Angela Bassett's Athena Grant's life hangs in the balance after the devastating cliffhanger in 9-1-1 Season 9's penultimate episode, and the promo for the season finale finally confirms her immediate fate. The latest episode of ABC's hit first responder series saw Athena helping Firehouse 118 investigate a human-trafficking ring tied to migrants held up inside a hidden room in a burnt-down apartment building.
Athena deduced that Nikolay Caster, a powerful figure linked to the Russian mob, was the primary suspect behind the operation. Despite that, Athena remained suspicious of Detective Hooks, who may be involved in the whole illegal fiasco. To prove he was clean, Hooks invited Athena to a SWAT raid on Nikolay's safe house.
During the raid, Hooks shot an unarmed Nikolay, insisting he saw a gun on him, but Athena proved otherwise. Athena was able to retrieve a phone that confirmed Hooks was a corrupt cop tied to the Russian mob, but he shot her when she was about to confront him before the episode cut to black.
Is Angela Bassett's Athena Grant Leaving 9-1-1?
Following the cliffhanger that left Athena's fate uncertain, ABC officially released a brand-new promo for the 9-1-1 Season 9 finale, confirming that Angela Bassett's Athena Grant is still alive, but there's a catch because her life hangs in the balance after being shot by Detective Hooks following a raid at a Russian mob safe house.
The 30-second trailer revealed a critically injured Athena Grant being rushed to the hospital by Eddie and Hen, with the pair desperately treating her. She was unconscious, bleeding heavily, and on the verge of going into cardiac arrest.
Athena's son, Harry, was seen visibly in agony, being held back by Buck while she was wheeled into the hospital.
The chaos didn't stop there because the trailer also confirmed that the entire facility goes into lockdown because of an active shooter inside.
Firefighter Eddie Diaz (who almost exited 9-1-1 in Season 8) was shown badly injured, bleeding from an apparent gunshot. Eddie joins Athena as one of the two major 9-1-1 cast members whose lives are in danger in the Season 9 finale.
The final sequence of the trailer showed Athena in the operating room being treated by the doctors while the active shooter is on the loose in the hospital. The footage implied that Athena may be flatlining, meaning that she is not out of the woods just yet.
For some reason, Detective Hooks is nowhere to be found in the 9-1-1 Season 9 finale trailer, hinting that he may have escaped after shooting Athena and almost killing her.
Watch the official promo for 9-1-1's Season 9 finale below:
The finale of 9-1-1 Season 9 is set to premiere on ABC next Thursday, May 7, at 8 p.m. ET.
Why Killing Off Athena Is a Big Mistake for 9-1-1
Killing off Athena Grant would be a major misstep for 9-1-1, especially coming off Bobby Nash's devastating death in the previous season. By permanently removing one of its strongest, most iconic characters, it risks destabilizing what 9-1-1 made great in the first place.
Athena has been a cornerstone of 9-1-1 since its debut, driving most of the major storylines and even some of the show's other crossovers with the likes of Doctor Odyssey.
Losing her so soon after Bobby would completely derail the show's momentum because it would strip away a key emotional anchor. Another major death following Bobby would devastate fans, leading some to abandon the show entirely.
Angela Bassett's mere presence elevates 9-1-1. Aside from her memorable performance, she already has strong chemistry with the rest of the cast, and she clearly has passion for the show (which could further indicate that she doesn't want to leave anytime soon).
With ABC already renewing 9-1-1 for Season 10, this development all but confirms that Bassett's Athena Grant will not be exiting the show. Athena's revenge tour against Detective Hooks serves as a solid entry point for next season, leading to compelling storylines that would make 9-1-1 stand out in ABC's lineup.
