9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5, Episode 12 Recap: 10 Biggest Moments & Reveals

Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from the 9-1-1: Lone Star series finale, "Homecoming."

After five seasons and 72 episodes, 9-1-1: Lone Star comes to an end with an asteroid crash, a nuclear meltdown, and a five-month time jump that reveals every character's fate. The Fox procedural drama TV show created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear is a spinoff of 9-1-1 taking place in Austin, Texas, following a group of first responders (firefighters, paramedics, police officers, etc.). 9-1-1: Lone Star premiered in January 2020, and unfortunately, it ends before 9-1-1 (which moved to ABC) will.

A new 9-1-1 spinoff from Ryan Murphy and Tim Minear for ABC is in the works. They hope to get it ready in time for the 2025–2026 TV season, but the upcoming show's location and cast are unknown, as of the writing of this article.

9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 11 creates many last-second problems for Station 126, as the penultimate hour ends with an imminent asteroid strike. The firefighters and paramedics huddle underneath the fire trucks, waiting for impact. However, the episode fades to black before viewers learn what happens next. Thankfully, the 9-1-1 series finale (season 5, episode 12) picks up where the previous episode leaves off, and fans soon get answers to various questions as the show closes out its five-season-long story.

10 Every 9-1-1: Lone Star Character Survives The Asteroid

The Crash Still Has Fatalities

As it's about to strike the Earth, the asteroid breaks into multiple pieces in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 12, "Homecoming." They hit the ground in Austin, Texas, sending the city into chaos. Fortunately, every 9-1-1: Lone Star character survives the initial impact, but the disaster takes out cell service, meaning those injured and in need of help can't call the 9-1-1 call center.

So, the first order of business is to restore the city's communication, which doesn't take too long. Afterward, Station 126 responds to a call at a university, where a nuclear reactor is in danger of a meltdown. According to Wyatt, they only have about 10 minutes to get to the SCRAM button, which will shut down the reactor and stop the nuclear meltdown. Unfortunately, the only person who knows the location of the SCRAM button is passed out on the floor after hitting his head when the asteroid hit in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5's ending.

9 Tommy Wakes Up After The Asteroid Crashes & Helps The Team

9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5, Episode 11's Ending Indicated Tommy Died

9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 11 ends with Tommy falling asleep and possibly dying. Tommy's doctor previously informed her that she likely only had days to live after her scans showed that her tumors had grown and become inoperable. However, Tommy wakes up when the asteroid hits Austin in the series finale.

After realizing she is still alive, Tommy's duty as a paramedic prompts her to help Station 126 as they respond to the nuclear emergency caused by the asteroid crash. Much to everyone's surprise, Tommy shows up at the fire station and tags along to the university. She is clearly struggling as her body demands rest. Nevertheless, Tommy pushes through and even performs an (illegal) emergency craniectomy on the man who knows where the SCRAM button is, who wakes up and informs Owen and the other firefighters of its location.

8 Owen Shuts Down The Nuclear Reactor

Rob Lowe's Character Save The Day At The Last Second

Owen, Judd, Marjan, Paul, and Mateo head to the control room to stop the nuclear meltdown in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 12. When they get there, though, an explosion knocks the firefighters to the ground. They all get hit by shrapnel (including Mateo in the neck), but Owen is able to limp over to the button while the others compress each other's wounds. Judd, Marjan, Paul, and Mateo hold one another close and say, "126 forever," preparing for the worst.

[Owen] saves Austin from catastrophe (as if anyone had a doubt he wouldn't).

Owen struggles to get to the shutdown valve because he's bleeding out from various wounds where shrapnel is still stuck. He ends up having to crawl as the countdown to the meltdown gets to 10 seconds. However, at the very last second, Owen pushes the button. He saves Austin from catastrophe (as if anyone had a doubt he wouldn't). After doing so, though, Owen passes out, suggesting Rob Lowe's character's fate in the 9-1-1: Lone Star finale is bleak.

7 Owen Moves Back To New York City

Owen Is The New NYFD Chief

9-1-1: Lone Star's ending doesn't kill off Owen, even though the series finale tries to make the audience think he does. After Owen passes out in the control room, the episode jumps ahead five months later, showing the fates of every character (all of whom survived the nuclear threat). He is nowhere to be seen, with the other members of Station 126 making comments about wishing Owen could be there, suggesting he had died. However, Owen appears in the finale's very last moments.

9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5 Cast	Role
Rob Lowe	Owen Strand
Ronen Rubinstein	Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand
Jim Parrack	Judson "Judd" Ryder
Natacha Karam	Marjan Marwani
Brian Michael Smith	Paul Strickland
Rafael L. Silva	Carlos Tomas Reyes
Julian Works	Mateo Chavez
Gina Torres	Tommy Vega
Brianna Baker	Nancy Gillian
Kelsey Yates	Isabella "Izzy" Vega
Skyler Yates	Evie Vega
Jackson Pace	Wyatt Harris

Owen accepted the offer to be the new chief of the New York Fire Department, explaining his absence at the end of 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5. So, the procedural drama comes full circle during its final moments. Owen moves back to New York City, while the rest of Station 126's firefighters and paramedics experience drastic changes themselves.

