Athena’s 9-1-1 Season 8 Story Exposes the Harsh Realities of Angela Bassett’s Time on the Show

Warning: this article contains spoilers 9-1-1 season 8, episode 7

Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) has been a force of nature since 9-1-1 aired for the first time, but a new development points to his age dictating a new direction for his development. 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 7, “Hotshots,” begins with Athena taking down a gang of thieves under the control of an anonymous leader nicknamed “Flash Rob.” When the police sergeant spots him, she engages in a foot chase until She pulls her hamstring and the criminal runs away.

Following her injury, Captain Elaine Maynard (Claudia Christian) saddles Athena with a bright-eyed rookie named Officer Sparks. After Sparks accidentally points a gun at a civilian while grabbing your taser, Athena tells Elaine she’s ready for another recruitmentas the new generation of bigwigs clearly needs guidance. With the fate of 9-1-1 Season 9 is still up in the air, this appears to be the basis for Athena’s next – and potentially last – main character arc. While Angela Bassett is hopeful for Athena’s future, “Hotshots” prepares her for a unique transition.

9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 7 Highlights How Age Influences Athena’s History

Although his physicality is degrading, his mental acuity is increasing.

From the first scene, viewers realize that Athena is insecure about her physical abilities and, by extension, her age. She opens up to Hen (Aisha Hinds) about Sparks and her injury in general, admitting that pride may be clouding her judgement. Athena is irritated when Hen insinuates that she is getting older, but in true best friend fashion, Hen tells her “Get over yourself” before urging Athena to use her wisdom. As Hen explains to Athena, age robs people of their agility, but rewards them with something far more valuable: instinct.

Even after Hen’s advice and Sparks’ dramatic displays of strength, Athena initially refuses to face her fear of aging. She confides in Hen that her husband encouraged her to use crutches while her leg healed, but his ego got in the way. After witnessing Sparks make a career-ending mistake firsthand, Athena appears to have an epiphany, leaving the rookie’s testimony hearing with a crutch under her arm. This simple change, along with her new recruitment request, clearly shows that, although hesitant, Athena will begin to accept her aging.

Giving her a passion project won’t solve the real problem

Most of the cast are starting new arcs, like Buck’s recent breakup or Eddie’s self-love story on 9-1-1. The midseason finale presents the perfect opportunity for Athena to aim for more than guardianship: Athena must seek a promotion with an entirely new title. As pointed out by several characters, Athena served on patrol for decades. After run-ins with high school students in the Halloween episode and sparks flying with Officer Sparks, Athena must realize that her experience is now better suited for a management role.

Instead of becoming a mentor who sits on the sidelines and watches her charges chase criminals, Athena should move up a rung in the police hierarchy. Since she’s so worried about the patrol, she could become a lieutenant and command the entire patrol division. Your character shouldn’t worry about keeping up with her colleagues, she should worry about how to manage her subordinates. 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear has teased a new plot to be revealed in the next episode, and with this week’s heavy focus on Athena, the big change could be for her (or hopefully her career).

Old problems need to be revisited

The biggest obstacle to Athena’s promotion is that she was offered (and turned down) a lieutenant position before. She wanted to continue on the field, but now that she has realized her physical limitations, it is time for Athena to reconsider her options. Some have written it off completely and have vowed that retirement is the way forward. And although the beloved actors are gone 9-1-1 in previous seasons, Angela Bassett’s character can’t go anywhere. In addition to being a fan favorite, Athens still has room to grow.

Furthermore, Athena’s practices were not always honest. From bullying teenagers in Season 1 to conducting an unauthorized investigation of Dennis Jenkins in Season 3, Athena has a habit of foregoing protocol to ensure results. She is guided by her internal sense of justice, but cannot properly navigate the justice system she serves.

Although her fieldwork was controversial, allowing Athena to move into a more administrative role would provide her with stability and routine. As she grows older, Athena deserves more than to be a mere mentor. Instead of giving her a partner to lead, it’s time to 9-1-1 to make Athena a genuine leader and let her oppose wrongdoing on a more systemic level as Lieutenant Grant.

9-1-1 season 8 continues Thursday at 8 ET on ABC.