[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Will Trent Season 4, Episode 11.]

In episode 411 of the ABC series <em>Will Trent</em>, the GBI special agent (Ramón Rodríguez, who also directed the episode) rushes to Puerto Rico to ensure his Uncle Antonio (John Ortiz) is safe. Upon arrival, lacking jurisdiction, he is joined by a woman introducing herself as FBI Agent Elkie (Mallory Jansen). Together, they navigate the rainforest, following clues that lead directly to Will’s past and raise more questions than answers, which will resonate throughout the remainder of the season.

Collider recently had the chance to speak one-on-one with Rodríguez about executing the largest episode of the series to date, the challenges of filming in Atlanta and Puerto Rico, the urgency in finding Antonio, and how these events will be crucial for what lies ahead. He also discussed the significance of Will’s therapy, James Ulster’s (Greg Germann) elf costume, the development of Will and Elkie’s relationship, his favorite moments from the episode, upcoming surprises, and potential storylines for Season 5.

Episode 411 of ‘Will Trent’ Is a Juicy Roller Coaster That Will Ripple Through the Rest of the Season

“It is our largest episode. It’s huge.”

Collider: Between multiple people thinking that they’re doing Ulster’s bidding, to leaving a murdered woman in a refrigerator, to the spiders, to an FBI agent that seemed helpful turning out to be Ulster’s daughter, I feel like there are a lot of things piling on in this episode. What was your reaction to how it all unfolded when you first read it? Was there anything that most surprised you, especially with how much Adelaide was able to get away with before Will realized who she really is?

RAMÓN RODRÍGUEZ: When I read it, I actually really loved it. I was like, “Oh, this is juicy. And it’s big.” It was really a large-scale scope. It is our largest episode. It’s huge. I loved the twist, though. There are several really interesting twists and turns. The challenge then became, “How can we really try to preserve it as much as possible so hopefully audiences don’t get too ahead knowing that they’re really smart and can pick up cues?” And I think Mallory [Jansen], who played Adelaide, did a really great job. You have to let go and understand once you realize that that was a pretty masterful, insane plan to pull all that off. So now that you’ve let that go, you go, “Okay, we’re not going to get hung up on that,” and hopefully you just get sucked into it, and you’re just on this crazy adventure of an experience that takes Will to Puerto Rico. I love the motivating force that got him there, which is family. We know how much that resonates for Will, so the fact that family could be in danger made me believe he would just pick up and go. Seeing Uncle Antonio in a new light as a ladies’ man was really fun and delightful.

And then, from the Atlanta side, we’re exploring Jeb and the RV and that chase while realizing there are acolytes and tentacles that Ulster has out there. With the final result after the whole spider sequence and all the crazy cliffhanging moments, it was insane. It was a huge, massive, exhausting episode, but I absolutely loved it. We kept referencing Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Romancing the Stone. I wanted to show a new part of Puerto Rico with the jungle and rainforest while showcasing its gorgeous greenery. We shot in Old San Juan because why not? It’s beautiful. There were fun twists in it too—learning who Adelaide really is—and then realizing that Will knew a little bit but played along because he was desperate to find his uncle. There were just many fun elements involved. We had some great casting. Returning to Puerto Rico was special for me as director since we hadn’t been there since Season 2. Seeing familiar faces among the crew filled me with pride as we had a Puerto Rican director bringing this show back home.

It’s funny how I seem to only talk to you this season for episodes ending with cliffhangers that put Will’s life at risk.

RODRÍGUEZ: I’ve noticed that too.

Much like at the beginning of this season, I’m guessing Will will be okay since the show is still called Will Trent. However, Adelaide remains at large, bodies keep appearing, and she intends to kill Will. What can you tease about what comes next after this episode? She clearly has intelligence and has planned ahead—what’s next?

RODRÍGUEZ: This episode serves as both a springboard and catalyst for the rest of the season. Many storylines we explore are tied back to this episode’s events—finding Antonio becomes mission number one alongside locating Adelaide. As we developed Adelaide’s character—teased in episode 11—she mirrors Ulster’s manipulative nature and intelligence. She can shift roles from being an FBI agent to revealing her darker side. We also meet her mother in this episode—hinting at something being off within their family dynamic. It promises an exciting journey ahead.The ride from this episode through to season’s end will be quite thrilling.

I love Will’s therapist—not just because I adore Margaret Cho—but because she provides him with valuable advice. Her suggestion about rebranding Ulster when he appears was particularly clever. Were there discussions about alternative ideas before deciding on him being an elf? What did you think of him dressed like that?

