Chicago Med’s 200th episode ended with a bang, literally. As the episode drew to a close, gunshots rang through the halls of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center injuring an unknown number of individuals. Among those injured in the shooting was Natalie Manning's son, Owen, news we found out via a call from Goodwin to inform Natalie of the news.
Aside from knowing that Owen was shot, Chicago Med kept us in the dark regarding the exact circumstances of the shooting and the extent of Owen’s injury. What we did know was that the moment set up the return of Natalie to Chicago, we just wish it didn’t take her son being shot to bring her back to the Windy City.
The episode opens with Goodwin checking on Halstead as he recalls the moments that led to the shooting. The injury turns out to be just as bad as we feared as Archer informs Halstead that they had to resect parts of Owen’s bowel and that the bullet also injured his kidneys. Archer assures Halstead he’s doing everything he can for Owen as Goodwin inquires about Natalie, who we learn is on a red eye out to Chicago.
As Halstead waits for Natalie to arrive, Asher comes in to check on him and it’s clear he’s blaming himself for what happened to Owen. Asher tries to assure him that this is not his fault, but Halstead notes that he’ll never forgive himself if Owen doesn’t pull through. Just then, Natalie arrives and learns there’s no new update as they go to the OR and watch Archer continue to work on Owen from the OR gallery.
Natalie arrives and is surprised to find Charles waiting for her at the airport to pick her up. He informs her that Owen is still in surgery and assures her they’ll get through this.
While waiting for an update, Natalie and Goodwin catch up a bit as Natalie begins to reflect on her pregnancy with Owen. She was about as far along in the pregnancy as she is with her current pregnancy when she found out that Owen’s dad, Jeffrey, had been killed in action. Now Owen has been injured and she’s understandably feeling cursed.
Their conversation is cut short as Archer and Halstead enter the room and inform her that Owen’s kidney injury was too severe to save the organ. He’s going to need a kidney transplant and will need to be placed on dialysis until a new kidney is found. Halstead is going to get tested and Natalie calls a cousin of Jeff’s in the city to get tested as well.
Jeff’s cousin is unable to help, Halstead is not a match, and there is no suitable donor at the moment. If no donor is found right away, they’d have to wait four months before a transplant could occur and Owen would have to be on dialysis during that time. Natalie is set on making sure Owen gets his transplant right away and tells Archer and Halstead she’s going to get tested, with all plans on donating if she is a match.
Natalie donates a kidney to save Owen’s life, but at the risk of her and her baby’s life
With her mind set on donating a kidney, Halstead has Asher perform a routine check on Natalie which proves that she and the baby are both in good health. Halstead continues to express concern over Natalie donating a kidney in her condition, which prompts Natalie to lash out. After accusing Hannah of siding with Halstead as the “woman he used to sleep with,” she tells Halstead that none of this would have even happened if he had just taken Owen to the game.
Things get even more heated when Natalie accuses Halstead of prioritizing the life of his own over Owen’s life. As she storms out, she tells him to let Archer know she’s proceeding with the surgery.
Prepped for the transplant, Asher goes to see Natalie and let her know that Archer has requested her assistance during the procedure. Natalie tells her it’s best if another OB scrubs in, but as Asher goes to leave, she asks her former colleague if she’s making the right decision. Natalie opens up to Asher about not being able to sit by and watch Owen suffer, something Asher will soon understand when she becomes a mother.
Natalie knows Halstead wants the baby and that she’s jeopardizing it with the transplant, and she’s terrified about whether she’s doing the right thing. She doesn’t want to lose the baby, but has to try to save Owen.
As Natalie is getting prepped for surgery, Goodwin brings Owen’s bag to him. He asks her if she thinks Natalie is correct in that he’s prioritizing the baby over Owen, and Goodwin quickly shuts that theory down. Halstead is worried that Owen hates him and Goodwin assures him that is not the case. She shares the journal entry he wrote about Halstead in which he expresses fears in losing him as his dad when the baby arrives. The entry makes Halstead emotional as it’s the first time Owen has called him dad.
Natalie goes into surgery and while things get rough for a minute, the surgery goes well. Owen is recovering nicely and the baby has pulled through, with Owen and Natalie both expected to make a full recovery.
After reading Owen’s entry, Halstead is inspired to take a next step to officially become Owen’s dad. Visiting Owen in his recovery room, Halstead lets him know he read his journal entry and wrote something back to him. Halstead asks Owen if he’d be okay with him officially adopting him, to which Owen sweetly checks the yes box and the pair embrace.