One of my very favorite things that 9-1-1 does is when the show has “begins” episodes that show flashbacks from the main characters’ lives to show impactful moments in their careers as first responders. These episodes are typically about them becoming first responders, but occasionally, 9-1-1 will return to the characters’ pasts to help them work through issues that they’re dealing with in the present. The fourth episode in 9-1-1 Season 9’s space-themed opening emergency splits its time between Athena (Angela Bassett) in the past (Pepi Sonuga-Rogers) and in the present, as she works to help bring the Inara home. The only way to get back to Earth from the International Space Station is to take the ISS’s escape pod home, but it’s stuck, and one brave astronaut has to risk their life to dislodge it. Although Hen (Aisha Hinds) tries to take on this role, Athena insists, and she ends up working through her grief over Bobby’s (Peter Krause) death in the process. “Reentry” is a powerful and deeply emotional episode that works so well because it prioritizes character over plot, and it takes Athena on a journey through both time and space to make her value her life again.
In ‘9-1-1’ Season 9, Episode 4, Athena Is Forced To Confront Her Grief Over Both Bobby and Emmett’s Deaths

Angela Bassett as Athena Grant clasping her hands together in front of a white background in 9-1-1 Season 9Image via ABC

“Reentry” follows Athena through three different timelines. There’s the present-day Athena who leaves the ISS to go un-stick the escape pod, and who then has to fight to get her way back after becoming untethered. There’s also the past Athena from almost eight years after Emmett’s (Jeff Pierre) death, who is hesitant to move on when a man whom she meets at a diner (Freddy D. Ramsey Jr.) shows an interest in her. Then, there’s the Athena of her pre-space interview, who insists that she is not a hero because she has always lived through her most dangerous experiences, whereas the true heroes have not. In the past, Athena’s partner, McCluskey (Karl Makinen), encourages her to move on, but she is determined to put all her energy and focus into the job. The two of them work to catch someone who shot and killed a man in his car from a distance, and in the process, both McCluskey and Athena get shot. In the present, Athena’s space suit malfunctions, and she starts to run out of air. Hen extends a mechanical arm from the International Space Station and encourages Athena to grab on, but Athena continues to float in space. As she loses air, Athena imagines herself in the pre-space interview, where she speaks to her younger self. In 9-1-1’s most emotional scene of Season 9 so far, Younger Athena encourages Athena to let go, and tells her that dying will free her from the loss and pain that has followed her for her whole life. Faced with her own thoughts and feelings thrown back at her, Athena counters that the losses and moments of pain are worth the love and moments of joy, and she pushes her younger self to fight for her life. Bassett and Sonuga-Rogers give terrific performances in this scene, as Athena finally makes the choice to actively live for the first time since Bobby’s death. She then returns to the present moment in space, where she grabs the arm and returns to the ISS.
In ‘9-1-1’ Season 9, Episode 4, Athena Begins Again – In Both the Past and Present

“Reentry” may be the final episode in 9-1-1’s space emergency, but it is really about Athena working through her own fears and doubts about how to go on with her life in spite of her grief. In the past, McCluskey’s gunshot wound is much worse than Athena’s, and he realizes that he’s going to die. In his final moments, McCluskey asks for “the works” for his funeral and describes everything that Athena eventually made sure Bobby had. McCluskey then pushes Athena to let go of Emmett and look for love again. He dies, but in spite of this loss, Athena puts herself out there with the man from the diner… who turns out to be a young Michael (Rockmond Dunbar). In the present, Lewis (Geoff Pierson) stays behind for now to help them operate the escape pod, and then the passengers of the Inara go home. It’s the perfect resolution to the space arc. Tricia (June Diane Raphael) dumps Tripp (Mark Consuelos) and ends up with Parker (Rio Mangini), while also using her stake in Tripp’s company to put Parker in charge. The nearly-divorced couple from last week’s episode are shown to have reconciled in the hospital. Hen returns home to Karen (Tracie Thoms) and the kids. Athena meets up with May (Corinne Massiah) and Harry (Elijah M. Cooper), where she apologizes to them for her distance since Bobby’s death. Athena is still grieving the loss of Bobby, but through working through her past grief and coming close to dying once again, she has gotten to the place where she is choosing to move forward with her life. It’s a beautiful arc for Athena that ends in a return to reality, as she is less than enthused to learn that Harry is planning to become a firefighter. This will likely be tough for her to deal with after Bobby’s death, but I have no doubt that Athena will come around. New episodes of 9-1-1 airsThursdays on ABC at 8:00 P.M. EST.

Release Date

January 3, 2018

Showrunner

Tim Minear

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

Pros & Cons

This episode gives a deeper look into Athena’s grief over both Bobby and Emmett.
Angela Bassett and Pepi Sonuga-Rogers give outstanding performances, especially in the scene where Athena speaks to her past self.