Captain Bobby Nash suffered an untimely death on the latest episode of 9-1-1 — but some fans aren’t convinced the beloved character has actually said his final goodbyes.
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 only existing anecdote needed to save him, it was revealed during the episode’s final moments that Captain Bobby Nash’s (Peter Krause) suit had been compromised, causing him to contract the virus as well.
What came next was a heart wrenching — albeit short — goodbye between Athena and her husband, who then succumbs to the symptoms, leaving the 118 in shambles.
Despite a body bag being carried out in the episode’s final moments, fans are still not convinced that the show would kill off the Captain of the 118 — or such a juggernaut like Krause, who also serves as an executive producer — and that he will return during the last few episodes of season 8.
Showrunner Tim Minear, however, has tried to stress that viewers really have seen the end for the beloved character.
“What I did not want to do was make [Bobby’s death] a season finale,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “First of all, I think the audience would’ve been telling themselves, “Okay, they’re going to pull a switch next year. He’ll be back, he’s not really dead.” But more importantly, I felt, like, that the audience needs a moment to kind of grieve as well with the characters. So the next three episodes are all about this loss on some level.”
Fans still convinced Minear is shouting lies have ignored his assurances, and have instead come up with an endless amount of theories as to how Bobby could make a triumphant return. Are we saying these theories have merit? Not necessarily. But denial isn’t just a river in Egypt, and if fans want to hold on to hope that their favorite character is still alive and kicking, more power to them.
Keep scrolling for every clue that Bobby could still be alive on 9-1-1:
The Funeral Taping
Far and wide the strongest of the theories, speculation of Bobby’s untimely end first sparked in early April when the cast was seen filming a firefighter funeral in Downtown Los Angeles. The proceedings showed Athena dressed in all black on the front lines along with her children, May (Corinne Massiah) and Harry (Elijah M. Cooper). Eddie (Ryan Guzman) was also confirmed to be back from Texas to attend the memorial.
As footage from filming began to circulate online, eagle-eyed social media users noticed a turnout coat hanging on the back of a fire truck that was labeled “NASH.” Fans began to wonder why the funeral of such an important character would be filmed so publicly. The “NASH” turnout coat was later swapped out with another name. Certain pivotal characters — like Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) — were also missing from the scene, leading some to believe the entire sequence was a character’s nightmare instead of an inescapable reality.
(Minear has told Deadline that they filmed the funereal hoping it “wouldn’t leak,” calling the optimism “naive” and adding that he wanted the “pageantry” of filming on the actual streets of L.A. instead of a sound stage. But he could be lying … right?)
Peter Krause and Angela Bassett Disney/Christopher Willard
A Flash of Light — Or Hope?
Viewers who noticed a flash of light encompassing the screen when Chimney was given the anecdote and carried out of the lab are now questioning the sequence. The odd choice left some viewers thinking that everything after that “flash of light” moment could be Chimney’s nightmare instead of actual reality, particularly because Maddie warned him earlier that he may begin to hallucinate as a result of the virus. Wishful thinking? Perhaps, but as far as theories goes it’s a strong contender.
Coma Dreams
The last shot of “Lab Rats” featured Bobby’s 118 helmet, paralleling the season 6 episode when Buck was put into a coma after being struck by lightning. Some think this means Bobby himself is about to have his own coma experience.
Bobby Is a Vampire?
OK, this one sounds crazy — we get it. But, some fans think Bobby dressing up as a vampire for the season 8, episode 5 Halloween episode, titled “Masks,” could be seen as an omen that he would eventually return from the grave somehow.
Spotted: Peter Krause
Days before “Lab Rats” aired, Stark shared a social media video that showed Krause in uniform on the 118 firehouse set with Stark, Guzman and Aisha Hinds, leaving fans to question why he would still be around if his character had died episodes prior.
(Of course, the footage from Stark could have been old — and Minear did tell EW that Bobby would return in one way or another before season 8’s end — but ignore that for now, we’re theorizing!)
‘Realism’ Is Not the Word
9-1-1 is one of the best procedurals on TV. But let’s be honest — it’s not always reality-level accurate. The audience entering into Buck’s coma dream; a ghost calling into the 9-1-1 call center; a woman who looks identical to Eddie’s dead wife; Maddie recovering from her throat being slashed within a single episode — you get the point. There are a million ways Bobby could somehow come back from the dead (no matter how many times Minear insists he won’t). Bobby does have that rare blood type that can save pregnant women’s lives, after all!
Music Choices
The montage leading up to Bobby’s death — where he says “I don’t want to go” to Athena and tells Buck “I love you kid”? You remember, you’re still crying over it! — included Hozier’s “Work Song.” As Bobby’s life begins to waver, the chorus sings out, “When my time comes around / Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth / No grave can hold me down / I’ll crawl home to her.”
Some fans believe this could be a sign that Bobby will be buried alive and “crawl” his way out of a grave back to Athena. (Hey, Buffy did it.)
‘9-1-1’ or ‘Hotshots’?
This ones complicated, but bear with Us. Hotshots is a firefighter show within the firefighter show of 9-1-1 that was introduced in the first half of season 8. After Bobby initially quit the 118, he later took up a job as a consultant on the faux series, making a connection with his “on screen counterpart,” Brad Torrence (Callum Blue), who was playing Captain Race Banner.
Hotshots mirrored certain aspects of 9-1-1 in multiple meta ways, including the mention of needing to suspend disbelief in order to engage. And while it hasn’t been featured heavily in the second half of the season — or at all, really — fans do think that there could be a hidden message connected to one of its story lines.
One Hotshots plot involved Captain Banner being hit by a 40 mile per hour bowling ball and falling into a coma before miraculously waking up and surviving, which was credited as a “miracle” (in a scene where Buck, Chimney and Eddie are playing the doctors, by the way). One meta-inspired theory is that Banner surviving hints at what is to come for Bobby.
An Easter Coincidence?
“Lab Rats” aired on Thursday, April 17, 2025 — one day before Good Friday, and three days before Easter. Christians will know that Easter celebrates the belief that Jesus was “resurrected” three days after his death, causing some to draw a parallel to Bobby Nash’s own story. (Yes, that would make Bobby Jesus in this scenario.)
No Body, No Crime?
The end of “Lab Rats” did show the first responders exiting the building with a body bag, which is assumed to be Bobby. However, fans of long standing procedurals know that “no body” means “no confirmation of death” — and as a result are holding out hope that’s exactly the case here. (Minear told The Hollywood Reporter that the body bag should be confirmation of death, but let’s ignore that for now.)
Wrath of Bobby?
Minear noted in an interview with Deadline that he was inspired to give someone a “Wrath of Khan-like” death. Spock dies in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan after sacrificing himself by entering a radioactive chamber to save his friends on the Enterprise from Khan’s attack. Sounds a lot like Bobby sacrificing himself to save Chimney.
Spock, however, was revived just one movie later, and remained an important character to the franchise for years to come. Will this reflect Bobby’s journey, too?
Sheer Delusion
That’s right. Many fans aren’t even holding on to concrete theories. Instead, they are simply choosing to believe that through the power of delusion — and a healthy dose of denial — Bobby may reappear, alive and intact, once again.
Hey, whatever helps the pain!
9-1-1 returns to ABC on Thursday, May 1, at 8 p.m. ET.
