9-1-1: Why is Buck such a daredevil?

We’ve always seen Buck as a daredevil, willing to take risks to save lives. 9-1-1 Season 4, Episode 5 gives us his origin story to explain why.

We learned a couple of episodes ago that there was a big Buckley family secret that Buck had no idea about. Over the course of the two episodes, the secret is out.

Buck had an older brother, Daniel, but that older brother died young. In fact, Buck was born as a savior baby, purposely had to be a donor for his brother. It’s hard to live with that, but even harder to live with the fact that his parents never really wanted him. He was born as “spare parts,” as Buck put it in the episode.

“Buck Begins” wasn’t just about how Buck got his start as a firefighter, although it did explain it. Instead, it was about why Buck is such a daredevil.

Buck’s parents only cared when he got hurt on 9-1-1

Something Buck realized as a young boy was that he could get his parents’ attention when he got injured. It all started with an injury falling off his brother’s bike, which started an argument between his parents for his dad keeping the bike in the first place.

As Buck realized this, he continued to do things that could lead to him getting injured. He skateboarded, climbed trees, and more.

So, why caused him to leave his parents? It all came to a head when he got kicked out of community college (and not the first school he got kicked out of) and crashed his motorbike. Maddie gave him the keys to her Jeep and told him to get away.

How Buck became a firefighter

Buck ended up driving around the country, taking odd jobs along the way. I do have to laugh at the comment about him working his way through the Village People in his photos.

He kept Maddie up to date with everything. While they did originally agree to leave together, Maddie couldn’t leave Doug. However, Buck got over his anger for her (showing that it is possible) and sent postcards from his various stops.

At one point he even joined the Navy SEALs, but that didn’t last. It was while in Peru that he got the firefighter bug while watching a movie. A group of guys were heading up to California and Buck joined them.

Oh, it was while in training that he got the name Buck because there were so many Evans.

Did Buck get out of the fire alive on 9-1-1 Season 4, Episode 5

Something the promo for the episode told us was that Buck would need to fight to stay alive in a five-alarm fire. He ended up going back to save a life, and for the most part, it looked like he was going to be fine.

Sure, he was trapped, but there were options. And he managed to get through to the radio to get help.

However, the man he was saving got caught under some of the equipment and Buck couldn’t get him out alone. As Buck looked for options while he waited for help, it looked like the victim was going to die. Fortunately, Eddie, Hen, and Chimney all turned up just in the nick of time.

Not only did Buck get out alive, but so did the victim. Of course, the 118 wasn’t surprised or angry that Buck went off alone and got lost. Everyone knows what he’s like. He will always put others before himself, and Athena makes it clear that he shouldn’t stop being Buck.

What did you think of 9-1-1 Season 4, Episode 5? Were you surprised by any of Buck’s story? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

9-1-1 airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX. Catch up the following day on Hulu.