Spoiler alert! This story contains major spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star’s two-hour Season 4 finale, which aired May 16. Consider yourself warned!
We were promised trauma and we were promised a Tarlos wedding, and 9-1-1: Lone Star delivered on fronts, in a Season 4 finale that ran the gamut of emotions with the deaths of two characters, along with T.K. and Carlos finally being declared husband and husband. It was a satisfying end to a wild season, but not everything was tied up neatly by the end of the two hours, and there are a few big questions I have for Season 5 when it returns to Fox this fall. Let’s get into it.
I’ll start at the end just to say that Carlos (Rafael Silva) and T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein) did make it down the aisle and exchanged beautiful vows, and if that didn’t have the tears flowing, the surprise appearance by Lisa Edelstein as T.K.’s late mom Gwyn was likely enough to do the trick. But for most of the two-hour affair, it didn’t look like that highly anticipated Tarlos wedding was going to happen, after Carlos’ dad Gabriel (Benito Martinez) was gunned down in his home. Elsewhere, Judd (Jim Parrack) continued to deal with the aftermath of his son Wyatt’s “gut-wrenching” accident, and Owen (Rob Lowe) said goodbye to another brother. So here is what I need to know:
Who Murdered Carlos’ Father?
Things started to take a wild turn on the Season 4 finale, when a grieving and sleep-deprived Carlos nearly killed an innocent man who he wrongly thought had killed Gabriel. So while it was a relief that the police officer stopped obsessing over his father’s death long enough to get married, the question of who actually did murder the Texas Ranger in cold blood is a huge mystery heading into next season.
There’s no way this goes down as an unsolved crime, so will Carlos continue to investigate on his own? Or will the murderer return to wreak havoc on the rest of the Strand-Reyes clan?
Has Judd Really Quit The Fire Station For Good?
Judd, meanwhile, was not given the prognosis he wanted for Wyatt (Jackson Pace), with doctors saying there was a 99% chance he’d never walk again. Rather than move him into a clinic to get round-the-clock care and therapy, however, Judd chose to quit the fire department and become his son's full-time caregiver (not caretaker, as Wyatt is not a ranch). Will he stand by that decision in Season 5?
By the end of the episode, it seemed like Wyatt was ready to start putting in the work that Judd wanted from him, so maybe it will work out. I’m skeptical, though, because the firefighter hasn’t ever proven to have the patience that’s likely required for Wyatt’s rehabilitation. I think Judd should go back to the 126, focus on supporting Wyatt as his father and leave the therapy to the professionals. But hey, feel free to prove me wrong, Judd.
Will Owen Be OK After Losing Another Brother?
The second death to come from 9-1-1: Lone Star’s season finale was less shocking than Gabriel Reyes’ murder, but tragic all the same. Owen’s brother Robert (Chad Lowe) had informed the fire captain of his plan to end his life before the effects of his Huntington’s disease became unbearable for him and his family. He enacted that plan, enlisting Owen to help get rid of the evidence and to sit with him while he died. What kind of effect is that going to have on Owen going forward?
The veteran firefighter is no stranger to death, but let’s not forget he saw his other brother die when he was just a child, and now — after he connected with the brother he never knew — he watches him die too? That’s a lot for someone to process, and a big secret Owen's carrying, since no one else knew of Robert’s plan.
If the Season 4 finale was any indication, we’re in for a treat when 9-1-1: Lone Star returns to Fox in the fall. For now, though, rest easy in the knowledge that Tarlos is MARRIED, and check out our 2023 TV schedule to find other shows to watch in the meantime.