6 Tommy's Cancer Goes Into Remission

Tommy's Tumors Were Just Swollen

Tommy's future was looking ominous after her doctor's appointment in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 11. However, as she predicted at the said appointment, Tommy's tumors weren't growing, they were swelling. The doctor wasn't as optimistic, giving Tommy only days to live. Tommy was right, though, because her tumors started to shrink. The cells were swelling due to the cancer treatment and eventually got smaller, resulting in 9-1-1 Lone Star's hopeful series ending.

Five months after the asteroid crash and almost nuclear meltdown, Tommy's doctor informs her that her cancer has gone into remission in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 12. She lives to see another day. And, apparently, fans never had to worry about Tommy dying.9-1-1: Lone Star's showrunner, Rashad Raisani, explained to TVLine after the finale:

"To be honest, I never was going to kill Tommy. When Tommy was getting cancer, I told Gina [Torres], 'We're doing this to show how treacherous this journey is and how much havoc it wreaks on your life. But we've visited enough tragedy. This diagnosis is a tragedy in itself. No, we're not taking away the mother of your two little girls. We're not going to do that to Tommy.'"

5 TK Quits His Job As A Paramedic

He Prioritizes Jonah Over His Job

TK on the phone at the 126 in the 9-1-1: Lone Star series finale

Whereas Tommy resumes her position at Station 126 following her good news in the 9-1-1: Lone Star series finale, TK can't say the same. During the flash-forward, the audience learns that TK has stepped away from his job. He is no longer a paramedic at Station 126. While TK's decision seems sudden at first, it makes sense when "Homecoming" explains why he quit.

As many will recall, TK and Carlos' adoption application was denied in the Fox procedural drama TV show's penultimate hour due to both of their dangerous careers. The social worker didn't want Jonah to lose another parent due to a tragedy. However, TK found a workaround in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 12.

4 TK & Carlos Adopt Jonah

TK's Sacrifice Changes The Adoption Agency's Mind

TK resigns from Station 126 to become a stay-at-home dad in the 9-1-1: Lone Star series finale. If he is no longer a paramedic who is consistently in danger, the adoption agency doesn't have a good excuse to deny him and Carlos. So, the couple presents a new case to the social worker. As a result, TK and Carlos' adoption request goes through, and they are able to bring Jonah home with them. By the time the end of the 9-1-1: Lone Star episode rolls around, TK and Carlos are beyond happy to have Jonah in their care.

TK's sacrifice seemingly came easy to him in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 12, which isn't too surprising. Over the course of the show's last season, TK has proven just how much he loves Jonah. He was even willing to give up his relationship with Carlos to adopt his little brother. Thankfully, that isn't the case, and TK and Carlos get their happy ending in the 9-1-1 spinoff series.

3 Judd Takes Over As Captain At Station 126

Grace Doesn't Return In 9-1-1: Lone Star For Her Husband's Promotion

In the wake of Owen's move back to New York, Judd takes over as Station 126's captain in the 9-1-1: Lone Star finale. The firehouse needs a new leader, and Judd is more than ready to step up to the plate for his chosen family. One of the show's last scenes takes place during Judd's promotion ceremony. Everyone is there to support him, except for Owen (of course) and Grace.

Sierra McClain's Grace left 9-1-1: Lone Star in season 5 to join Mercy Ships, an international faith-based organization that provides life-saving care and surgery to those in need. Her absence caused Judd to spiral in season 5. He recovered, thankfully, but one would think Grace would be home by Judd's promotion ceremony (which occurs five months after the asteroid hit Austin). His wife is still overseas, though, and it's unclear when she will return to her family in the 9-1-1 universe.

2 Mateo Gains U.S. Citizenship

His Deportation Case Is Dismissed

Mateo was in danger of being deported after assaulting a police officer in 9-1-1: Lone Star season 5, episode 11. He didn't know the man was a cop at the time, but ICE didn't care. Since Mateo is a part of the DACA program and not an official U.S. citizen, ICE decided to force him to return to Mexico for his crime (despite the fact that he has lived in the U.S. since he was two years old). In the series finale, though, Mateo manages to avoid deportation.

His speech recounting every sacrifice he has made and each life he has saved as a firefighter convinces the judge to dismiss his deportation ruling and fast-track his gaining U.S. citizenship.

Five months after the 9-1-1: Lone Star characters rescued all of Austin from a nuclear meltdown, Mateo appears in court for his hearing. His speech recounting every sacrifice he has made and each life he has saved as a firefighter convinces the judge to dismiss his deportation ruling and fast-track his gaining U.S. citizenship. Mateo's channeling of Owen (by swearing at the judge) doesn't dissuade her. So, Mateo and Nancy also get a happy ending in 9-1-1: Lone Star.

1 Marjan Is Pregnant

Station 126 Is Getting Its First Baby

Last but not least, the series finale's flash-forward reveals that Marjan is pregnant with her and Joe's first child. She is far enough along to be showing, suggesting Marjan might have been pregnant during 9-1-1: Lone Star's asteroid ending and nuclear meltdown crisis five months prior. Whatever the case, Marjan and her growing baby are happy and healthy, if the fetus' kicking is any indication.

Marjan's pregnancy is also a first for the Fox procedural drama TV show. None of the firefighters or paramedics at Station 126 have been pregnant over the course of the series' five-season run, meaning Marjan's child will be the firehouse's first baby (at least, on the screen). Unfortunately, fans won't get to see how Marjan handles motherhood as Fox canceled 9-1-1: Lone Star ahead of season 5's premiere.

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