Spoilers ahead for the fall finale of 9-1-1 Season 5 on Fox, called “Wrapped in Red.”
The first half of 9-1-1’s fifth season came to a close with a fall finale that didn’t end on any life-or-death cliffhangers, but nevertheless delivered a twist that could change everything for the 118 in 2022. After the show hinted that Eddie was facing a struggle in the final episode of 2021, “Wrapped in Red” delivered a fall finale that saw him make a decision that was both difficult and the only real choice he could have made. Eddie has decided to leave the 118, and he came to that conclusion for a reason that can’t just be waved away. Still, though – will it stick for such a major character to leave in a season that has already said goodbye to two others?
The second half of Season 5 hasn’t yet received an exact premiere date in the new year, so it may be a while before fans get to witness the aftermath of Eddie’s decision and whether that means Ryan Guzman is out of the show. So let’s dig into what happened for the best idea of what could be next for Eddie and the 118 in 2022.
What Happened With Eddie In The Fall Finale
Eddie’s struggle in “Wrapped in Red” was on the homefront with Christopher, and not just because his garland-stringing skills weren’t up to snuff for his son or he spilled hot chocolate on the ginger bread house. After Christopher woke up screaming from a dream about his mom and revealed that he was afraid his dad would die too, Eddie was devastated, and told Carla that even though his job was important, he didn’t think it was more important than his son.
Considering Eddie’s near-death experience at the end of Season 4 and a call to a prison turning into a hostage situation with him a gunpoint not too long ago, it’s no surprise that he took Christopher’s fear very, very seriously. And perhaps it was inevitable as soon as he heard his son scream that Eddie would decide to leave the 118, presumably to find a less dangerous job.
And honestly, I couldn’t blame him in the least, even if I will miss Eddie as a firefighter for however long it lasts that he’s away from the job. Christopher’s scream was pretty horrifying! I'd be ready to do just about anything to prevent that happening again too.
Will Eddie Stick With His Decision?
Eddie didn’t just decide to leave his dangerous job behind on a whim, and it’s hard to argue that prioritizing his son was the wrong move. The breakup with Ana means that Christopher lost the maternal figure in his life who he thought was going to be around for a long time, and Eddie naming Buck as his son’s guardian in the event of his death doesn’t mean that he wants Christopher to have to go through that.
My initial thought when it was clear that he was considering whether he could stay at the job that terrified his son was that Eddie would just switch from being a firefighter to being a paramedic. Sure, Hen and Chimney have gotten in plenty of sticky situations that could have cost them their lives over the years, but they’re not racing into danger quite like the firefighters – particularly Eddie and Buck – do. That would have been a convenient way to keep Eddie in the mix on the show, at least, but his statement that he’s leaving the 118 indicates that he’s leaving the whole LAFD life behind.
But unless this was 9-1-1’s way of writing out Ryan Guzman for good, I’m guessing that Eddie will be back with his old crew before the end of the season. It’s hard to imagine him continuing to have a major role if he’s not working with first responders, and I can’t really picture him as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Besides, Eddie seems to have quit the LAFD without another job lined up, considering how quickly it happened. And he seemingly had no plans to actually leave LA. He might need a source of income!
All things considered, I’m guessing that him leaving the 118 won’t stick. A lot may depend on who Bobby finds to replace Eddie, and whether or not there's a time jump. There are some pre-existing possibilities for Eddie's old spot, after all! Then again, I thought that 9-1-1 was setting Maddie up to return before the end of 2021, so maybe fans should expect the unexpected during the wait for the show to return. Unfortunately, there is no confirmed date for that return just yet.
9-1-1 is following its usual pattern for when it premieres a new season in the fall, however, and the second half of the season will kick off at some point in March after 9-1-1: Lone Star finishes its run in the 8 p.m. ET time slot on Mondays on Fox. For when the spinoff and other shows will be back in the new year, check out our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule.
