9-1-1's most recent episode "Lab Rats," left audiences shocked when it was revealed in the final moments of the 2-part contagion story that Bobby Nash knew he had also been inhaling the virus while the team raced to save Chimney. The loss is tragic for the 118, but even more so for Athena, who stood with him in his final moments. The scene was shot and scored with so much emotion behind it, and now we're wondering if the haunting message in the song could be a clue for how we'll see Athena mourn the loss in the series.
Any music used in a television series or film is carefully selected and scored to support the story on screen and build even more layers to what's happening in the action. And with Hozier's "Work Song," which is the track playing in the scene, it's possible that the creative team behind 9-1-1 felt the lyrics could speak more to fans about Bobby and Athena's relationship.
Fans across the internet were buzzing about the song choice, pointing out how perfect of a choice it was for this tragic moment in the show. But could there be some deeper clues here about how we might see Bobby Nash's character play a role in the series after his death?
The chorus of the song says "When my time comes around / Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth / No grave can hold my body down / I'll crawl home to her". This absolutely implies that Bobby's spirit plans to continue to be alongside Athena, but what we don't know is whether we'll actually hear or see this spirit on screen. To listen to the lyrics again, watch the Hozier music video for "Work Song" below:
Could we see Bobby Nash on 9-1-1 in the future?
It's entirely possible! Flashbacks have been utilized in many past episodes of 9-1-1, and it's very plausible that Peter Krause could return as Bobby Nash in upcoming episodes and seasons in flashback scenes. But taking a cue from the lyrics of "Work Song," it's also possible that the voice and/or spirit of Bobby Nash will continue to be part of Athena's story moving forward.
It was also recently confirmed by 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear that Peter Krause did not make the decision to leave the series. In an interview with Variety, Minear said the decision to write Bobby Nash's death "was entirely creative." Knowing that Krause didn't ask to leave the series also supports the idea that he could be willing to work on 9-1-1 again.
9-1-1 airs Thursdays at 8pm on ABC with episodes being available to stream the next day on Hulu. The series is on a short break at the end of April 2025, with the next episode, "The Last Alarm," airing on May 1.