The ninth episode of 911 saw Maddie fighting for her life and the entire team rallying to help find her, but the episode also brought about a major departure for the 118 team.
After teasing his looming exit in the previous episode, episode 9, saw Eddie officially packing up his things and leaving Los Angeles behind as he heads out to move to Texas. Before breaking down Eddie’s exit, let’s quickly set the stage.
Upon learning Maddie was missing, Eddie joined his fellow 118 members in rallying behind Chimney in his search for Maddie. Eddie and Buck team up to drive around town looking for her and Buck confesses to Eddie that he’s worried this is far worse than the last time Maddie went missing. As he spirals, Buck comments about how everything is falling apart and now Eddie is leaving. Not only is he leaving, but he’s leaving like “it’s nothing,” Buck comments to which Eddie reminds him it’s not for nothing and things get tense as they pull over to get gas but Eddie brushes it off realizing that Buck is reeling and they’re both running on little sleep.
Once Maddie is found and makes it safely to the hospital for treatment, the episode ends with Buck helping Eddie pack up and leave for Texas. Yes, Eddie is really leaving for Texas but don’t worry too much.
Eddie is not leaving 911 for good
While Eddie does leave town in the ninth episode of season 8 and won’t be part of the LA-based storylines ahead, we are going to get to see Eddie appear in the upcoming episodes as the show explores his life in Texas and his efforts to repair his relationship with Christopher.
It has been confirmed that Eddie will be sticking around and we’re going to see him in the upcoming episodes, rather than simply hearing about him via updates from the 118. We don’t quite know how much of Eddie’s time in Texas we’re going to get to see, but we imagine he’ll still have a strong presence in the episodes ahead.
What will be interesting is to see how long Eddie remains in Texas but given that Christopher moved to Texas in the season 7 finale, there is a chance this is a storyline ABC could choose to wrap up before season 8 is over or possibly carry over into the next season. After all, we have to wonder if this storyline is going to not only allow Eddie to repair his relationship with Christopher but also pave the way for Buddie to officially become a reality.
Eddie’s exit ended with a very Buddie coded scene
From the moment Buck found out Eddie was leaving, we’ve seen him struggling to accept life without Eddie in it. Sure, we know the pair have a strong friendship, but the build-up to Eddie’s move to Texas has left many wondering if there are more than just feelings of friendship between the pair.
Buck has taken this move really personally and it feels as though part of this is because he’s not only losing a friend, but because Eddie is his person. Fans have long picked up there being more between Buck and Eddie than meets the eye and Buck coming into his own as a bisexual man has been a main storyline this season.
Of course, the non-Buddie shippers have argued that while Buck is bisexual, Eddie identifies as straight, but we can’t shake the feeling that the writers could be using his move to Texas as a way to have Eddie question his own feelings. After all, could absence make the heart grow fonder and be a catalyst for Eddie realizing that perhaps Buck is more than just a friend just as Buck makes this same realization?
In the closing moments of episode 9, Buck helps Eddie pack up and Eddie reminds Buck that Buck does matter to him and he’s always going to be there for him. He reminds Buck that he’ll always be just a Facetime call away and honestly, there was a tension between the two that left many thinking the moment was going to end in a kiss before it ultimately ended in Buck giving Eddie some protein cookies he baked him for the car ride and Eddie driving off leaving a clearly heartbroken Buck literally behind in his rearview mirror.
Could this long-distance change be what it takes for both Buck and Eddie to realize they care more about one another in a romantic way? Friends to lovers is a TV troupe fans are definitely hoping might be in play here and we definitely are eager to see if Eddie’s move to Texas will result in an evolution of his relationship with Buck.