Chicago P.D. Season 13 finale, Episode 21, titled “Born or Made,” explored the dynamic between Eva Imani and her sister, Shari/Sable, who was kidnapped nearly 20 years ago.
Naturally, the situation was extremely tense, especially the realization that Shari wasn’t the little girl Imani remembered and spent her whole life looking for.
She was no longer an innocent six-year-old; she lived a full life with experiences that shaped who she is and what she believes in.
And despite her objections that she wasn’t a victim, Shari was definitely brainwashed by her captor over the course of 20 years, with their bond nearly unbreakable.
Russ Kirby made Shari believe that she didn’t have a family, which meant that over time, she forgot everything about her childhood, including the fact that Imani existed.
For Shari, the only person who mattered was the man who raised her as her adoptive father, who later became her husband and her pimp. The brainwashing continued, as she seemingly rehearsed the speech that she gave Imani, explaining that it wasn’t wrong because they weren’t blood and other people didn’t get it.
It was a very fragile situation, as Imani wanted so badly to remind her sister who she was and help her see the truth, while Shari clung to the only thing she ever knew. It also meant that Shari was a wild card and not someone that could or should be trusted, despite Imani’s desire to believe the best in her sister.
When Voight realized that Shari was the one who murdered her friend Lila, he knew that Shari could pose a danger to Imani, who was blinded by her duty as an older sister. Imani has been a great addition to the series, but she can be a little reckless and impulsive, especially when it comes to the case involving her sister. She’s never actually played by the rules because the case was so personal to her. It was the entire reason she became a cop and came to Chicago.
She wasn’t thinking straight as she walked right into a trap laid by Shari.
Shari was able to pull a fast one on Imani, who thought she had made a breakthrough by showing her sister her belongings from when she was taken.
And the truth is that Imani’s instincts aren’t wrong—there’s clearly an internal battle happening within Shari, who seems to be trying to block out anything that reminds her of the past or differs from what her kidnapper hammered into her mind.
However, Imani also trusts Shari a little too much, going rogue when she promises to take her to Russ Kirby—only her.
That’s when Shari and Russ ambush Imani in a moment that’s too close for comfort. We see the hold and control that Russ has over Shari, as he tells her to shoot her own sister before they try to make their getaway.
Again, we see Shari wrestling with her thoughts and what she’s supposed to believe, before Imani’s team finds her.
And then, Voight sends Shari over the edge, as he murders Russ right in front of her, with the series giving us a little slive rof the old ruthless Voight from the early days.
Shari’s whole world was flipped upside down in the matter of 24 hours, with everything she thought was true turning out to be a complete lie. And the only person she ever thought of as family was murdered in front of her, causing her to spiral and make an attempt on her life.
Thankfully, Imani notices in time and is able to get Shari to Med, saving her life in the process, though the journey to healing will take much longer, for both of them.
It’s also not going to be linear, as Shari might go down for the murder of her friend Lila. Russ knew exactly what he was doing while forcing Shari to do his dirty work, never actually getting his hands dirty, so that there’s no way to prove that he was responsible. Will Imani find a way to clear her sister’s name? After all, it’s clear that she’s a victim who has been manipulated and coerced, though she maintains that she wasn’t held against her will, so it may prove to be impossible.
And can Imani live with herself if this is the path that she sens her sister on?
Hopefully, she’s able to lean on the rest of her team during this tough time.
Ari Mandi gave this epoisode her all—with an heartwrenching and powerful performance that left my emotions torn in so mnay different directions.
I hope the next season gives us more ensmeble episodes that focus on the whole of Intelligence, as those were rare this season, but individually, the character development, growth and storylines were top-tier.
Chicago PD Season 14 has so much material to explore and work with aready.