In a race against time to save Chimney, it looked like Athena had managed it. However, the episode took a turn that would have been so much more impactful had we not had the leaks of the funeral in 9-1-1. Bobby shared that he had also been infected, and there wasn’t a Hail Mary for him. Now 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear has explained the death, who came up with it (and who didn’t), and why it was so important to include it in the story.
Bobby Nash’s Death In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 15
Bobby Put His Team Before Everything Else
After getting his team out of the room, Bobby stayed behind and closed the door to prevent anybody else from coming inside. Buck argued with him, but it was clear from the bloody nose that Bobby had been infected with the accelerated virus in the air. Realizing that there was nothing he could do, Buck called for Athena to come in and then left the spouses to say their final goodbyes.
He had to put his team first and save their lives, which meant sacrificing his own, because telling anyone that he was also infected was not going to “change the math.”
There was a brief moment in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 15 that hinted at this, when Bobby touched his hose after saving Ravi and making sure the rest of the team were protected from the virus. The 118 captain explained that he had felt the effects of the virus for hours, but there was only one antiviral, and he wasn’t going to take that from Chimney. He had to put his team first and save their lives, which meant sacrificing his own, because telling anyone that he was also infected was not going to “change the math.”
Why 9-1-1 Has Written Out Peter Krause After 8 Years
Bobby’s Death Was A Creative Decision
In an interview with TVLine, 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear explained that the decision to kill off Bobby was purely creative, meaning that a departure from the series wasn’t requested by Krause. This meant that Minear had to explain the reasoning to Krause, who remained professional and shared a goodbye letter to fans of the show on social media after the episode.
Minear went on to explain that the creative decision was something he’d been thinking about for some time, and there was even an element of foreshadowing in the “Hot Shots” episode. During that episode, Brad Torrance decides that his character won’t wake up from the coma, but a fan of that series says that his character is what holds the firehouse together. That’s exactly the feeling with the 118, with Bobby being the glue for all characters in 9-1-1.
Eventually, someone major has to die, and killing off Bobby is a way to really make us sit up and pay attention, as major deaths remind us that nobody is safe.
At the same time, there was the thought that if the stakes aren’t real, then there is no future for the series. There’s no doubt that some of the more far-fetched storylines in 9-1-1 have led to some viewers scratching their heads. Chimney managed to survive a metal pole to the brain in the opening episodes, and Maddie just recently survived her throat being slashed. Eventually, someone major has to die, and killing off Bobby is a way to really make us sit up and pay attention, as major deaths remind us that nobody is safe.
What Bobby’s Death Means For 9-1-1’s Future
Bobby Leaves A Legacy Behind
Athena will feel the grief the most, as she has lost her best friend and spouse. While the two have had some disagreements here and there, they have always been committed to each other. As Athena said when Bobby tried to get her to leave and not watch him die, she’ll be there “for all the parts.”
However, he doesn’t appear to blame himself, and nobody within the 118 seems to blame him either, but he needs to deal with survivor guilt.
Another character to feel the weight of the death is Chimney, who has learned that Bobby made the ultimate sacrifice to save him. Chimney will likely be angry that Bobby made that decision, and he doesn’t know what to do with that now. At the same time, he could blame himself while dealing with survivor’s guilt and fear that others blame him, too.
Then there’s Hen, who has always looked up to Bobby and will likely struggle with the happiness that her best friend Chimney has survived but the sadness of losing her captain. Also, with the position of captain open, there could be a chance that she is offered that position permanently after already taking on the role temporarily in the past, leaving her with mixed feelings about that.
Can Peter Krause Still Return As Bobby In 9-1-1?
Bobby Will Return In 9-1-1 Season 8
Before ending the interview, Minear made it clear that we have not seen the last of the 118 captain in 9-1-1 season 8. Just because he’s dead does not mean that he is gone for good, although the way he comes back will need to be creative. It’s highly unlikely that the series will pull a Dallas moment and make it all a dream, as that just cheapens the grief we felt watching the episode.
Previous characters from 9-1-1 has returned after they’ve left, such as Abby, who came back in season 3 to offer closure for her character and for Buck. However, Abby didn’t die, so it was easy enough to write her in.
A couple of deceased characters have returned to the 9-1-1 universe, including Daniel Buckley, Buck and Maddie’s older brother. Despite dying of lukemia as a child, Daniel was brought into the story via an alternate reality as Buck fought for his life while in a coma and got to see what life could have been like had he not moved to Los Angeles and been a part of the 118. Maddie’s abusive ex-husband Doug Kendall was also brought back via flashbacks and hallucinations, offering the perfect way to bring Krause back into 9-1-1.
