Since his wedding, Carlos has been focused on who killed his dad. He got to the bottom of it in the 911: Lone Star season 5 midseason finale.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from 911: Lone Star season 5, episode 9.
The midseason finale did not disappoint. We knew that Carlos would track down the man responsible for his dad’s murder. There was even a chance that his life would end up on the line.
At the end of the previous episode, Carlos learned that his Texas Ranger partner, Sam Campbell, was responsible for his father’s death. He turned to his boss, Chief Bridges, with the information and shared that if Campbell was behind the deaths of all the CIs, then his name would be on the search information. Of course, Bridges found the information.
Never trust what you’re initially told in 911: Lone Star
If you thought it was too convenient for Campbell to be the one behind it all, you were right. 911: Lone Star taught us not to take everything we’re told at face value. Even when Campbell did a runner from his son’s birthday party, it was clear that there was something else going on.
While trying to take down Campbell, Carlos realized that it wasn’t his partner all along. It was Chief Bridges. Of course, Carlos confronted him when there was nobody else around. It meant that Bridges was able to get a shot off in Carlos’s side, behind the bulletproof vest. If it wasn’t for Campbell coming back to save Carlos and shoot Bridges, Carlos would have been a dead man.
Oh, and the shot wasn’t fatal. It sounded like the bullet had hit a lung, but the bullet hit a rib and bounced back out the same way it came in. Well that’s some fortunate writing.
Campbell explained that he realized Bridges had framed him. He ran in an attempt to find a way to clear his name. If he’d been taken in, Bridges would have put everything on him. Campbell had nothing to do with the murder of Carlos’s father or the other CIs, and Campbell knew that Carlos was working it out. Campbell pointed out that he never shot at Carlos—and it’s true. We can’t blame Campbell for his reaction in the situation.
Why did Bridges do it, though? It turned out that it was for money. So far, the Texas Rangers don’t have all the information and they’re not wildly releasing it. It’s a shame because Bridges deserves to have his good perception tarnished for what he did.
In the end, though, Carlos feels like he can move on. He got the killer. While it doesn’t heal the wound, he knows that it’s something that he needs to work on. Now he’s ready to move forward in life with TK, which includes working on adopting TK’s brother, Jonah.
Will Owen leave Texas in the 911: Lone Star series finale?
Owen got an offer at the start of the episode. New York wants him back to become the fire commissioner. Throughout the episode, Owen contemplates what he should do, and he turns to Judd for some support.
Judd thinks Owen should do it. There is the question of who should become Captain of the 126, and Owen points out that it should be Judd. He always felt like he was just keeping the captain seat warm for Judd, who is the only original member of the 126 from before Owen came in.
Just as it looks like Owen would take the job, things change. Judd wakes up in a hungover haze with Owen by him. It turns out that Judd hasn’t been coping well since Grace has been gone, and he’s turned to drinking a lot. He knows now that he needs to change things, but Owen makes it clear that he isn’t leaving Texas when his best friend needs him.
It’s a cute moment. I love that Owen notes that Judd is his best friend. It’s about time!
Some may be surprised by Judd turning to alcohol, but we have to remember what Judd was like before he met Grace. She has been the best thing for him, and he struggles when she’s gone. Right now, she’s gone to do “God’s work,” as he put it, but he’s not been able to talk to her as often as he would like. This means a quiet house, especially once his daughter has gone to bed.
Judd needed someone he could be honest with, and Owen is that guy. Of course, a lot of men don’t talk—to be fair, a lot of people in general don’t, but it’s usually men. 911: Lone Star shows that it’s okay to open up to someone. Owen is the best person for Judd to open up to both as a friend and as a boss. As a friend, he can be there to support, and as a boss, he knows what’s going on. This offers some hope that Judd can turn it around.
So, for now, Owen is staying put. However, I do have a feeling that the series will end with Owen moving back to New York and Judd becoming the Captain of the 126.
There was a small side story of Tommy going through her cancer treatment. We get to see Nancy and TK there for her. I think the new episodes next year are going to be much more focused on this. It’s just the start for Tommy.
911: Lone Star Season 5 returns in January on FOX. Catch up on the series with Hulu.
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