It’s been several weeks since Peter Krause’s character on 9-1-1, Captain Bobby Nash, died, and it still doesn’t feel real.
I’ll admit that I’ve watched subsequent episodes with the idea that Bobby will return and there will be a rational explanation about the whole death thing.
I’m not the only 9-1-1 Fanatic feeling this post-Bobby’s death, am I?
The fandom is in disarray as everyone digs for clues that the progression of this arc can be reversed and Bobby will return, reverting everything to how it was.
As with anything, theories are prevalent, and from outrageous to very plausible, we discuss some of them that could see Bobby returning before the season finale.
9-1-1 Is No Stranger to Doppelgangers
The idea of a doppelganger would not be foreign to 9-1-1, let alone surprising, because it has happened before.
Eddie’s current life trajectory has much to do with meeting his late wife’s doppelganger. If there’s anything this arc has proved, dopplegangers can be a great asset when bringing back a beloved character.
They don’t need much logic since a doppelganger, while a wild occurrence, is not improbable.
Almost everyone has another person they look eerily similar to, sometimes within the same locality.
He Had a Twin Brother or Cousin All Along
Bobby’s immediate family is known, but this being TV, some aspects are always unexplored.
Picture this: Bobby’s twin brother went home with the wrong parents, and after seeing Bobby’s obituary, he comes to LA seeking information.
And it turns out, he’s a firefighter too! (Yay for nature one-upping nurture.) Just like that, 9-1-1 has a new interesting storyline to explore, and Peter’s back!
A close second scenario is a cousin.
For those with cousins, there’s always that cousin with whom you get mistaken for siblings because of your physical resemblance.
That’s an easier avenue than a twin brother because cousins are everywhere and are never in short supply.
Fake It Out Till They Believe It
Up to 9-1-1 Season 8, the series has perfected the art of bringing back characters from the brink of death.
How about going that extra step and bringing one from the dead?
Fake outs are easy to walk back, and I feel like this is the simplest to execute.
Bobby has encountered criminals in his career, and what if the cartel from 9-1-1 Season 7 has been hunting him down?
Then it makes sense that he had to fake his death in collaboration with law enforcement to protect his family as the police neutralized the threat.
God, I’m so good at this, 9-1-1 should hire me as a writer. (This is a joke, unless…)
At the end of the season, Bobby returns, all fine and dandy, and life goes on.
A Long, Long Dream Nightmare
It would be a long three-episode dream, but events in dreams can feel like they last long.
What if the 118 had responded to an emergency and were unaware of a toxic gas that caused them to suffer a mass reverie?
Everyone dreams that he has died because of how much they love and rely on Bobby.
Once they awaken, they are just thankful none of that craziness happened.
And just like that, Bobby’s back!
Did Anyone Summon a Ghost?
This one is also not totally out of the ordinary, given that some characters have interacted with a version of Bobby since he died.
Athena had conversations with him for a long time while Buck daydreamed about Bobby.
Bringing back Bobby as a ghost does not undo Bobby’s death, but it would ease viewers into the next chapter, where Bobby is not a huge presence.
The limitations are that it can’t be done severally or it’ll appear ridiculous.
Over to you, 9-1-1 Fanatics. Which of these scenarios would work best with the show’s tone?
What is your theory?
Chime in in the comments section.
You made it to the end — and that means a lot.
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