Peter Krause said goodbye to 9-1-1 with his character Bobby Nash’s shocking death, but fans of the long-running series still have questions about what went down — and what is coming next.

The second half of the ABC series’ epic two-part “Contagion” event, which aired on Thursday, April 17, saw Chimney (Kenneth Choi) continuing to deteriorate after contracting a rare and deadly virus following a massive lab explosion. While Buck (Oliver Stark) and Athena (Angela Bassett) tracked down the one dose of anecdote that exists to save him, it was revealed during the episode’s final moments that Captain Bobby Nash’s suit had been compromised, causing him to contract the virus as well.

After confessing that he hid the truth in order to save his team, Bobby had a tearful goodbye with Buck and his wife, Athena, before succumbing to his illness. The death came as a devastating shock and loss to fans, as Krause has been a leader of the series since it premiered in 2018.

“I had been toying with the idea for a couple of seasons, actually, maybe even longer, feeling like at some point I’m going to have to do this,” showrunner Tim Minear told Deadline of killing off a major character in an interview published on Thursday, April 17. “And then once I came up with this idea for the lab leak episode, that’s when it solidified for me that it was time to do it, it felt like a real opportunity to give somebody an epic Wrath of Khan-like death.”

It might not be the last time that 9-1-1 fans see the beloved fire captain of the 118 after all. Warning: This post includes spoilers for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 15. In an interview with Variety published after the Thursday, April 17, episode aired on ABC, showrunner Tim Minear teased that Peter Krause will appear […]

He continued, “When it came down to deciding who should that be, I wanted it to be a character that affected all the characters’ stories in a very specific and yet different ways. There was only one man for the job, and it was Bobby.”

Minear admitted that losing Bobby — and Krause — was a “wrenching decision.”

“I adore Peter, and he’s so great on the show, really the backbone of the show in so many ways, which is why it was both a terrifying decision but also, creatively, I just knew that it would be so meaningful and have such repercussions and give me so much story for the show,” he said. “Once I had made that choice, suddenly the world of the show seems so much more real to me, just feeling the grief of the characters and feeling just how that nuclear bomb going off in the center of that universe affected everything. Suddenly, everything just felt weirdly more alive to me.”

Despite Minear feeling strongly about Bobby’s death, many fans have had different feelings about the decision. Keep scrolling for their biggest burning questions after “Contagion”:

Why Did Bobby Die So Quickly?

Disney/Christopher Willard

Although the twist of Bobby also being infected with the virus and choosing not to reveal his symptoms in order to save Chimney’s life was an effective twist — and a heroic move for the captain — fans are curious as to why Bobby died so quickly while Chimney held on for two entire episodes before taking the vaccine.

Yes, Bobby’s breathing tube was compromised with a hole, but that likely would let less toxins into his otherwise secure mask, while Chimney was fully breathing in the contaminated air for hours. Had the show let Bobby die slightly more slowly, he would have been able to say goodbye to the rest of the 118, instead of just Buck and Athena.

Why Didn’t the Rest of the 118 Get to Say Goodbye?

Disney/Christopher Willard

Yes, Chimney and Hen (Aisha Hinds) were injured, but they were still in the vicinity of the lab when it was revealed that Bobby would not survive, leading to viewer confusion over why they didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. Ravi (Anirudh Pisharody) was also there, as was Karen (Traci Thoms). It’s also surprising that Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) did not make her way down to the lab for Chimney and instead stayed at the 9-1-1 call center.

While someone getting to say farewell to their loved one before their death isn’t exactly how real life works, it is how 9-1-1 works. Bobby has been the heart of the 118 since 9-1-1 premiered in 2018, and the crew’s found family dynamic is one of the most alluring parts of the series. Everyone getting a chance to part ways with their beloved captain would have been just as, if not more, devastating for many viewers.

The good news? It seems like Bobby will be making his way back — in some form — to the show before season 8 ends, according to Minear. “I will say that episode 15 is not Peter Krause’s final appearance this season,” Minear told Variety in a April 17 interview. (Krause was also recently spotted on set in various social media posts from his costars.)

Now That Bobby Is Dead, Where Does Athena Go From Here?

