If Bobby’s death broke our hearts, it’s Chimney’s grief that’s keeping them shattered.
In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 16, titled “The Last Alarm,” Howie “Chimney” Han steps into emotional territory we’ve never seen before — and it’s raw, unfiltered, and devastatingly human.
For a character often tasked with keeping spirits high or saving lives on instinct, Chimney finds himself unable to save the one man who meant the world to him. Bobby wasn't just a boss — he was a mentor, a brother, a father figure. And now he’s gone.
What makes Chimney’s grief so powerful isn’t just what’s said — it’s what isn’t. The silent breakdowns. The way he avoids eye contact. The guilt that hangs in his voice like smoke. Every scene with Kenneth Choi is steeped in quiet pain, and fans immediately felt it.
There’s a gut-punch of a moment when Chimney visits the locker room, staring at Bobby’s untouched gear. You can almost hear the words he can’t say. Later, as he tries to hold it together for Maddie and the team, the emotional restraint only makes the breakdown more explosive when it finally comes.
What we’re witnessing isn’t just a character reacting to a scripted death — it’s a man unraveling in the aftermath of losing his anchor.
And maybe that’s why it hurts so much. Because Chimney’s grief isn’t flashy. It’s real. And right now, we’re grieving with him.
