Spoilers ahead for the October 28 episode of 9-1-1 Season 3 on Fox, called "Monsters."
Arguably the most consistent arc of 9-1-1 Season 3 has belonged to Buck as he's struggled with the reality that his ailment from the end of Season 2 means limits on his work as a firefighter. "Monsters" saw him return to Station 118 after he chose to go back to the LAFD rather than take a huge payout from his lawsuit, and Bobby kept him benched for most of the episode. Buck did eventually prove himself, but he also hurt himself, and that raises the question: is he putting himself in too much danger?
"Monsters" was 9-1-1's take on Halloween, so there was plenty of creepiness to go around. The creepiest might have been the woman who crashed into a cyclist in her car, lodging him halfway through her windshield and giving herself a brain bleed. Most people thought it was just a Halloween joke, but Buck finally gave chase at the end of the episode, and his actions ultimately saved the life of both the woman and the man she hit.
In the process, however, Buck cut himself on the glass of the windshield, and he had a panicked look on his face when the paramedics called his attention to the injury. He admitted that he's on blood thinners, and it made for a very dramatic end to the scene.
The result was a little underwhelming, as Buck was bandaged at the emergency room, without much in the way of drama, and they were only surface scratches. Still, Buck injured himself while working to save lives, and he's barely been back on the job. Injuries happen in this line of work, and Buck may not be so fortunate when it comes to what happens to him in the future.
He does have some pretty rotten luck (although perhaps second to Chimney's bad luck), based on what happened at the end of Season 2 and the fact that he and Christopher were slammed with a tsunami in early Season 3. Also, even though he signed plenty of documents absolving the city of any legal repercussions if something does happen to him, I for one don't see his friends at Station 118 abandoning him if he's hurt in the line of duty when they're trying to save others.
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Will Buck's blood thinners turn future small wounds into significant injuries, if he can't be treated quickly or doesn't realize that he was hurt until he's already done too much bleeding? After all, in "Monsters," he didn't even realize that some of the blood all over him was his own until the paramedics did. Was this a sign that Buck should bench himself from the LAFD until the time comes for him to go off the blood thinners? Or will this just serve as a reminder that Buck needs to keep a closer eye on himself?
Bobby was convinced by these heroics that Buck was ready to return to full duty, so whatever happens, Buck will be back in danger on a regular basis. Find out what happens in new episodes of 9-1-1, airing Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
