After a wild 17 episodes of major life changes and insane emergencies, the season 3 9-1-1: Lone Star finale is finally here. Let’s jump right in to the major events of the season finale.
An Explosion Rocks Downtown Austin
Poor Judd just can’t catch a break. Only weeks after breaking his leg in that horrible horseback accident, he ends up inside the collapsed Tele-lively building. An unknown gas leak in the basement of the building where Wyatt had his interview explodes just as Judd is inside asking the CEO for another chance. Luckily, Judd isn’t trapped under debris but he does rebrake his leg (ouch!).
This moment is one of Grace’s worst fears brought to life yet again. Wyatt is the one to make the 9-1-1 call and she quickly takes the call over to find out Judd is inside. A civilian in the collapse has one of the best one-liners when Grace calls Judd, “9-1-1 called him? I’m sticking with that dude.” As would we.
Of course the 126 and several other firehouses respond to the emergency to discover within moments that Judd is one of the injured inside. Hilariously, the CEO promises Wyatt the job and a promotion if they all make it out alive as he and a colleague help Judd limp his way to the rooftop garden two floors down.
Marjan and Paul are ready and waiting for them once they reach the roof and Judd is (thankfully) lowered safely to the ground as are the three civilians.
Owen’s Cancer Scare
In a flashback to season 1, Owen’s check up with his oncologist reveals a new mass in his lungs and the biopsy will tell them more. He doesn’t immediately tell T.K. the news when he arrives at the firehouse, but he does share it with Tommy.
While at the collapsed building (thanks to Wyatt) Owen and Mateo check the lower levels for the utility employee and building maintenance man. The shocking news of his cancer returning makes Owen more than a little reckless. He chooses to continue his search for the second man alone deeper in the rubble and finds himself inside a gas pocket with a lit flame. A second explosion erupts with Owen at the very center of it. With Judd free, Owen is now the 126 member trapped inside this building (here’s hoping none of them ever return to this building after this.)
Fully unconscious, Owen hallucinates about being trapped under the South Tower during the 9/11 attack. He has a whole conversation with the officer he was trapped under the South Tower with. He asks Owen why he keeps living in the past, in that moment of his life. He finally comes to surrounded by the 126 pulling him from this new wreckage.
Tarlos Get Engaged
T.K. is suspicious of Carlos updating his will at their apartment which leads to an interesting conversation with the crew pointing out if anyone should have a will it’s Tyler “A Kid Nearly Killed Me” Kennedy Strand. After witnessing a building collapse on his father and the new spot on his lungs, T.K. makes a huge decision.
He wakes Carlos in the middle of the night, at 3:18 AM to be exact, to say he’s ready to make a will. He’ll leave everything to his husband. Carlos is understandably struggling a bit but T.K. launches into a beautiful speech.
“It’s not trauma, it’s love. The kind that you can’t get away from, and baby my life has been scarred with loss and at times it’s felt inescapable but that’s the risk of love, right? For the first time in my life, the love that I feel is infinitely more powerful than the fear of losing it. Every moment that we’re not married is a wasted moment, and baby we only get so many.”
Carlos interrupts to accept, “A thousand times yes”, both with tears streaming down their faces. Tarlos fans everywhere can rejoice because our boys are getting married!
They invite the crew over for a get together and even though they planned a speech, the crew susses out what’s happening before they can say more than two words. It’s well wishes all around.
Season Finale Changes
It’s not a season finale without several changes to set everyone on their new season 4 paths.
Grace and Judd wish Wyatt congratulations as he graduates from high school and prepares to head off to college in the fall. The 126 (minus Tommy, Judd, and Owen) celebrate Carlos and T.K.’s engagement. Owen and Tommy sit down for celebratory lunch, Owen has a fungal infection in his lung not cancer after all! Once he’s back in his office, Owen chooses to box up his 9/11 metal display. He’s ready to move forward. Finally, Tommy and her girls laugh as they get temporary tattoos together.
Despite the stress of the episode, 9-1-1: Lone Star continues the 9-1-1 legacy of high stress seasons with a relatively lighthearted and happy season finale ending. It was also announced that the 126 will return for a season 4 of calls, chaos, and camaraderie this fall. Check out the announcement here as well as all our coverage of the show as we enter a new hiatus.
