ABC made a bold move in one recent episode of the police drama 9-1-1. After 8 seasons of leading the fire rescue team, Captain Bobby Nash was killed as a result of a deadly virus. In response, distraught fans have taken to social media, sharing their dismay and questioning why the series would kill off such an important character. This move was a total shocker. However, after some reflection, Bobby’s d3ath was a critical move that served the series and saved Bobby’s character.

In Season 8, Episode 15, 9-1-1 viewers were shocked as Captain Bobby Nash (played by Peter Krause) was revealed to be infected by a deadly virus. In the episode titled “Lab Rats,” the crew responded to a lab explosion where Chimney was infected by a deadly virus. With only one vial of vaccine left, Bobby kept hidden his own exposure and infection so that his teammate would live. Though a noble sacrifice, this revelation gutted his teammates and long-time viewers of the series. But while his d3ath is hard, it is actually a tribute to his character.

Bobby’s End on His Way to Redemption

Bobby first started at the LAFD as a battered man, heartbroken after the loss of his wife and children due to a fire. Having inadvertently started the fire amid drug and alcohol addiction, Bobby went to Station 118 in search of redemption. Over the past eight seasons, his appearance has solidified Bobby as a tough and wise leader, dedicated to his wife and his new family at the 118. Strong but vulnerable, fair but flawed, Bobby was so far off from the man he used to be as he searched for absolution from the pain that he caused.

While it would have been an incredible Cinderella story for Bobby to remain happy, the shocker of Bobby’s d3ath may actually be his character finding the redemption he sought. The fire that claimed Bobby’s family, the one he accidentally caused, claimed a total of 148 people. Throughout Bobby’s tenure at the LAFD, he worked to save many more. Between the fires, pirates, blood drives, and the beenados, it’s feasible to believe he met this number quite handily. And although life isn’t a one-to-one trade, it may well be in the series.

The Heartbreaking Choice in ‘9-1-1’

9-1-1 has shown Bobby’s hero’s journey in a way to balance the tides. His backstory of addiction, trauma, and guilt was shifted to overcoming his losses through his work for the LAFD. To that end, Bobby saved numerous lives through his eight seasons to balance out the innocent lives lost in the fire. Additionally, in the seventh season episode titled “Ashes, Ashes,” Bobby saves his wife, Athena (Angela Bassett), from a fire in their home and later falls into a prolonged coma due to negative aftereffects.

For his final act, Bobby saves Chimney’s life at the cost of his own. This could well be his final cost of atonement for the d3ath of his children years earlier. Although Chimney and the rest of the crew are not children, Bobby is an authority figure who mirrors this dynamic. The 118 has become Bobby’s family. In sacrificing himself for his team, Bobby completes the final task of his atonement.

“It was very surprising, we just didn’t see this coming,” 9-1-1 star Bassett told Variety regarding the d3ath of her onscreen husband. This feeling was echoed and multiplied by a confused audience who saw the Grant-Nash romance established since Season 2 come to such a tragic end. In a statement released after the episode, Peter Krause said of his character’s final noble act, “Bobby Nash was written for sacrifice, and he was built for this.”

It seems these words may be true. Bobby’s previous loss of his family influenced his commitment to his work and his team, making him the person who would make this sacrifice. While this is devastating for fans, Bobby Nash received a true hero’s arc. In a move that also brings a hefty dose of reality to the dangers faced by emergency personnel, Bobby’s heartbreaking d3ath was needed for his character. It could be the defining moment of the series. 9-1-1 airs on Thursdays on ABC and is streaming on Hulu.