9-1-1 Season 9: How Athena Will Move On After Bobby's Death Addressed By Angela Bassett: "I Am Fearful Almost To Ask"

9-1-1 star Angela Bassett has discussed how Athena Grant will try to move on after the tragic and untimely death of Bobby Nash. 9-1-1 season 8, episode 15 brought one of the franchise's biggest shocks, when fan favorite and 118 station captain, Bobby Nash died after contracting a deadly virus, and choosing to use the only antidote to cure teammate Chimney. The episode concluded with an emotional final goodbye between Bobby and Athena, leaving the LAPD patrol sergeant to watch her husband die in front of her.

ScreenRant's Joe Deckelmeier sat down to interview Bassett for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, and took the opportunity to ask the star about 9-1-1 how Athena will move on after Bobby's heartbreaking death. She revealed she was shocked by the revelation, and is almost scared to ask what the future holds for Athena. She did have some ideas on how to navigate the situation, suggesting she could undergo therapy or throw herself more into her work. Check out the exchange below:

ScreenRant: The Last Reckoning deals with plenty of sacrifice, which you recently had a taste of at 9-1-1. Having lost Bobby, how does Athena move on from here? What might season 9 look like for her?

Angela Bassett: I wonder. They really shocked me so much with that one. That was such a, whew, a head fake. It was like, "What is going on?"

I am fearful almost to ask what's in store for her, but she might need a little therapy along with a couple others - or a lot perhaps - to get through this. She's got her kids, and she's got her good friends, but it was a blow to the heart. So, we are going to see.

I don't know if she's going to throw herself even more into work, which means more stunts. We're going to see. We're going to see.

What This Means For Athena's 9-1-1 Future

9-1-1 Season 9 Could Find The Patrol Sergeant In A Dark Place

9-1-1's decision to kill off a core character for the first time in eight seasons came as a huge shock. Now, Bobby's death leaves Athena heading up the cast of 9-1-1. As Bassett's comments suggest, howevr, it is going to be a tumultuous time for the character. 9-1-1 season 9 might not find her in a great place emotionally. Therapy could be an avenue the show explores, as it is not uncommon for law enforcement officers to be forced to undergo some sort of therapy when they experience a tragedy, but this doesn't feel like Athena's style.

What seems more likely to be the case is that Athena will throw herself into her work as an attempt to avoid facing the painful reality. Bobby's 9-1-1 death is going to have huge repercussions for Athena, especially as she literally watched him die. Next season could also see Athena lean heavily on her friends, as well as her children, with whom she can share her trauma, and try to move on from Bobby's death.

Our Take On How Athena Can Move On

Her Heart Will Be Broken, But Facing Her Trauma Will Help

As one of the toughest characters in 9-1-1, facing her trauma will not come naturally to Athena, but this is something that is going to be essential for her growth. 9-1-1 season 9 is set to bring many shocks and twists with it — and Athena will be central to many of the key events in the season. Facing her trauma and heartbreak is going to be essential to helping her deal with it constructively, and ensure it doesn't adversely impact her ability to do her job in 9-1-1 season 9.