Is Eddie Really Leaving 9-1-1?

Contains spoilers for "9-1-1" Season 5, Episode 10

A rotating cast of characters helps keep things interesting on Fox's "9-1-1." You never know who will live, who will die, and who will walk away to spend more time with their family at the end of the day. Still, it doesn't make things any less sad when a beloved character decides to call it quits, and unfortunately, it appears as though a dear member of the team since Season 2 will walk away moving forward. 

Fans were left in a state of shock during the December 6 episode of "9-1-1." Throughout the episode, Eddie (Ryan Guzman) is dedicated to ensuring his son has the best Christmas possible. It all leads up to a shocking finale where Eddie tells his team he's stepping away from the 118 so that he can be there for his son. He's a single father, so it makes sense that eventually, his concern of losing his life on the job would cause him to walk away at some point. But is this really the end of the line for Eddie, or will he return when "9-1-1" comes back from its break in March 2022?

The cliffhanger ending is something "9-1-1" has become infamous for, and this definitely seems like a big one. Eddie's colleagues seem completely taken off-guard to hear the news that Eddie no longer wants to be part of the 118. However, just because he leaves the 118 doesn't mean he'll necessarily depart from "9-1-1" just yet. 

Take this with a grain of salt, but the "9-1-1" Twitter fan page wrote in the aftermath of the most recent episode, "Despite the Season 5A cliffhanger being Eddie leaving the 118, Ryan Guzman is contracted for 3 more years on 9-1-1, thus confirming his future with the series." If such a contract is, indeed, in place, then it would mean Eddie would still be around, only perhaps not in the same capacity. 

It's always possible he'll pursue a different career path, one that doesn't require him to put his life on the line every day. There's also the possibility he'll leave the 118 momentarily but return down the road. He quit the force because of his son, but if his kid saw how upset he became, perhaps he'd push for his father to rejoin. There are many possibilities in the world of "9-1-1," and fans will have to wait a few months to see the full ramifications of Eddie's decision.