Let’s face it—we all love Eddie Diaz. He’s the brooding heartthrob, the loyal friend, and the resilient firefighter we can’t get enough of in 9-1-1. So when word broke that Eddie was returning to LA, fans exploded with excitement. It felt like a homecoming. But here’s the twist: his return might actually be the wrong move—at least for him. Let’s unpack why Eddie’s return is emotionally satisfying for viewers but potentially damaging for his character arc.
Eddies return to Los Angeles in 9-1-1 is great, but it isn’t what the character needs. All through season 8, we saw Eddie (Ryan Guzman) struggling to adjust to a life without his son living under the same roof. After not being able to take it anymore, Eddie finally made the hard decision to leave Los Angeles and move closer to Christopher (Gavin McHugh). Although this separated Eddie from the rest of 9-1-1 season 8 cast, he did so in order to maintain a relationship with his son, which was the right call, considering the circumstances.
In the 9-1-1 season 8 finale, before he and Christopher left for Texas, Eddie lent a hand to his old team during a building collapse. This made it feel like the team was back together again after the death of Bobby. After feeling this sense of belonging, Eddie decided to stay in LA. As much as I wanted this all season, I can’t help but feel like Eddie did not learn his lesson. Once again, there was no communication with his son, which would put him right back to where he was at the beginning of the season.
Eddie Wanted To Be A Better Father, But Left Chris Out Of The Conversation It took Eddie awhile to figure out that the distance between him and his son was not helping like it initially was supposed to. This was why he made the hard decision to leave the 118, and Buck, behind. He needed to pursue the relationship before it was lost forever. As noble as this was, Eddie didn’t ask Christopher if that was what he wanted. Chris spent the majority of the season ignoring his father when he called or kept the conversation short. Christopher needed time and space to heal, and he wasn’t given that.
If Eddie doesn’t start talking to Christopher and including him, nothing is going to change between them. In order to cheer up Buck, Eddie flew Christopher to visit. This visit resulted in the two of them staying in Los Angeles. This was another instance where we didn’t see Christopher being consulted. Eddie did this to make himself and Buck feel like things were back to normal. Although he did not seem happy in Texas either, it is still something that needed to be discussed first. Eddie felt like he belonged at the 118, so that is where they ended up. If Eddie doesn’t start talking to Christopher about these things, nothing is going to change between them.
Eddie Diaz’s return to LA gave us chills, cheers, and all the feels. But underneath the surface, it’s not a clear win. For viewers, it’s emotional payoff. For Eddie, it could be emotional sabotage. Sometimes, what we want most as fans isn’t what’s healthiest for the characters we love.
