9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 9 finally provided a clear update on Henrietta "Hen" Wilson and confirmed whether she will be leaving the hit ABC series. 9-1-1's latest season opened with an ambitious space mission where Hen and Athena Grant are recruited to join a trip to the International Space Station. While they made it back to Earth safely, Hen was forever changed by the mission because she contracted an unexpected disease that made her well-being worse.
The first sign that Hen was unwell came during the midseason finale, when she passed out for hours without anyone else noticing. It became worse when Hen was sent on a search and rescue mission by 118's new captain, Chimney, only for her to collapse after the call. This sent Chimney over the edge because he was unaware that Hen had a mysterious disease, and she placed everyone's safety at risk by not telling him. As a result, Chimney fired Hen, but they made amends as friends after everyone learned Hen's true diagnosis that suggested a grim fate for the character.
Is Hen Leaving 9-1-1? Season 9's New Episode Seals Her Fate
9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 8 confirmed that Hen had dermatomyositis, a disease she developed after exposure to ultraviolet radiation while in space during the four-part Season 9 premiere. It is an autoimmune disease that causes her muscles to get tired more easily, and the sad fact here is that there is no cure (yet) for her condition. While Hen is still part of 9-1-1's core cast of characters, the catch is that she needs to take a break from Firehouse 118 until she fully recovers.
Despite not being on the field, 9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 9 still featured Hen during her recovery, with members of the 118 taking turns to cheer her up and assist her with whatever she needed.
The final moments of the episode showed Hen reading a letter she had written to herself in the past, inspiring her not to lose hope or feel sorry about her condition.
Season 9's latest episode ended with Hen in her new normal, walking with a walker rather than a wheelchair as she attended Harry Grant's graduation from the Firefighting Academy.
While it may take some time for her to return to active duty, it is not certain because Hen has a lifelong condition. It’s possible that future episodes of 9-1-1 will still feature Hen’s recovery outside of the firehouse, and there is no indication that she is leaving (yet).
9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 9's Major Reveal Could Foreshadow Hen's Fate
While things are slightly looking up for Hen at the end of 9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 9, the reality is that her road to recovery may be longer than expected, meaning that her position in Firehouse 118 is in a precarious state.
What makes it even more intriguing is the fact that Episode 9's ending confirmed that Harry Grant, Athena's son, is now an official member of Firehouse 118. Although Hen still clearly has a position in the 118, fans seem to think that Harry's hiring is a foreshadowing of Hen's fate in the series because 9-1-1 appears to have found her replacement already.
It remains to be seen if 9-1-1 is gearing up to say goodbye to another longtime member of the cast, especially after Season 8 saw the departure of Captain Bobby Nash. While Hen is still not in active duty, the next episode's synopsis provides a preview of how the character will fit in the rest of Season 9.
ABC officially released the synopsis for 9-1-1 Season 9, Episode 10, "Handle with Care," confirming that part of the story will see Eddie and Hen being called into court over a possible malpractice case in the past:
"Harry’s first day as a probie proves to be more challenging than Chimney expects. Meanwhile, Eddie and Hen are called into court over a former patient that brings back some old demons."
While the other core characters of 9-1-1 are seen on active duty or in the field, it seems there will be a rotation of characters who are with Hen during her recovery while she deals with separate stories.
