The first main character death in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 15). Previously, he and three of LAFD station 118— Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds), Ravi Panikkar (Anirudh Pisharody), and Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi)— were trapped in a lab containing the most dangerous strain of CCHF (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever).
Chimney almost immediately begins showing symptoms in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 14, but Bobby waits until the lone antidote has been istered to reveal that he, too, was infected by CCHF. While Bobby Nash isn’t really dead in 9-1-1, but there are only so many false-deaths one character can go through. Despite the emotional whiplash, Bobby’s death wasn’t out of nowhere— in hindsight, 9-1-1 season 8 began setting up the twist ending months in advance.
Bobby Died Saving Chimney In 9-1-1 Season Episode 15
The Beloved Fire Captain Died A Hero
The only comfort in Bobby’s death was that it wasn’t in vain— Bobby purposely hid his symptoms to save the team from the dilemma of deciding who gets the single CCHF antiviral. There may have been alternative strategies, like istering half doses to both of them or asking 9-1-1’s evil scientist Moira Blake (Bridget Regan) to synthesize another antidote, but Bobby wanted to save Chimney at all costs. For Captain Nash, it was simple: with Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) still recovering from a traumatic attack and a second baby on the way, Chimney had to make it out alive.
Bobby's Death Risks Jeopardizing 9-1-1's Future Despite ABC Already Renewing It For Season 9
ABC has already confirmed 9-1-1 season 9 will air next season, but the twist ending of season 8, episode 15 could jeopardize the procedural's future.
9-1-1 was always going to be a selfless act, but the first-responder drama practically turned the fire captain into its sacrificial lamb. Truthfully, 9-1-1’s characterization left no room for debate: if Chimney died, Bobby would have been consumed by guilt for the rest of his life. While other characters, like Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) and Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark), desperately wanted to help, Bobby accepted his fate without a fight. Although Bobby would have sacrificed himself for anyone in the 118, it’s no coincidence that 9-1-1 season 8 gave Chimney in particular so much to lose.
How Maddie's Second Pregnancy & Near-Death Experience Set Up Bobby's Death
Chimney's Death Had Higher Stakes
Maddie and Chimney have been major characters in 9-1-1 season 8, which served to lay the foundation for Bobby’s heroic sacrifice. News broke of Abigail Spencer’s 9-1-1 antagonist, Detective Amber Braeburn, slit Maddie’s throat and left her for dead. At the time, the unborn baby seemed to act like plot armor, but the pregnancy storyline saving Maddie is a cruel inverse of how it killed Bobby.
New episodes of 9-1-1 can be streamed on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.
Neither Maddie nor Chimney are strangers to 9-1-1’s intense near-death experiences, but having a baby on the way changes everything. There was no world where 9-1-1 killed Chimney during the Contagion saga, as it would’ve left his and Maddie’s second child fatherless. Bobby didn’t need any extra convincing to save his life, but it was fuel to the fire, knowing that Chimney was urgently needed as a father. In a way, 9-1-1 season 8’s shocking death was a full-circle moment, as it tragically reunited Bobby with his own deceased children just as it sent Chimney home to his family.
Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
9-1-1 is a television series that explores the intense experiences of police officers, paramedics, and firefighters. Premiered in 2018, it follows these emergency responders as they navigate high-pressure situations and attempt to balance their demanding work with personal challenges in their own lives.
- Directors
- Bradley Buecker, David Grossman, Brenna Malloy, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Jann Turner, Jennifer Lynch, Marita Grabiak, Sarah Boyd, John J. Gray, Barbara Brown, Robert M. Williams Jr., Kristen Reidel, Marcus Stokes, Tasha Smith, Millicent Shelton, Juan Carlos Coto, John Gray, Greg Sirota, Alonso Alvarez, James Wong, Kevin Hooks, Varda Bar-Kar, Shauna Duggins, Sharat Raju
- Writers
- Tim Minear, Andrew Meyers, Brad Falchuk, David Fury, Ryan Murphy, Christopher Monfette, Nadia Abass-Madden, Nicole Barraza Keim, Erica L. Anderson, Matthew Hodgson, Stacey R. Rose, Taylor Wong, Tonya Kong, Adam Penn
- Creator(s)
- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear
- Seasons
- 8
Your comment has not been saved