9-1-1 always offers plenty of action. Whether the crew is battling a major natural disaster or putting their lives at risk to rescue someone during a thrilling emergency, the 118 Firehouse is dedicated to protecting, serving, and saving. This season, the team rescues an endangered Athena (Angela Bassett) and Bobby (Peter Krause) from a capsized cruise ship in the first three episodes, and rushes to locate Chimney (Kenneth Choi) after he disappears the day of his wedding. But then, Bobby is placed in danger once more in the penultimate episode of the season, when an arsonist sets a fire at his and Athena’s home. After suffering from smoke inhalation, Bobby suffers a massive heart attack.
In the finale episode, Bobby makes a miraculous and full recovery (could the show really have survived the loss of Krause?), and is all set to resume his position as captain of the 118. All of a sudden, Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson) shows up in the last few minutes of Episode 10 to throw a wrench in the team’s journey. Gerrard, who is a racist bully from Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Chim’s past, tells the crew that the higher-ups are concerned about leadership at the 118, and he’s now their new captain. Not only will this plot twist be a huge issue for the 9-1-1 writers to resolve, but there are many other upheavals in the lives of the characters that will need to be addressed in Season 8 of the ABC drama.
What’s Going to Happen to the 118 Firehouse on ‘9-1-1’?
The biggest shocker of the finale is Gerrard claiming that Bobby is no longer the captain at the 118. In the episodes leading up to the finale, Bobby finds himself coping with a great deal of guilt surrounding the fire that he caused decades ago. Amir (Malcom-Jamal Warner) shows up in his life to remind him of the pain he inflicted. Although Bobby has tried to come to terms with his feelings regarding his alcoholism and the effects of it, in Episode 9, Bobby feels overwhelmed by the weight of the suffering he’s responsible for. He decides to resign as captain of the 118 and go into early retirement. He doesn’t tell any of the crew, but goes about making sure that his team will be okay when he’s gone. However, after surviving the fire and his heart attack, Bobby changes his mind. He’s recommitted to his role as the leader of the 118, and is ready to resume control of the firehouse. He’s completely taken aback when he learns of Gerrard replacing him, as are the rest of the team, who are informed by Gerrard that Bobby actually quit two weeks prior without them knowing.
How Will the Crew Handle Gerrard’s Takeover?
The big question that the finale left viewers with is what will be the fate of the 118? In Season 8, the crew will be required to cope with the leadership of Gerrard (who is known for being misogynistic and unfair to his diverse co-workers). What will this do to the team’s camaraderie and collective spirit? The 118 always functions best when everyone is working together, but inviting someone like Gerrard into the mix will only serve to divide them. Hen and Chim will have to push aside their trauma from dealing with Gerrard previously in their careers, and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) could revert to his military days when he would stifle his emotions in order to appear brave. 9-1-1 will have plenty of plot points to work through with this story line, but the fate of the 118 is definitely up in the air as we go into Season 8.
How Will Eddie Handle Christopher Leaving?
One of the main themes of the finale of Season 7 is the struggles of parenthood. At this point, Eddie has really done a number on his son’s mental health. During Eddie’s bizarre relationship with his dead wife’s doppelgänger, Christopher (Gavin McHugh) walks in on a romantic scene between Eddie and the woman. Christopher is so confused by his father’s behavior that he asks Eddie’s parents if he can live with them for a while. This sets up one of the most heartbreaking plots that will have to be explored in Season 8. How long will Christopher stay in Texas? And how will his absence affect Eddie’s psyche (which is already admittedly pretty fragile at this point)? Eddie has defined himself in a lot of ways solely by being a single dad; it will be interesting for 9-1-1 to dive into how Eddie functions without his son present in his life. Will he be able to grow and mature, or will this just lead to even more of a downward spiral for Eddie?
Will Hen and Karen Resolve Their Adoption Issues?
Other parents who are facing some major challenges are Hen and Karen (Tracie Thoms). They recently fostered a young girl named Mara (Askyler Bell) who quickly became a part of their family. But someone from Hen’s past pops up to wreak havoc. Councilwoman Olivia Ortiz (Veronica Falcon) blames Hen for not providing better medical care to her son, who passed away during a rescue call. She seeks her revenge by stopping Hen and Karen’s adoption of Mara and by having them removed as approved foster parents; Mara is taken away from them and placed in a group home. At the end of Episode 10, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chim reveal that they’ve signed up to be foster parents so that they can take care of Mara until Hen and Karen can be reunited with her. Season 8 will need to follow this story line’s path: will Chim and Maddie continue their role as foster parents? Will Hen and Karen be able to stop Councilwoman Ortiz and clear their names?
How Will Buck and Tommy’s Relationship Progress?
There are also several relationship statuses that fans will be eager to explore further in Season 8. Buck (Oliver Stark) has embraced his bisexuality and has started a relationship with Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.). Where will this relationship go moving forward? Will there be more challenges placed in their way? It’s likely that not everyone will be accepting of their same-sex relationship (especially Captain Gerrard). Will these obstacles bring the couple closer together or lead to one more failed partnership in Buck’s love life? Buck has definitely earned a shot at love, so hopefully, Tommy can provide him with a healthy connection.
Will Maddie and Chim Finally Get to Be Happy?
And then there’s Maddie and Chim, often the most stable couple on the show. They received a piece of happiness when they got married in Episode 6, but will that marital bliss last? After a long history of trauma and catastrophes in both of their lives, fans are rooting for Maddie and Chim to finally exist without a lot of heartbreak to get in their way. Perhaps they can just settle down, enjoy their little family and their daughter, and focus on not having to react to major dramatic upsets in their lives.
How Will Athena Cope With the Aftermath of the Finale?
Athena definitely has a lot to deal with in the finale. But there is a lot still to explore in Season 8. First off, who is that mysterious neighbor named Polly that pops up to randomly introduce herself to Athena in the remnants of Athena and Bobby’s charred home? She mentions that it’s nice to have law enforcement in the neighborhood, and then Athena asks to borrow her car, but the whole interaction feels slightly off. Viewers are not quite sure what the purpose of this scene is, so perhaps Polly will appear next season with more of a story line to dig into. On top of that, Athena will have to rebuild her family’s home and cope with Bobby’s unemployment. The usually unflappable Athena has faced many challenges this season; will these stressors cause cracks in her composure or in her relationship with Bobby?
There are many unanswered questions that 9-1-1 will need to address when Season 8 picks back up. The writing team hasn’t announced if the season will begin with another big disaster, which the show is known for. Even without a giant emergency for the 118 to deal with, they’ve surely got enough on their plates already. The internal struggle to win back the firehouse from Gerrard’s clutches will likely be the main focus of the next season. But, the interpersonal relationships and obstacles the individual characters are facing will also be major plot points that will need to be covered in future episodes. No matter how all of these storylines play out, the next season of 9-1-1 will be a wild one.
