Abhiroop Das
Created by Ben Watkins, Prime Video’s ‘Cross’ begins its second season with Alex as a celebrated detective, solving one murder mystery after another with his trusted teammates. By the end of this season, however, everything we believed to be fundamental about his story is flipped on its head. Cross finds himself disillusioned with the system and takes the drastic step of quitting the police force entirely. This is after Kayla joins the FBI and gets in on their shadiest secrets, all the while still not knowing the full picture about the Mastermind. It is clear that Cross’ journey can no longer be boxed into a good vs. bad plotline and demands something much more radical. As per reports, Prime Video has greenlit a third season for the show, and fans can expect the sequel to drop sometime around 2028.
Cross Season 3 is Expected to Chart Cross’ Journey After Quitting the Force
As season 2 of ‘Cross’ ends on the dramatic note of the eponymous detective handing over his badge, season 3 of the show is likely to further his journey as a rebel against the system. Notably, the series is based on James Patterson’s ‘Alex Cross’ novel series, and while there are technically dozens of storylines that the show’s creators can adapt going forward, almost all of them fall into a set routine of mystery narratives. Cross’ departure from the force is a radical step with little to no precedents in the book, which suggests that the writing team will most likely have to start from scratch. One possible trajectory is that Cross becomes a private detective or intelligence analyst of sorts, but an equally viable alternative is that he becomes a complete vigilante, investigating the elite and unleashing the truth.
While an unpredictable future awaits Cross, the season two finale also sets up new arcs for Cross’ best friend, John Sampson. After navigating a difficult and ultimately failed reconciliation with his estranged mother, John learns from Nana that his father, too, is very much alive. As it turns out, John’s mother hid the truth for reasons that aren’t revealed just yet, but it is now up to him to meet his father, and perhaps try reconnecting with his roots one more time. Kayla, however, finds herself on a completely different path now that she is aligned with the FBI. After antagonizing Cross for much of the last episode, she realizes that there is no turning back and that her story ahead leads directly back to the Mastermind, who may or may not be dead. As such, whether Kayla chooses to oppose Cross can make for a huge twist going into the third season.
Cross Season 3 Will Likely Have Some Major Departures in the Cast
With the ending of season 2 pinning most characters in unfamiliar spaces, the question of who might return for the third season can be a tough one to answer. While the show is incomplete without Aldis Hodge’s portrayal of Alex Cross, the exact direction his character might take remains to be seen. John’s upcoming storylines also mean that Isaiah Mustafa is set to reprise his role. The same holds true for actor Alona Tal, whose character, Kayla Craig, can potentially take an antagonistic turn in the next chapter of the story. Juanita Jennings, Mercedes de la Zerda, and Samantha Walkes are also likely to reprise their roles as Regina “Nana Mama” Cross, Amielynn Vega, and Elle Monteiro, respectively.
On the villains’ front of season 2, actors Jeanine Mason and Wes Chatham are unlikely to return to the screen as Luz Perez and Donnie, respectively. In the former’s case, there is still a chance that Luz is alive, but her arc is already over. Donnie, on the other hand, meets his end before the season finale, confirming his absence from the rest of the story. Given that Lance Durand doesn’t die and is likely prosecuted off-screen, we might still see Matthew Lillard in action in season 3, but the creators have not confirmed this as of writing. The biggest wild card of the show remains Bobby Trey, who is likely to return to the show with actor Johnny Ray Gill stepping into the role once again. Additionally, the third season can expect a fresh cast of antagonists, which can allow many more actors to flex their talents as a part of the show.
Cross Season 3 Might Shine More Light on the Elusive Mastermind
Although season 2 doesn’t technically end with Cross and Kayla breaking up, the fact that she chooses the FBI over him is confirmation alone that their relationship is no longer going forward. Instead, the finale teases that Cross and Elle might just get back together, and at the very least, they definitely have feelings for each other. Whether they reconnect or not can have a direct impact on Cross’ two children, who are steadily getting more involved in the main plot of the show, as we have seen with Berto’s arc. As such, Cross might have to make a serious decision about what his actions mean for the future of his family, especially now that he is no longer a cop, but has ambitions to bring down a system-wide corruption.
Apart from Cross and Kayla, there are also several unresolved threads pertaining to the supporting cast of the show. Most notably, we never get a follow-up on how Bobby’s encounter with Margaret, AKA the Mastermind, goes. While the visual cues suggest that he pulls the trigger on her, the scene being abruptly cut suggests that something more sinister might have unfolded. In the ‘Alex Cross’ books, the real identity of the Mastermind serves as a very personal blow for Kayla, and the showrunners can easily introduce a similar beat into the story. Regardless, this overarching mystery is bound to inform whatever new murder investigation Cross and company get involved in, and, in turn, push it into far more unexpected territories.
Read More: Cross Season 2 Finale Recap and Ending Explained: Is Luz Dead or Alive?
