9-1-1 Season 9 Is Already Ensuring It Won’t Repeat Chicago Fire’s 10-Year-Old Mistake

9-1-1 season 9’s biggest overarching story will be how it grapples with the enormity of the loss of Bobby Nash (Peter Krause), and a new image from the upcoming season confirms that it won’t make the same mistake that Chicago Fire made with one of its own fallen characters. Captain Bobby Nash was the glue that held Station 118 together, his calm and levelheaded demeanor hard-earned and shaped by the tragedy of his past.

As Bobby finally processed his trauma and forgave himself, it opened him up to find new love again in the form of Athena Grant (Angela Bassett). The pair started dating in season 1 and were married by the end of season 2, with Bobby becoming a true father to Athena’s kids, Harry and May. The most well-rounded character of the show, Bobby was a leader in every sense of the word in both his personal and professional life.

It’s why Bobby’s death in 9-1-1 season 8 was such a cataclysmic shock to all. Even if the hope that 9-1-1 season 9 will rename the station after Bobby Nash is unlikely to happen, the most recent reveal from the upcoming season confirmed that the show will properly honor the fallen captain of the 118, and that it will honor him early. In doing so, it avoids the problem that its fellow first-responder drama ran into 10 years ago.

The 118 Will Have A Plaque That Permanently Honors Their Fallen Captain, Bobby Nash

The first-look image from 9-1-1 season 9 reveals a tribute to Bobby Nash in the form of a memorial plaque that reads “Los Angeles Fire Department, Captain Robert W. Nash Memorial Station 118.” The symbols for the LAFD and the 118 are below that, with a final line at the bottom that reads “Gave his life while on duty, proudly serving the citizens of Los Angeles.“

It’s a touching and heartbreaking tribute to the fallen captain of the 118, the first major loss of 9-1-1. That’s not to say that other 9-1-1 character deaths haven’t been tragic or impactful, such as the death of Shannon, Eddie’s ex-partner and the mother of his son, and Kevin Lee, Chimney’s childhood friend and fellow first-responder. But Peter Krause’s exit is the first departure of a main cast member.

The loss of the actor, and the character he played, will be the first earth-shattering death for the main characters and the audience alike. It’s a death that will shape their arcs moving forward, such was his importance to the 118. As such, it’s fitting and right that the memorial plaque will be erected to permanently honor Bobby and what he meant to the team and the city of Los Angeles. It’s a memorial that was weirdly delayed for another firefighter show’s own fallen team member.

Chicago Fire Did Something Similar For Leslie Shay In Season 3 – But Not Until Halfway Through The Season

It’s impressive that 9-1-1 didn’t pull the trigger on its first major death until the second half of season 8. Conversely, fellow first-responder drama Chicago Fire killed off its first major character in the season 2 finale, a death that hit the characters and the audience with an emotional wallop.

Lauren German’s Leslie Shay was a paramedic with the Chicago Fire Department, Station 51, and undoubtedly the heart and soul of the show. When she was killed by a fire set by an arsonist in the season 2 finale, it completely shattered her team. Firefighter Kelly Severide, Shay’s best friend, was the most deeply affected by her death, and it drove much of his storyline in season 3.

Shay’s importance to the team and the show’s narratives made her death so incredibly heartbreaking and consequential. That’s why it was so strange that Chicago Fire waited until season 3, episode 13, the mid-season finale, to finally hold a memorial ceremony for Shaw and commemorate her death, where her name was etched onto the door of Ambulance 61.

At the time, it was explained that the real-life Chicago Fire Department had to give the show approval to film on actual CFD property, which is why it took so long for the Leslie Shay memorial episode to hit screens. Still, it’s unclear why the show didn’t simply film the scenes on a soundstage or on location in a space where the CFD’s red tape wasn’t an issue.

Regardless of the reason, the prolonged delay in honoring Shay with the proper memorial and commemoration ceremony she deserved left audiences confused in 2015, and it is still clocked by audiences who have only recently started Chicago Fire. While Severide’s storyline kept Shay front of mind, it was still so strange that there was no dedication to the fallen paramedic for so long.

That’s why it’s a relief to see 9-1-1‘s memorial plaque for Bobby in the first-look image. While it’s not confirmed that the image is from the 9-1-1 season 9 premiere, we can be confident that, at the very least, it’s from one of the first few episodes of the season. The reveal assuages any fear that Chicago Fire‘s seeming lack of respect for Leslie Shay is a fate that will befall Captain Bobby Nash.