Rosalind is clearly a dangerous villain, her shocking death is one that does not necessarily sit well with the audience. She represents an interesting type of antihero who is undoubtedly morally bad. However, she has attributes that make her likable, and at times, helpful. Rosalind's death is also a surprising blow on top of an already dramatic episode. After everything Rosalind did to hurt Nolan, it's a shock when the end of her reign of terror ends with even more violence.

Rosalind wearing a silver sparkling dress outside in The Rookie Season 5

Rosalind's Impact on The Rookie: Feds

Rosalind's death didn't just make waves in The Rookie. In fact, her unexpected demise creates an entirely new investigation in The Rookie spinoff series, The Rookie: Feds. After Rosalind is killed, The Rookie: Feds season 1, episode 4 shows the FBI special agents searching for her mysterious killer. They eventually discover that her murderer was once her accomplice, and in fact, was behind the water tank torture devices that The Rookie's Bailey Nune was rescued from. The episode acts as a crossover between the two series as The Rookie's Tim Bradford appears as a special guest star.

The team standing in a kitchen in uniform and looking surprised in The Rookie: Feds

Although Rosalind's untimely death was an unforeseen and somewhat disappointing event in The Rookie, it ultimately made for a smooth transition into bridging the story between these two shows. By killing her character, The Rookie cast and The Rookie: Feds cast were able to merge for an episode, and additionally, Rosalind's death became a bigger, more important event. In this way, Rosalind's storyline ended on a significant note that did justice to her character and gave The Rookie and its spinoff to have an exciting crossover moment.

Rosalind holding champagne and wearing a silver dress before she is killed in The Rookie