‘The Rookie’ kills off Monica in a shocking twist; Bridget Regan opens up about a heartbreaking goodbye

Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers and key details from the show 'The Rookie'. Reader discretion is advised if you haven't watched it yet.'The Rookie' is a police procedural drama following LAPD officers navigating crime and personal challenges. Now, the show has shocked fans by removing one of its most intriguing characters in a surprising twist. The corrupt lawyer Monica (played by Bridget Regan) finally meets her end during the April 27 episode, and Regan is opening up about the emotional goodbye.According to TV Insider, Regan reflects on her four-season arc and the surprising ways Monica's story concludes. The actress admits she's filled with both gratitude and heartbreak over her character's fate.Bridget Regan knows Monica is walking a tightrope the entire time. "Truly, I was not surprised," she says before adding, "I was thrilled that she lasted as long as she did. If you play with fire, as long as she has, eventually you're going to get burned."The 44-year-old actress reflects on Monica's constant escapes: "She's escaped multiple assassinations and prison time and being thrown in a wood chipper. So when her number was finally up, I wasn't surprised. I thought, 'Fair enough.' She's had an amazing run, four years on this show. I'm only filled with gratitude."However, Regan is still overcome by emotion when Monica finally succumbs to her dangerous lifestyle. "What I was surprised by was just how incredibly sad I was for her," she says. "Not that she lost her life, but that she never truly changed, that she actually succumbed to the dark side and couldn't find her way back."Regan continues, "I felt like there was this version of Monica that could have been something else, but she just could never get there. So to me, that was the real heartbreak of it all." For the actress, the character's inability to escape her circumstances rather than her exit from the show is what truly strikes an emotional chord.The episode, ominously titled "Dead Ringer", shows Monica seeking a way to escape her crooked dealings and start fresh while maintaining her luxurious lifestyle. But both law enforcement and criminal bigwig Aiden (Tim Griffin) realize she is attempting to deceive them.Aiden seemingly offers Monica a way out: a plane waiting at LAX to fly her to safety. On the way, Monica makes a stop at the home of her ex-boyfriend Wesley (Shawn Ashmore). The pair shares an earnest conversation, with Monica telling him she wants to see him during her last hour in Los Angeles, while he tries to convince her it is not too late to set things right.However, just as Monica appears ready to escape, the rideshare driver pointedly drives past the exit for LAX. Monica realizes her fate is sealed. She does not fight it, making only one request of her soon-to-be assassin: "Please, not the face."Her wish is granted, as Monica is shot twice in the chest. Her body is discovered on the side of the road the next day.