‘Will Trent’ Finally Reveals Will’s Debt to Rafael

‘Will Trent’ Finally Reveals Why Will Owes Rafael — and What That Bloody Past Means for Their Future

One of the most emotional episodes of the season just dropped a game-changing truth about Will and Rafael’s dark past — and it’s going to haunt them both.

On Tuesday night’s powerful Will Trent episode, titled “A Funeral Fit for a Quartermaine,” a long-standing mystery finally came into focus: why exactly Will (Ramón Rodríguez) has felt indebted to Rafael Wexler (Antwayn Hopper) all these years. And it turns out, the answer lies in a blood-soaked secret buried in their teenage past — and a $4 million gangland betrayal in the present.

The episode opens with Rafael arriving at Will’s doorstep with heartbreaking news: his beloved grandmother has passed away. Through a series of poignant flashbacks, we see how her warmth once gave a young, homeless Will the first real sense of family he’d known. She welcomed him into her home — and her General Hospital marathons — after he was kicked out of foster care. It was a rare moment of peace in a life defined by survival.

That peace didn’t last long.

As teens, Will and Rafael stumbled into a lucrative (and very illegal) side hustle — stealing and flipping rugs for cash. But when they unknowingly rob a dangerous criminal, things take a violent turn. In the aftermath, it’s Rafael who gets his hands dirty — literally — to save Will’s life. His ultimatum? Will must disappear from his life forever. But debts like that don’t stay buried, and now the past has come calling.

Back in the present day, Will agrees to help with funeral arrangements, but he’s also working an angle. He and Faith (Iantha Richardson) uncover a deadly plot: someone inside Rafael’s inner circle is planning to steal his $4 million — stashed in a funeral casket, no less — and kill him. When Will tries to arrest Rafael to protect him, the assassin strikes at the funeral. A shootout ensues, but both men survive.

In a surprising twist, Rafael surrenders to Will. He’s ready to cooperate with police in exchange for safety — not just for himself, but for his daughter, Sunny, who he’s finally reunited with. As the episode ends, Rafael disappears to an unknown destination, seemingly leaving his criminal ties — and Atlanta — behind.

So, is this the end of Rafael’s story? Not necessarily. Back in February, Hopper teased a possible return in Season 4, telling TV Insider, “Who knows if Rafael will return?”

Either way, the reveal sheds new light on the emotional burden Will has carried for years. Will this resolution give him some long-overdue peace? That remains to be seen.

What Else Went Down This Week?

• Michael Ormewood’s health crisis: Jake McLaughlin’s character received a devastating diagnosis — a brain tumor that requires immediate surgery. Just as he’s reconnecting with his kids, his future is suddenly uncertain.

• Amanda’s new chapter: With Sunny gone, Amanda (Sonja Sohn) is back to living alone — but not for long. Next week’s episode, “The Most Beautiful, Fierce, Smart, Powerful Creature in the Whole World,” teases a dark turn during her getaway with Evelyn Mitchell when a shocking murder disrupts their luxury vacation. Meanwhile, Angie will be grappling with a family member’s serious health issues.

Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.