RECAP: ‘9-1-1’ Season 9 Episode 4 — “Reentry”

“Reentry,” or, returning to something or to oneself. An apt title for 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4, which sees the space squad work together to return to Earth, and Athena (Angela Bassett) work through her grief over losing Bobby. She’s been absent of late, from her kids, her life, her friends. Solely focused on the work as a way to float through life after Bobby. But as the episode title suggests, a return is imminent and necessary. 

9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 uses two main narrative techniques very effectively. As the space squad and the surviving captain of the International Space Station work out how to fix their escape pod, Athena flashes back to her time as a patrol officer, some eight years after the death of her fiancé, Emmett. It’s an interesting place to go to so shortly after losing Bobby, but the decision for this particular flashback makes sense later on. 

As Athena suits up to complete a space walk, a jaded young Athena (Pepi Sonuga) rejects the advances a man in a diner while her partner, Officer Brogan McCluskey urges her to try dating again. McCluskey himself has two ex-wives, so he knows a thing or two about moving on. But Athena is eight years deep into losing Emmett, still wearing her engagement ring around her neck, even though it’s against regulation.

9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 is a big one for Angela Bassett’s Athena.

These flashbacks occur throughout 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4, interspliced with Athena’s space walk, as well as narrative device number two — the talking head narration. During 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 2, a documentary crew profiled the “everyday heroes” whom Tripp Houser was sending into space. Everyone else gave answers ranging from shallow to sentimental.

Athena’s was mostly quips about her incredulity about going to space. But in 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4, we get to see her full talking head interview. In it, she talks about what the term heroes means. To her, when she puts on her uniform, she’s just doing her job. The real heroes are the ones who don’t make it back.

That particular narration comes right when McCluskey gets shot in a bank robbery shootout. But it’s also about Emmett, who was killed. It’s about Bobby, who sacrificed himself to save his team. After dragging him to the back of an armored truck, Athena of the past tries to keep McCluskey alive. But in his final moments, he tells her that she needs to move on and live her life. 

Angela Bassett has the range to showcase both grief and joy effortlessly. 

In a neat converging of the two narrative devices, young Athena appears opposite present-day Athena, in the all white interview setup of the talking head. Present-day Athena’s narration becomes a conversation with her past self, the one still lost in her grief over Emmett’s death.

As young Athena struggles with moving on and accepting Emmett’s passing, present-day Athena, older and wiser, out amongst the stars, tells her younger self that the darkness is worth the light.  That there will be joy, even though the night sky is pitch black, the stars light the way. 

Out in space, Athena’s air pack gets damaged. She’s close to giving up, but not before she reattaches the escape pod. But then she floats, gasping for air. By killing Bobby off, 9-1-1 reintroduced stakes to the show. And watching Athena float in space, her words to Hen (Aisha Hinds) about how there’s nothing left on Earth for her, but there is in Heaven, echoing throughout, really elevated the tension of these moments.

Talking head Athena reminds young Athena that all she has to do is reach out for help. It’s something present-day Athena hasn’t been doing, and floating-in-space Athena actually needs to do in order to physically survive space. Hen’s able to remotely offer Athena something to grab onto, and in a triumphant moment, Athena latches on, taking her own advice to her younger self. 

“Reentry” is a triumphant look back at life for Athena. 

There’s something incredibly beautiful about a post-Emmett Athena and a post-Bobby Athena coming face-to-face to offer both Athena is a reminder that there is something to live for. There is life after death. Athena’s lost two partners to death, and 9-1-1 couldn’t have done it better than allowing both the death of Emmett and the death of Bobby to converge in how Athena eventually reenters the world in 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4. 

There’s one other person Athena lost, though not in the traditional sense. 9-1-1 begins with the breakdown of Athena and Michael’s marriage. Michael comes out as gay, and though it takes them a while, they learn how to rebuild and reshape their family.

In the hospital, young Athena contemplates McCluskey’s final words of advice while holding Emmett’s ring. Shortly after, she takes that advice by giving the man at the diner a chance. The man introduces himself as Michael Grant, sending Athena off on another new beginning. 

9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 is everything to love about the series: a big event, but grounded storytelling.

This was Athena’s story through and through, but the conclusion to this four-part opening emergency was also narratively satisfying for everyone else. Hen reunites with her family in a heartwarming moment, while the 118 cheers a successful space pod landing. And in the episode’s final moments, Harry (Elijah M. Cooper) tells Athena and May (Corinne Massiah) that he applied to the fire academy. 

9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 is a beautiful rumination on grief and how to find oneself again after experiencing such a loss. Space, despite the jump-the-shark vibe of it, offered an incredible vehicle for Athena to contemplate her place in the world after losing so much. The narrative structure of the episode paced itself so seamlessly, and brought all the threads together in an awe-inspiring emotional climax. 

Who knew that outer space could produce some of the most grounded storytelling 9-1-1 has ever done? “Reentry” isn’t just about landing back on Earth, but returning to life. Otherwise, you might as well be space debris. 

9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 is streaming now on Disney+ and Hulu, with new episodes every Thursday on ABC and available on Disney+ and Hulu the next day.

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