**9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 4 Concludes Athena and Hen’s Space Odyssey**
For the last three episodes, fans of *9-1-1* have been glued to the screen watching Athena and Hen, alongside the other Inara 2 crew members, embark on a perilous journey in space. Battling to survive a geomagnetic storm and dodging deadly debris fields, the tension has been palpable. The biggest question throughout their adventure: will they make it back to Earth alive?
### A Suspenseful Return Earth
Up until the final moments of *9-1-1* Season 9 Episode 4, titled *Reentry*, the fate of Athena and Hen remained uncertain. However, the episode confirms that Athena, Hen, Tricia, Parker, and Captain Stanton safely return to Earth aboard the escape pod, bringing their harrowing space mission to a triumphant end. They are also accompanied by the astronaut they rescued from the ISS.
While everyone, for the most part, receives a happy ending, there is a somber note. Lewis Kern does not return to Earth, and Tripp Hauser also faces setbacks.
> **Disclaimer:** This article contains major spoilers for *9-1-1* Season 9 Episode 4. Reader discretion is advised.
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### How Do Athena and Hen Get Back to Earth?
The team initially believed the International Space Station (ISS) to be a safe haven. However, in the latest episode, the danger quickly escalates when the ISS suffers its first hit from the debris—one of several impacts during the geomagnetic storm. Although everyone survives this fourth strike, the debris is set to circle back again imminently.
With only around 40 minutes to act, the team must find a way to leave the ISS and return to Earth. Fortunately, they discover an escape pod they can use. Yet, the journey home is fraught with challenges:
– **Athena** has to repair a stuck robotic arm critical for their escape.
– **Lewis Kern** reworks the pod’s seating arrangement to accommodate more crew members.
– In a tense moment, Athena damages her oxygen regulator and starts floating untethered in space, raising the stakes and suspense.
Despite these obstacles, Athena, Hen, Tricia, Parker, and Captain Stanton manage to board the escape pod and begin their return. Their descent is nerve-wracking as it’s unclear if the escape pod’s heat shield—an old piece of Soviet technology—will protect them through reentry. Thankfully, it holds up, and they all survive the perilous journey back to Earth.
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### Why Doesn’t Lewis Kern Return to Earth?
The escape pod could only seat five people, with the fifth seat being a makeshift one. Moreover, someone needed to remain behind at the ISS to operate the robotic arm and manage pod launch procedures.
Faced with this grim reality, Lewis Kern makes a selfless and difficult decision to stay behind to ensure the others can escape safely.
When the fifth debris hit strikes the ISS, Kern survives the impact and steps up as the new Captain of the ISS. Though his fate is bittersweet—left stranded in orbit—he receives an honorable and fitting ending.
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### Other Highlights from *9-1-1* Season 9 Episode 4
One of the standout elements of *Reentry* is Athena’s emotional arc. The episode cleverly toggles between the present timeline and flashbacks to Athena’s younger days, seven years after the murder of her former love.
Her younger self, already a cop, struggles with grief and loss, much like her present self coping after Bobby’s death. In the flashbacks, Athena and her partner McCluskey are caught up in a robbery gone wrong, culminating in McCluskey’s death. Before he passes, he implores Athena to move forward with her life and not be trapped by grief—a poignant message paralleling Athena’s current struggles.
The episode also highlights Athena’s reconciliation with her children, especially Harry, who makes a significant decision about his future: he is going to become a firefighter.
Meanwhile, the corporate drama intensifies with Tripp Hauser being ousted, thanks to his fiancée Tricia’s 1% stake in their company. Tricia also leaves Tripp for Parker, recognizing Parker’s attentiveness and support compared to Tripp.
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Catch *9-1-1* Season 9 Episode 4, along with all previous episodes, on ABC and Hulu.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/shows/9-1-1-season-9-episode-4-recap-do-athena-hen-finally-return-earth-safely
