9-1-1 brings closure to many stories in its Season 6 finale on FOX, but those endings double as new beginnings for its Season 7 on ABC.
Another season of 9-1-1 has come to a close on FOX. Unlike the others, Season 6, Episode 18, “Pay It Forward,” almost doubles as a series finale. While most of the episode focuses on the massive emergency of an overpass collapsing and endangering plenty of people, including the 118, it also brings conclusions for plenty of characters ahead of 9-1-1’s move to ABC for Season 7. A reveal regarding Athena and Bobby is of the most significant narrative bows that signal this season finale as the end of a chapter for the procedural drama.
The episode makes small yet meaningful steps forward for its entire ensemble that could work as the end of their stories if 9-1-1 didn’t move to ABC. But, since it will continue on another network, all the endings in “Pay It Forward” also work as new beginnings. As bittersweet as it could’ve been, this move works for a show that often carves out space to tell character-driven stories that double as origin stories in their “Begins” episodes, like the one that reveals a key role Howard “Chimney” Han plays in Henrietta and Karen Wilson’s love story.
Buck’s Couch Saga Comes to an End
From Season 6, Episode 1, “Let the Games Begin,” one of Buck’s consistent story points is if and how he would pick another couch for his apartment. As Eddie Diaz notes in that episode, Buck’s last two girlfriends came with couches, so Buck is cautious about making another wrong romantic choice. While Season 6, Episode 10, “In a Flash,” delivers a Buck and Eddie parallel that could have sent their dynamic in another, more romantic direction, 9-1-1 takes a different route and matches Buck up with Natalia, a death doula, after the lightning strike.
Buck’s close relationship with the couple he is a sperm donor for initially pushes Natalia to take some space from Buck. “Pay It Forward” brings their story full circle when Natalia is there to help Buck deliver the baby — on his interim couch. As the two characters discuss the topics they didn’t breach before, they agree to give their relationship another chance. By the end of the finale, Buck asks Natalia to help him pick out a new couch, signaling this romance is here to stay — at least for a while longer than Buck’s other recent relationships. So, 9-1-1 Season 7 has the opportunity to explore Buck and Natalia’s dynamic more closely and detail why they are a good match worthy of ending Buck’s couch debacle.
Eddie Gives Love Another Chance
Similarly, Season 7 has plenty of narrative ground to cover regarding Eddie taking the first step and asking Marisol out on a date — with the support of his son Christopher, too. Though Marisol and Eddie first meet during a call where her brother is stuck in an attic in Season 6, Episode 5, “Home Invasion,” their meet-cute in the eyes of 9-1-1’s story doesn’t come until Season 6, Episode 17, “Love Is in the Air.” Bobby reminds Eddie that whatever love he may find won’t be comparable to what he had, and when he’s presumably more open to it, Eddie runs into Marisol at a hardware store.
Even though Marisol has appeared in three episodes of Season 6 (the same amount as Natalia), “Home Invasion” has fewer one-on-one interactions between her and Eddie than Buck and Natalia in her first appearance in Season 6, Episode 15, “Death and Taxes.” Consequently, Season 7 has a clean slate to establish Eddie and Marisol’s dynamic and tell a love story with all the highs and lows that 9-1-1 is usually so good at exploring. While their first date may fall away in a small time jump between seasons, Eddie and Marisol’s relationship will benefit from seeing those other milestones play out on screen, mainly because it has been a significant amount of time since Eddie has been in a relationship.
Hen and Karen’s Family Grows
On another hopeful note, “Pay It Forward” introduces a story for Hen and Karen Wilson that they’d “kind of given up on the idea” of ever happening — they are fostering a baby girl. Hen and Karen support each other’s decision to embrace “more chaos and more love” in bringing this little girl into their home for a few months. If her grandmother, who was supposed to take her, doesn’t change her mind during that time, Hen and Karen can adopt her and permanently add this child to their family with their son Denny. Considering Henren’s explosive start to this season, this joyous turn is more than welcomed.
This story also feels like a long-time coming because of how sad it was for Hen and Karen to say goodbye to their foster daughter, Nia, in Season 4, Episode 10, “Parenthood,” after their time together began in Season 3, Episode 11, “Seize the Day.” Of course, a chance encounter at the park reunites them in Season 4, Episode 14, “Survivors,” and Nia is the flower girl at Henren’s vow renewal in Season 5, Episode 18, “Starting Over.” Though Nia’s place in the couple’s hearts is irreplaceable, Season 7 builds off of Hen and Karen’s reactions to the news and shows how they have so much more love to give.
Chimney and Maddie Hear Wedding Bells
Maddie Buckley and Chimney’s second-chance romance has included some unimaginable extremes, but the couple always makes it out the other side stronger. The mainstay couple even hits a major milestone in Season 6, Episode 17, “Love Is in the Air,” when Maddie, with their daughter Jee-Yun, proposes to Chimney at their house in the sweetest gesture. Another memorable Madney scene that parallels one of the best moments from early in their relationship also occurs at their home in Season 6, Episode 14, “Performance Anxiety.”
The final scenes of “Paying It Forward” shows how Maddie and Chimney will continue to infuse love and safety in their home with their plans to host their wedding there. It’s been a while since 9-1-1 has celebrated a wedding, or something similar, so Season 7 has an event to anticipate. Hopefully, the ceremony will be as peaceful as possible for the couple’s sake, with any of the episode’s emergencies happening independent of the nuptials. Maddie and Chimney certainly deserve for their day to be the best.
Athena and Bobby Begin a New Chapter
Athena Grant-Nash and Bobby Nash had a quiet, great day for their wedding in Season 2, Episode 18, “This Life We Choose.” The only other people in attendance at the courthouse were Athena’s children and Bobby’s stepchildren, Henry and May. Since then, the couple has been trying and failing to find the time to get away for their honeymoon cruise. It’s almost become a long-running joke on 9-1-1 that their plans will always be foiled. Thankfully, the final seconds of “Pay It Forward” change that for the better.
Fit with suitcases and Bobby’s tropical shirt he’s been trying to wear since Season 6, Episode 1, “Let the Games Begin,” Athena and Bobby finally embark on their honeymoon. Athena calls the trip their “first adventure” in that season premiere. So even though this ending is as close as 9-1-1 can get to Bobby and Athena walking off into the sunset (for now), the fan-favorite couple — and the rest of the 118 — are open to many new adventures in Season 7.
