WARNING! SPOILERS ahead for FBI season 7, episode 22, "A New Day."
FBI season 7, episode 22, titled "A New Day," left several questions open despite being the season finale. FBI season 7 has been somewhat tumultuous due to multiple cast changes, leaving Scola without a permanent partner for most of the season. The season finale offers an intense, action-driven case in which Jubal is almost assassinated and Isobel also nearly loses her life after ADIC Reynolds' phone explodes, leading to a mass casualty event at Fed 26.
In "A New Day," Jubal is caught in a violent situation after a whistleblower he is interviewing is assassinated. Later, Isobel is presumed dead after an explosion at the New York Field Office but later reveals to the team that she faked her death to safely expose corrupt actors at the FBI who are part of Forefront, the terrorist group behind the attacks. This tense situation leads to a shocking cliffhanger. Fortunately, FBI is not one of the shows CBS canceled in 2025, so the questions it left unanswered will likely be addressed when FBI season 8 begins.
9 Is Isobel Dead?
She Collapses As The Credits Roll
Although everyone on the team is initially told that Isobel died in the bombing, it was revealed she faked her death so she could run an underground operation, as the New York Field Office has been compromised. A Forefront-allied agent has taken over the team and dismissed everyone, so they have to work in secret with Isobel to expose the bad actors within the FBI and stop Forefront's terrorism. However, after the case is over and Isobel is briefing the team, she suddenly collapses and is said to have no pulse.
This type of medical emergency doesn't necessarily mean that Isobel is dead. It may be possible to revive her; OA did the same for Maggie when she had no pulse and wasn't breathing in the previous episode. There have been no announcements about changes to the cast for FBI season 8, but Isobel's fate will likely be revealed in the first episode of the new season. Additionally, Isobel appears in scenes in the trailer following the episode announcing that FBI will return, but these scenes aren't necessarily from the new season, which likely hasn't started filming yet.
8 What Psychological Effects Will The Rest of The Team Have From This Case?
The Distrust And Secrecy Could Take Its Toll
Image made by Milica Djordjevic
FBI agents see a lot of death and destruction, so it doesn't necessarily follow that they'll have PTSD or other mental health conditions as a result of the events of "A New Day." However, this case was particularly traumatic for several reasons. The attacks used bona fide FBI agents who had been compromised to kill other agents, making it hard to know who to trust. Additionally, while agents know they could be killed in the line of duty, an attack in the office rather than out in the field could make them feel less safe.
FBI has already demonstrated that job-related trauma affects some agents. Maggie has had a difficult time since her sarin attack in FBI season 4, and OA often exhibits signs of PTSD from his time in Afghanistan. Thus, these characters may be more vulnerable to trauma-related issues after this attack. Scola might also have a difficult time as he may realize he might have left his son fatherless had he been killed.
7 Will Jubal's Wife And Son Play A Bigger Role In FBI Season 8?
Jubal Moving Back In With His Family Should Lead To Big Storylines
Jubal's wife and son have always played a small role in FBI. Jubal got in trouble during FBI season 7, episode 5 when he used his position to get Tyler released from custody after a protest and later moved back in with his wife so he could help with raising his son. However, the two have not had screen time in a while, which makes Jubal's change in his living situation somewhat pointless.
Jubal's cases should intersect with his family life more often, and if he has to take over Isobel's position that should cut into his family time. There are several interesting ways the procedural could go if it gives a bigger role to Jubal's family; they can be integrated into storylines without losing sight that this is procedural.
6 How The Attack Will Change The Agency In FBI Season 8
The Danger Isn't Completely Over
Although Acting ADIC Keene was arrested and Forefront was said to be finished, the agents in the New York Field Office may still be in danger. Shortly before collapsing, Isobel told the team they still had to root out enemies and she understood if they were scared. The agents will have to continue this investigation whether or not Isobel survives and continues leading the New York branch of the FBI. If Isobel is gone, that will make it even more challenging for everyone.
Isobel is a friend and colleague for many of the agents; additionally, she had final say over case direction and HR decisions. Thus, her absence would leave the team temporarily without a real leader, especially since the last temporary leader was revealed to be corrupt. Agents are likely to be wary of anyone in management who they don't know as a result of this attack, which could be a problem if a new leader is needed.
5 Who Will Become The Next FBI Director And Deputy Assistant
The Leadership Team Is In Flux
The New York Field Office may soon face vacancies in its leadership. Assistant Director In Charge Reynolds was killed and ADIC Keene was arrested. Additionally, if Isobel dies, her job will also be vacant until a replacement can be found. The easiest solution, of course, is for Isobel to survive. However, even if she does, she may have a long recovery period ahead, which means someone else will have to take over her job until she is medically cleared. Additionally, her husband may pressure her to retire altogether because of her health issues.
If Isobel is sidelined temporarily or permanently, it's likely Jubal will take over her position. In that case, someone will be needed to take his place as the team lead. It might be interesting to have Maggie temporarily lead the team while Jubal takes Isobel's position. As one of the most senior agents, she knows what needs to be done better than most. OA could also take this role, though Maggie seems better suited for it.
4 Will Dani Remain Scola's Partner?
The Character Isn't Yet Part Of The Main Cast
Hopefully, this doesn't end her run on the series. After all of the trouble Scola has had finding a partner, it would be much better for Dani to become permanent than to start over again.
3 Will Anyone From The Canceled FBI Spinoffs Join FBI Season 8?
There Are Some Possibilities, But Nothing Has Been Announced
Since FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International have both been canceled, it's possible some characters might transfer to the New York Field Office — especially from Most Wanted, which offered a definitive end to each character's storyline. Since Remy Scott (Dylan McDermott) retired, he won't reappear in FBI season 8, and Sheryll Barnes (Roxy Sternberg) took his place as team leader, so she might visit to consult on a case but is unlikely to return permanently.
That said, FBI: Most Wanted's Hana or Ray could transfer to the New York Field Office if they wanted. Nina (Shantel Van Santen) originated on FBI and sometimes visits because of her relationship with Scola, so it's likely that will continue to happen from time to time. It would be interesting if anyone from the other FBI shows were brought in to fill vacancies left behind by the shift in leadership, though it's not clear whether this will happen.
2 Are The Events Of FBI Season 7 Finale Tied To The CIA Spinoff?
It's Likely, Considering The Role of An Anti-Government Group In The Finale
The FBI season 7 finale focuses on an anti-government group called Forefront, which has infiltrated agencies such as the FBI and compromised some agents. This group is responsible for the assassination attempts and tries to take over the New York Field Office so it can use the FBI to help foreign enemies. These types of crimes usually fall under espionage-related crime, which the CIA usually handles. Thus, this story would make a strong plot for the new CIA spinoff.
Additionally, Isobel said another agency would be continuing to fight against Forefront. It seems likely this episode will be connected to the plot of CIA, the new FBI spinoff that will be premiering in the fall. However, it's unclear how strong the connection between this case and the stories on CIA will be or whether there will be any crossovers between the two series. Sadly, although helping foreign enemies implies international crimes, FBI: International was canceled and will not be involved in these stories.
1 What's Happening With Maggie And OA's Relationship?
The Two Haven't Interacted As Much During Season 7, But Maggie Is Single Again
Maggie and OA are a popular potential pairing, but there are few indications that that will happen any time soon. The pair have interacted less often than they used to, likely due to the cast rotation policy that requires key characters to be absent from some episodes to save money. Additionally, OA seems focused on his relationship with his girlfriend, Gemma, which has meant that his friendship with Maggie has taken a back burner.
