9-1-1 Makes It Clear That Only 1 Character Is The Key To Make Buck & Eddie Happen

Warning: SPOILERS for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 11.9-1-1 has leaned heavily into the bond between Oliver Stark's Buck and Ryan Guzman's Eddie, but a separate character altogether could be responsible for their romance. The main premise of 9-1-1 follows intense disasters and the emergency response teams that respond to them. While there are plenty of high-octane rescues and near-death experiences in 9-1-1, the ensemble cast of characters and the connections they form are the real heart of the series. From Henrietta "Hen" Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and Howard "Chimney" Han's (Kenneth Choi) friendship to Bobby Nash's (Peter Krause) father figure role, the 118 is undoubtedly a found family.

Eddie's exit from 9-1-1 season 8, however, has split that family up and left chaos in its wake — particularly at the hands of Buck, Eddie's best friend and last-ditch subletter. Eddie's abrupt move to Texas comes after months of build-up thanks to his strained relationship with his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), but 9-1-1 season 8's story has uniquely pivoted to Buck's reaction to the departure. 9-1-1 season 8, episode 11 begins by establishing that Buck can't even bring himself to sleep in Eddie's house, setting the stage for his ex, Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.), to return as a distraction.

Tommy's Illuminating Conversation With Buck In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 11 Explained

Eddie Has Always Been Tommy's "Competition"

Buck gets more than he bargained for in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 11 when Tommy offers to rekindle their dead bond, hopeful about a second try since his "competition" is gone. When Buck realizes Tommy is referring to Eddie, he becomes defensive and hostile, insisting that Eddie is straight, to which Tommy — someone who repressed his own sexuality for most of his life — merely scoffs. Ironically, Buck never outright denies having feelings for Eddie, focusing more on making clear how he doesn't have feelings for Tommy. Yet, the morning-after confrontation is only the beginning of Buck's spiraling.

9-1-1 exploring Tommy's perception of Eddie and Buck adds a layer of nuance to this past relationship, including the breakup speech where he felt certain he was Buck's "first, not [his] last." Since Tommy explains that Eddie was a roadblock to him, it's clear that his assertion stemmed from a belief that Eddie would be Buck's "last" or, at the very least, his next. Even after the move to Texas, Tommy can't win, with Buck renting Eddie's home in 9-1-1 season 8 and consequently consumed by memories of the man Tommy believes to be the true object of Buck's affection.

Why Only Tommy Can Make Buck Realize The Potential Romance Between Him & Eddie

He's Always Been A Plot Device

Tommy's perspective on Buck and Eddie's relationship recontextualizes his entire character in 9-1-1. Tommy was first introduced as a former member of the 118 during Hen and Chimney's backstory episodes, but he returned in 9-1-1 season 7 as a minor character following Bobby and Athena's (Angela Bassett) stint on a sinking cruise ship. In 9-1-1 season 7, episode 4, his tight-knit friendship with Eddie upsets Buck, culminating in a final scene where Buck admits he was jealous — but allegedly jealous of Eddie, not Tommy. Even Tommy himself was in disbelief that Buck wanted his attention, but the two began dating.

Tommy and Buck were never in the running to be one of 9-1-1's best couples, but the reveal that Tommy believed Eddie was his competition all along is the perfect springboard for Buck to realize his true feelings. Tommy may have helped Buck discover his bisexuality in 9-1-1, but it's become increasingly apparent that Buck tried to force deeper feelings for Tommy and perhaps displace his love. For the first time since coming out, Buck has to consider whether his relationship with Eddie runs deeper than friendship, which never would have happened had it not been for his ex-boyfriend's meddling.

9-1-1 Can't Continue To Tease Buck & Eddie's Relationship And Not Pay It Off

The Show No Longer Has Plausible Deniability

Now that 9-1-1 has explicitly mentioned the seeming deeper-than-platonic connection between Buck and Eddie, it's passed the point of no return. There's no plausible reason for 9-1-1 to focus so heavily on Buck and Eddie's relationship — even with Eddie out of the state — unless it is to set them up as the next canon couple. The only way 9-1-1 could realistically avoid making "Buddie" real at this point is by using the budding feelings realization arc to make Buck's love unrequited in 9-1-1. Yet, that has its own drawbacks that would ruin the obviously romantic foundation the series has laid.

If 9-1-1 attempts to ignore Buck and Eddie's feelings or cast them as strictly platonic, the exhaustive exploration of how everyone believes Buck and Eddie are in love can only read as blatant queerbaiting. For a franchise that's conscientiously promoting diversity, flaking on Buck and Eddie's romance would feel like a devastating setback. The slow-burn isn't an issue; if Buck and Eddie don't even reconnect until 9-1-1 season 9, it can still come to a satisfying conclusion. However, if 9-1-1 tries to pass off such an obvious love story as a mere friendship, Tommy will have been utterly useless.

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