RODRÍGUEZ: It was fantastic! One enjoyable aspect this season has been watching Will confront various issues during therapy sessions. Dr. Roach is such an eccentric yet perfect therapist for him. Their first session involved taking him out for pickleball—quirky yet effective! In this episode, she encourages him to reclaim power by rebranding Ulster since he has dominated Will’s life for so long—through life and death—tormenting him relentlessly. It felt empowering for Will finally to gain some control over their relationship by taking Dr. Roach’s advice seriously.

The elf concept struck me as hilarious—it only got funnier! While scouting locations in Puerto Rico one day, I thought about creating our own tree stump for Ulster’s entrance wearing an elf hat—it had everyone laughing! Our amazing production design team crafted an ideal tree stump for him—when Ulster popped up on set wearing it everyone burst into laughter! This added an entertaining twist in their relationship which we rarely see—and utilizing Ulster creatively provided some solutions—it was fantastic!

Ramón Rodríguez Says They Only Had a Couple Chances To Pull Off That Dance Between Will and Elkie

“That was supposed to be a larger scene.”

This episode features numerous enjoyable elements not typically found in an average episode of Will Trent. It was refreshing seeing Will spend quality time with his uncle while enjoying beach vibes filled with music and dancing. I absolutely loved when he took another person’s hat before dancing and even shared a kiss without realizing it was Adelaide! How did it feel getting to do all that? My only complaint is wanting more! Would you have preferred doing an entire dance number if time and budget allowed?

RODRÍGUEZ: We did want more! That day marked our final shoot day in Puerto Rico—we were pressed for time! Originally intended as a larger scene—we had only two takes before they pulled us from filming! Unfortunately due to time constraints we couldn’t extend it further but I still think what we captured was effective enough! If we had more time for this scene something else would likely have been cut from the episode—but trust me—we were all thrilled about capturing this moment!

The biggest challenge faced while executing this episode?

RODRÍGUEZ: This was such an expansive episode featuring numerous stunts—including wire work during cliffhanger moments—and extensive visual effects throughout filming across two different locations primarily set in Puerto Rico! The greatest challenge remains time management especially while acting heavily during Episode 410 leading into prep mode where my schedule was halved compared with typical directing prep timelines given how ambitious this particular installment proved! Despite these hurdles—I pushed through without complaints dedicating every spare moment towards preparation including shot listing location scouting casting videos wardrobe selection etc.—doing everything necessary required from directors!

The silver lining? Once filming wrapped—we entered holiday hiatus allowing me uninterrupted relaxation time spent right there on beautiful Puerto Rican soil! My family even visited me during production days which made everything feel special despite chaos surrounding us throughout filming process!

You’ve become adept at overcoming challenges after four seasons!

RODRÍGUEZ: Definitely! Having worked alongside same crew fosters efficiency—we’ve become quite synchronized!

Ahead towards Season Five—are discussions underway regarding future storylines?

RODRÍGUEZ: Not yet finalized conversations everyone remains focused solely on finishing strong—we’re nearing completion now—but expect plenty more surprises ahead! Expect highs lows questions answered—all packed into remaining episodes moving forward!

Ramón Rodríguez Reveals That His Favorite Episode 411 Moment Made Him Emotional

“That was a nice little surprise blessing.”

Your favorite moment from Episode? What stood out most upon seeing everything finalized?

RODRÍGUEZ: So many moments made me proud—the stunt work came together beautifully alongside fantastic performances throughout cast especially Jeb portrayed wonderfully by his actor—the production design team excelled crafting RVs looking authentically disgusting while spiders lurking within tunnels appeared creepy/scary too! One moment wasn’t scripted but came organically during shooting day—a silent scream sequence involving Lucy at end left me emotional despite exhaustion setting in after directing/talking extensively throughout shoot days!

I envisioned creating emotional impact by having Lucy whisper something intimate followed by silence instead—a perfect representation capturing essence behind her spirit descending towards him leaving behind lingering feelings within audience hearts!

This approach proved effective preserving vocal strength while simultaneously enhancing emotional depth within scene itself—a perfect example demonstrating how unexpected challenges can yield better outcomes than originally envisioned!

I felt truly moved watching editor’s cut prior diving into director’s version—seeing camera angle shift downwards symbolizing Lucy’s essence connecting intimately with protagonist resonated deeply within me—it felt profoundly lovely indeed!

The emotional weight stems largely from preceding moments where he discovers dummy representing mother alongside baby cries echoing through trash can—a stark reminder reflecting darkness surrounding his past struggles!

This darkness amplifies intensity surrounding character development ultimately leading towards heartbreaking realizations faced by someone longing desperately seeking familial connections amidst impending doom—a poignant journey indeed!

The series airs on ABC streaming available via Hulu.