Why Ormewood’s Brain Tumor Will Be His Best Storyline On Will Trent

Will Trent’s Det. Michael Ormewood recently received the shock of his life when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Omewood has been one of the MVPs of Will Trent Season 3, mainly because of his comedic timing and devoted single dad status.

Now, he will tackle his most emotional storyline as he stares down at his mortality and fears about telling his children, showing what a layered actor Jake McLaughlin is.

This storyline will allow Ormewood to evolve beyond the comic relief or the dependable dad and friend.

It allows the series to dig into his military background and showcase how a strong soldier deals with a family crisis like this.

All of Ormewood’s Losses Have Shaped His Character Evolution

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If someone had predicted that Michael Ormewood would be a fan-favorite by Will Trent Season 3, I would have laughed in their faces.

He started off angry and hostile, which was partly because of the PTSD from serving in the military overseas, but his anger was still scary.

Gina leaving him was one of the best things that happened to him as far as character growth. In the wake of it, he realized his mistakes and became introspective.

He stepped up and became a more hands-on father to Max and Cooper, fighting Gina for custody because he liked spending time with his children.

Having a brain tumor will also play an important role in his evolution, since initially, he didn’t take the news well.

Hopefully, he doesn’t revert to form and learns to lean on his friends. They’ll be there for him all the way, offering him and his children to cope with the tragic news.

Omewood’s Brain Tumor Makes Him Examine His Mortality and Relationships

Will Trent has only briefly referred to Ormewood’s military past and doesn’t often dwell on it, but it still had a significant impact on the man he is today.

Jake McLaughlin portrays Michael Ormewood as a strong, stoic soldier who cares for his family and doesn’t often mention his accomplishments.

So far, his military background has only been used when the series had a suspect who was a soldier. Ormewood is their go-to in those circumstances due to the PTSD he suffered after serving his country.

During Will Trent Season 2, Omewood struggled with his part in his Army buddy Rudy’s accident. I suspect he felt that his painful headaches were his penance, so he never got them checked out.

As a chronic migraine sufferer, I suspected something was wrong with Ormewood when he began having vision problems. 

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While severe headaches aren’t always linked with a brain tumor, they can be connected, and I appreciated the callback to the gun shrapnel.

Learning he had a brain tumor made Ormewood face his own mortality. It’s something that has been on his mind for a long time, since he lost his father when he was serving overseas. He never got closure or to say goodbye.

He doesn’t want that for his children, and he has a much closer relationship with Max and Cooper now than he did during Will Trent Season 1.

It’s even more heartbreaking to tell his children that he’s scared he might die or that things will change.

I’m hopeful the series will not kill off Ormewood but milk this for its emotional value, but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch.

While Will Trent Is Not a Medical Drama, but This Brain Tumor Arc Still Has Long-Term Story Potential

Will Trent isn’t a medical drama, so the series probably won’t spend much time on medical jargon and treatments. Instead, it will focus on how a brain tumor will affect Ormewood’s overall life.

Since Ormewood is the primary custodial parent of Max and Cooper, his debilitating health will affect his family significantly.

It would be interesting to see how his ex-wife, Gina, reacts to the news.

She expected him to care for the children while she dealt with her mental health. After everything they have been through, I hope she’ll support him through this crisis.

But even if she doesn’t, Ormewood’s long-term arc will likely involve leaning on his “people” and adapting to a new, hopefully temporary normal.

Faith has become one of Ormewood’s closest friends and lives at his house, so could this situation change their relationship?

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It might not even be romantic, but Faith is the only one who knows his secret so far. They have a comfortable connection and a good foundation for this storyline.

His kids like her, so will she step up and assist with them while he has tests or treatments?

Part of this emotional storyline will be watching Ormewood struggle with telling his family and friends, and realizing how many people care about him.

Hopefully, since this originated from gun shrapnel and military service, the series will enlist some of his veteran friends to share their personal setbacks and triumphs.

Tying it back to Ormewood’s history could allow this arc to last a long time, providing us with content that goes straight to the heart.

Over to you, Will Trent Fanatics. What do you hope to see while Ormewood deals with his diagnosis?

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