Disney/Christopher Willard

Longtime fans of the series will know that Athena was married before to ex-husband Michael Grant (Rockmond Dunbar) and they share two children. However, it was revealed during the season 3 episode “Athena Begins” that she also lost her fiancé, Emmett (Jeff PIerre), earlier in life when he died during a grocery store robbery.

This means Bobby is the second significant other Athena has lost. The pair were also building a new home for themselves after a fire burned down their old one. Bassett, for her part, previously said that Athena without Bobby on 9-1-1 was something she couldn’t picture.

“I don’t even know what the show would be like without them together,” she told People in a March interview. “It’s hard to imagine.”

Athena is a strong woman, but will she be able to move forward from this? Will Bassett want to remain on the series without her counterpart? And how will this bring her kids, May (Corinne Massiah) and Harry (Elijah M. Cooper), back as series regulars?

Will This Signal Eddie’s Return? And Oh Yeah, Where Was He?

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Eddie (Ryan Guzman) has been in Texas dealing with repairing his relationship with son Christopher (Gaving McHugh) for the past handful of episodes, which means he wasn’t on site for Bobby’s death. He also wasn’t given a phone call or heads up — at least, not that the audience witnessed.

While it’s difficult enough to see a beloved member of the 118 so far away from the rest of his crew, leaving him out of Bobby’s death felt off for many fans. At least Hen, Chimney and Ravi were all shown reacting to the devastating news. Eddie is a core member of the 118 — in Texas or otherwise — and his absence caused some viewers to feel slighted by not getting to witness his reaction. (A phone call from his best friend Buck would have even sufficed.)

According to Minear, Eddie not being present for the devastation will play a part in his upcoming story line.

“Eddie experienced it in a different way. He wasn’t there,” Minear told The Hollywood Reporter. “He got a phone call. So in a way, I think what Eddie’s feeling is, “Would it have been different if I had been there?” So that’s not going to be easy for him, but we’re going to see all that in these last three episodes.”

So Eddie will eventually learn of the news (off screen) and a promo for episode 16 has revealed he will be back for Bobby’s funeral. The question is — will he stay? Christopher is back under Eddie’s roof full time, so will the pair relocate back to Los Angeles to be there for the 118 in this time of need? Because if Bobby’s death won’t bring him back, what will?

Who Will Be the New Captain of the 118?

Disney/Christopher Willard

It’s hard to even process now, but it’s an unavoidable plot point that will have to be addressed. Bobby’s death is not the first time we’ve seen the 118 without him — season 7 followed the crew as they were forced to work with the station’s former captain Vincent Gerard (Brian Thompson), a notably problematic man, after Bobby briefly resigned. Although Gerard eventually moved on to consult for the firefighter procedural series Hotshots, fan videos circulating online have shown Thompson on set attending emergencies with the main cast.

It could be Gerard (but please, let that not be the case), or Hen could take the spot after previously filling in during Bobby’s absences. There’s also a possibility of Chimney stepping up after Bobby sacrificed himself, or a brand new captain may be introduced. Chris O’Donnell, who is set to lead the new 9-1-1: Nashville spinoff, could also make a temporary appearance to kick off his new show.

What will happen remains to be seen, but for many fans, none of the options feel quite right.

9-1-1 fans have been left devastated after the shocking death of a major core character. Warning: Spoilers below for season 8, episode 15, of 9-1-1. Captain Bobby Nash, played by Peter Krause, who has appeared on the show since its inception in 2018, was killed off in the second half of the gripping two-part event […]

How Will Chimney Cope With Bobby Sacrificing Himself?

There is about a zero percent chance anyone in the 118 takes the news of Bobby’s death well in the remaining episodes of season 8, but chances are Chimney is going to handle things worst of all. He is, after all, the person Bobby sacrificed himself for.

In the promo for season 8, episode 16, Chimney can be seen sitting on a rooftop ledge. When Buck tells him, “Nobody blames you,” Chimney replies in anger, “I blame him. He gave his life so I could live.”

Chimney has been historically known to be one of the most balanced, well-tempered firefighters on the show, keeping his cool through even the most stressful, heartbreaking situations — but will Bobby’s death change him forever?

9-1-1 airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.