The midseason finale of 9-1-1 suggests Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) is moving to Texas. The bombshell drops towards the end of the episode when Buck (Oliver Stark) walks in on Eddie shopping – house shopping. With the show now on hiatus until March, the future looks uncertain for Firefighter Diaz, but it’s hard to say if the show would be willing to part ways with one of its biggest characters.
Eddie’s season 8 journey has been tumultuous since the 9-1-1 season 7 finale marked the exit of his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh). Eddie was lost, emotional, and suddenly mustached when the eighth season premiered in September. Throughout the first half of the season, background characters help him come to terms with himself and his situation, leading him to shave his mustache, recreate the Risky Business dance in 9-1-1, and now contemplate a drastic change: moving to Texas.
Eddie’s Relocation Decision In 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 8 Explained
Eddie Makes A Hard Choice For The Sake Of His Son
9-1-1 season 8, episode 8, “Wannabes,” lays the groundwork for Eddie’s potential departure early on. After facetiming his son to tell him his favorite actor is “hanging out” with the 118, Eddie learns that Chris plays chess. Correction: Chris is in a chess club. Correction: Chris is in a chess tournament on Saturday. The onslaught of unfamiliarity hits Eddie like a brick, and the rest of the episode is spent slowly sending the character signals that something needs to change. The audience only learns what that change is when Eddie tells Buck he’s thinking about moving states.
Eddie’s family resides in El Paso, Texas, nearly 600 miles away from Austin, the setting of 9-1-1: Lone Star.
The reveal may be shocking, but it doesn’t come out of the blue. Of all people, the annoying-actor-turned-good-guy Brad Torrance (Callum Blue) seems to place the straw that breaks the camel’s back. He and Eddie have a heart-to-heart about fatherhood, with Eddie admitting he feels like the distance between him and Christoper is only growing. When Brad tells Eddie to “not let [the distance] grow another inch,” he inspires an epiphany in Eddie: to reconnect with Chris, he has to make the effort. The next time the audience sees Eddie, he’s browsing for real estate in El Paso.
What Has Been Said About Guzman & Eddie’s Future In 9-1-1
At The End Of The Day, Eddie’s A Father First
The immediate response to 9-1-1‘s fall finale cliffhanger has been a mix of fear and incredulity. Some believe it’s a false alarm, while others are afraid their favorite Texan may be gone for good. In an interview with TV Line, Tim Minear says Eddie is “dead serious about [moving], at least right now.” The final phrase leaves the door open for Eddie’s character to be persuaded out of taking the leap, but that’s only a possibility. Minear makes it clear: Eddie’s trying to do what’s in “his kid’s best interest.”
Everything Minear has said maintains an ambiguity for the future. It’s not necessarily what Eddie will be doing, it’s what he’s thinking of doing. Eddie is serious about moving – for now.
When speaking with Screen Rant, Tim Minear doubled down on this storyline’s authenticity. He says of the cliffhanger, “We’re not throwing chum into the water to attract controversy. That’s really what this character is thinking of doing, and he means it.” Still, everything Minear has said maintains an ambiguity for the future. It’s not necessarily what Eddie will be doing, it’s what he’s thinking of doing. Eddie is serious about moving – for now. All the uncertainty points to a major conflict once the show returns, with the second half of season 8 potentially focusing on Eddie at those crossroads.
Can 9-1-1 Season 8 Really Write Out Eddie?
Eddie’s Choice Will Impact More Than Himself
Since his first appearance in the season 2 premiere, “Under Pressure,” Ryan Guzman’s Eddie and Oliver Stark’s Buck have been connected. Every major moment either character has eventually involves the other, like Eddie adding Buck to his will after the former is shot or Buck spending the entire tsunami arc worrying about Christopher. For years, viewers have speculated that their bond may be more than platonic. If the show is opting to take a romantic route for Buck and Eddie, this move will be a pivotal moment for them.
It’s clear just from Buck’s reaction to Eddie’s potential 9-1-1 season 8 departure that relocating to the Lone Star state will not be smooth sailing for the pair called “Buddie.” Though he immediately shoots Eddie a smile and offers to help him find a house in Texas, Buck’s face crumples into a wounded look as soon as Eddie turns his back. It’s hard to believe that Eddie could disappear from the narrative entirely without leaving severe wounds and unresolved plot lines in his wake.
