The pilot season of High potential is a surprising success, but the mystery of Roman's disappearance haunts the narrative. Kaitlin Olson's new certified hit follows the life of Morgan Gillory, who decides to use her powerful deductive skills to consult with the LAPD on criminal cases. Although she finds great success in her new role, she is held back by unanswered questions about her first husband, Roman Sinquerra. Roman supposedly disappeared 15 years before the series, and Morgan uses his new connections within the police department to finally uncover the truth about his disappearance.
With High potential episode 8 looms on the horizon, the show could be ready to drop some clearer hints to help audiences understand what happened to Roman Sinquerra. Although Roman's presence is present in every episode, there has been little development regarding what actually happened to him 15 years ago. Since High potential season two is still a mere possibility, it's imperative that the ABC procedural offers viewers more concrete clues than a brief conversation here or there. Still, there are a lot of realistic possibilities presented in what little the show revealed.
6
Roman left town to protect Morgan and Ava
His absence was because of them
Roman's disappearance in High potential is the central mystery in High potential. One of the first times Kaitlin Olson's Morgan mentions her ex in High potentialshe reveals that he left to take diapers for the baby, Ava. This detail is what convinces the head of the Major Crimes Division, Selena, to take the case more seriously. Roman's car was recovered with diapers in the back seat. As Morgan and Selena point out, it would be counterintuitive for Roman to buy the baby if he had planned on abandoning them. However, his absence could still have been voluntary.
High potential appears to imply that Roman may have witnessed a crime committed that led to his disappearance. Although vague, it offers distinct motivations for Roman's disappearance, whether at someone else's hands or his own. Roman clearly loved Morgan and their newborn son, but that love could have easily turned into concern depending on what he witnessed. If Roman had the option to return home and risk his family's safety, he probably would have chosen to leave.
This theory maintains the fatherly love Morgan insists Roman had for Ava while still validating previous police work that fails to prove anything nefarious happened. Roman could still have left of his own free will, but for a genuinely noble purpose. If nothing completely fatal happened, Roman choosing to leave for the sake of his family would protect his character traits while also offering a non-obvious resolution to the mystery.
5
Roman really abandoned his family
The revelation is that there is no revelation
Sure, there's another storyline where Roman chose to leave, but it lacks the threat posed by any criminal. Just like everyone has already told Morgan, it's possible that Roman chose to leave for the sake of leaving. The diapers in the backseat make this hard to believe, but there is a way to make this evidence fit into a different context: Instead of premeditated abandonment, Roman could have suddenly realized he wanted to leave.
Buying the diapers, in many ways, could have been the last straw for Roman. Perhaps he realized how expensive it would be to properly care for a child and became overwhelmed by the financial burden. The diapers could have affected him more abstractly as a symbol of fatherhood, and Roman realized he wasn't ready to be a father. Likewise, Roman could have put on a brave face at Morgan, but having a moment of solitude gave him the chance to escape.
This theory is the easiest explanation for Roman's disappearancebecause it reaffirms everything Morgan heard before High potential episode 1. For that same reason, however, this theory is the least likely. If the series took the easy route, it wouldn't be planting seeds for a bigger reveal and letting Roman's fate be the season's underlying mystery. High potentialThe record audience wouldn't accept such a simple answer either.
4
Roman was killed by a criminal for being a witness
He saw something he shouldn't have
With High potential following the plan defined by programs such as PsychologicalIt would make sense that a major criminal would be involved in Roman's disappearance. Despite High potentialWith the perpetrators being episodic thus far, the second batch of episodes could mention a notorious criminal that the LAPD has a history with, whether for murder, assault, or any other dangerous crime. High potential could then connect an unsolved LAPD case with Roman's unsolved disappearance.
It would be a good resolution to the plot, but High potential it seems very creative to make this so clear, making it a possibility, but an unlikely one.
A known criminal easily be able to make a murder look like a simple father on the run. Instead of risking letting a witness go free or going through the trouble of threatening the family, it is simpler to attack the problem at its source. However, it is possible that the criminal saw the diapers in Roman's car and noticed people potentially looking for him, adding greater risks to the investigation.
This theory is the most straightforward. It also correlates with what little evidence the show revealed. In some ways, this makes this obvious answer seem a little boring. It would be a good resolution to the plotbut High potential it seems very creative to make this so clear, making it a possibility, but an unlikely one.
3
Roman was taken down by corrupt police
It was an inside job
The 2020s have repopularized mystery TV series, which makes every clue revealed in High potential appear to be a misdirection or a false trail. Everything the audience knows can be turned upside down in an instant, like Roman being knocked down for witnessing something horrible - but not witnessing a criminal committing the act. Instead of taking the clear path, High potential could diverge by making Roman's disappearance because of a corrupt police officer.
Having a different villain within the LAPD would tie up loose ends in a very unexpected way. If that had been the secret, Morgan's questions wouldn't have been dismissed so easily because no one believed her; the investigation would have been nullified because it was a cover-up. The conspiracy would add a dangerous element to Selena's involvement, as her investigation would possibly raise alarm for the culprit.
This theory follows the same logic as the previous one, fitting into the general pieces of the puzzle laid out in the first seven episodes. However, it is a clever recontextualization of the clueswhich makes this option more interesting. The question would be to create a villain without making it obvious; too little screen time and no one cares, too much screen time and no one is surprised. It's a delicate balance, but it's a fine line High potential is experienced enough to walk.
2
Roman was kidnapped
The man is alive but still in danger
While it seems likely that Roman won't be found alive after a decade and a half, nothing is guaranteed on a show like High potential. It could be equally plausible for a crime boss to take Roman hostage what it would be like for them to kill Roman. Roman being kidnapped is certainly possible, but it creates a whole new mystery about what has happened to him over the past 15 years.
It's possible he was kidnapped and killed anyway, forced into a life of crime, or taken and held prisoner for years. While Roman could be kept alive as a form of leverage or as an attractive hostage if the police closed in on the culprits, that seems like a small return for a lot of money. If it turns out that Roman is alive and recovered, this would definitely complicate Morgan's relationship with Tom in High potential. Most importantly, it would be a huge surprise in Ava's life.
High potential could very well be plotting to get Roman back into Morgan and Ava's lives with a dramatic reveal at the end of the season. However, this resolution would seem a bit melodramatic for the more grounded procedure. Morgan has been searching for answers for years, and the lesson High potential teaches that she will probably be “Be careful what you wish for." The show would likely complicate any reunion beyond a basic happy ending.
1
Roman was taken into the witness protection program
This explains his total disappearance
There is a unique way for Roman to be alive, healthy, and still not responsible for his disappearance: if he was placed in the Witness Protection Program. If Selena is right and Roman witnessed a serious crime, it may have been dangerous enough for a higher authority to intervene. With the extreme level of witness confidentiality protected by the federal government, it's possible that the LAPD has no idea that Roman is alive and well elsewhere under a new name.
Roman has not yet been shown in High potentialleaving open the possibility of the character being played by a prominent actor in the future.
Roman – operating under a different identity – could have spent the last 15 years trying to find a way to contact Morgan, without success. Even after fulfilling his purpose as a witness, There's no going back to your old life. However, with a few strings pulled, a little TV magic could explain how Roman eventually returns home to further complicate Morgan's life.
This theory would answer all the questions and clear up any inconsistencies in Roman's disappearance.. This would give the character a genuine reason to hide and highlight the tragic nature of his separation from his family. Witness protection would be an incredibly unique approach to High potentialis a Roman mystery, but it's probably too far-fetched for ABC, which means the underrated procedural show could still surprise with what really happened to Roman.