Bobby Nash previously led his team: Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi), Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds), Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark), Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman), and Ravi Panikkar (Anirudh Pisharody)— through 9-1-1’s most intense disasters, but the super-strain of CCHF (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever) proved too much for the fire captain. The full aftermath of Bobby’s death in 9-1-1 season 8 is still developing, but his character will never be forgotten. Unfortunately, one detail from “The Last Alarm” limits how much Bobby can impact future plots in 9-1-1.
Bobby Was Buried Next To His Family In Minnesota In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 16
Athena Decided To Send Him Home
While the ensemble cast was still struggling to come to terms with the tragic passing, Athena had a more difficult plot in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 16: after throwing herself into a conspiracy theory investigation, Athena has to confront the devastating truth of Bobby’s death. While their children, Harry (Elijah M. Cooper) and May Grant (Corinne Massiah), try to help pick out a mausoleum slot for Bobby, Athena is unconvinced. After a harrowing funeral scene, 9-1-1 closes the episode with Athena, May, and Harry watching on as Bobby is buried in Minnesota next to his deceased wife and kids.
Bobby’s sad backstory was crucial to his character development in 9-1-1, but the death of his family isn’t easily forgotten. His children, Bobby Jr. and Brooke, have haunted Bobby since the first season, but the fire captain seemed to grow and heal with time as he found new family in Los Angeles— with Station 118 and eventually with Athena. In the wake of his death, however, Athena made the difficult decision to have him buried in his home state and symbolically returned him to his deceased family. While it’s a meaningful gesture, it has big ramifications for 9-1-1’s future.
Bobby’s Burial Site Means Nobody In LA Can Visit His Grave
The Grand Gesture Constricts The Narrative
Bobby’s death in 9-1-1 was divisive already, but burying the fire captain in Minnesota leaves the LA crew without a grave to visit. The members of the LAFD were far more than coworkers to Bobby, and they deserve a proper memorial site to pay their respects. At the same time, it makes total sense why Athena buried Bobby with his late wife and children. Realistically speaking, Minnesota is the right place to lay Bobby to rest, but it negatively affects 9-1-1’s developing storylines involving grief.
Character deaths are common in the procedural genre— especially when it centers on first responders— but that doesn’t mean the character disappears as soon as they die. Despite his gut-wrenching exit, Bobby will never fully leave 9-1-1, at least in spirit. Like most series that include character deaths, 9-1-1 could have used Bobby’s grave as a new filming location. People like Hen, Buck, or Chimney could have visited Bobby to ask for advice, express their grief, or ponder important dilemmas. Unfortunately, Athena’s decision means the 118 can never visit Bobby’s grave (at least not without an exhausting road trip).
How The LAFD Can Still Honor Bobby In 9-1-1
Captain Nash Deserves To Be Remembered Coast-To-Coast
Without a proper place to grieve— whether it be a small plaque or a sadly beautiful mausoleum— the members of the 118 will never be able to move on...
Alternatively, Athena could purchase an empty plot in LA, meaning Bobby's body could stay in Minnesota but grieving friends and family could still have somewhere to go in California. That way, 9-1-1 could reap the narrative benefits of Bobby’s death without undercutting the emotional reveal of Bobby’s resting place. Without a proper place to grieve— whether it be a small plaque or a sadly beautiful mausoleum— the members of the 118 will never be able to move on from Bobby’s passing. Granted, it’ll be hard to move on either way, but 9-1-1 could make it marginally easier.
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