‘9-1-1’ Recap: Athena’s Emergency Landing & Major Surprise at the 118

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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 3 “Final Approach.”]

Is there anything that Athena (Angela Bassett) can’t do? We’re going to go with no. 9-1-1 ends its three-episode bee-nado event (the insects are nowhere to be seen anymore) with the sergeant landing a plane on the freeway.

With flight attendants and passengers who know CPR switching off with the pilot in cardiac arrest, Athena and her young co-pilot take control of the aircraft. Meanwhile, on the ground, Bobby (Peter Krause) is determined to reach his wife as he drives the stolen truck from the Hotshots set with Buck (Oliver Stark) and the actor who wants to be him, Brad (Callum Blue). (Fun part: Buck commenting on Brad’s British accent and how he never would have guessed, since Stark is British.) “She’s been trying to reach me all day. I need her to hear my voice, and I need to hear hers in case,” Bobby tells Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) as he sees if she can reach out to passengers.

Athena and Bobby finally connect as she learns that she can’t turn the aircraft to land at LAX or any airport close enough. What does she need from him, he asks. Does he have a runway in his back pocket? Well… He does have the 110. Yes, Bobby decides to shut down the 110 to give his wife a runway. Swooon.

Disney/Kevin Estrada

Buck borrows a motorcycle to stop traffic in the other direction—it takes a few moments for anyone to actually listen to him—and after the plane flies right over the 118 and other companies waiting at LAX, they’re all called to the freeway.

The flight instructor talks Athena through landing, the young boy sitting with her in the cockpit makes sure to switch on the seatbelt light, and pretty much everyone in the world of 9-1-1 is either on the plane, watching news about the plane, or speeding for the 110. Bobby stands on top of the truck waiting for Athena to land the plane. “I see you,” he tells her. “I see you, too. I love you,” she replies. “Tell me in person,” he says.

It’s, of course, a rough landing. (The kid also understandably freezes at first, before Athena snaps him out of it to help.) “Welcome to Los Angeles,” Bobby greets Athena as the plane stops right in front of him.

But they’re not out of danger yet. They have to quickly evacuate the passengers when a fire breaks out on board, and Athena stays back to continue doing CPR on the pilot. She sends Dennis (Glenn Plummer) to get Bobby, who then joins the 118—he slips right back into captain mode—in getting on the plane. They’re able to save Athena and the pilot.

But there’s still the matter of that black book of Fulton’s; the “AUSA” who pulled Athena over isn’t a real attorney and was no longer in the trunk where she left him. And he’s not the only one after Athena, Dennis, and the book the inmate knows the location of. Fortunately, Athena’s husband has a firetruck (albeit a TV one) in which they can hide while sending the AUSAs who assigned her to the escort on a wild goose chase.

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This is when Athena does make it to LAX—the library with all those involved in Fulton’s sex trafficking ring is in his car. But soon after Athena, Bobby, and Dennis find it (there are some high-profile names in it), one of the AUSAs shows up and holds them at gunpoint for it; he’s in the book. Dennis takes a bullet for Bobby but then stabs him in a very appropriate place considering his crimes with the shiv he made on the plane. Athena then cuffs the AUSA and calls it in. Bobby thanks Dennis for saving his life, and Dennis says he owed Athena one.

The episode ends with Athena visiting Dennis in his hospital room. She gives him credit for not running or disappearing after killing her fiancé, even if took as long as it did to bring him to justice. Nothing will ever undo what he did and bring Emmett back, but Athena gives him her blessing to take the deal offered to him. And with that, she joins Bobby outside in the hall to watch Dennis reunite with his family. “I’m good,” she says.

But wait, there’s more! Gerrard (Brian Thompson) remains in charge at the 118, and nothing seems to have changed as he talks to Hen (Aisha Hinds), Chimney (Kenneth Choi), and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) … until he gets to Buck and hugs him because he saved his life! “You feel these arms, son? This is me taking you under my wing.” (Uh-oh!) No one knows how to react. And honestly? Neither do we.

What did you think of this episode and the three-part event to open Season 8 as a whole? Let us know in the comments section below.

9-1-1, Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC