9-1-1: Lone Star returned with its season 5 premiere, “Both Sides, Now,” on September 23, 2024, picking up with intense action and emotional storylines. The 126 team tackled an armored truck robbery, while Carlos Reyes, now a Texas Ranger, began investigating the case. Owen struggled to process his brother Robert’s recent death, while tension built within the firehouse as Marjan and Paul competed for Judd’s open lieutenant position.
The episode kicked off with a high-stakes situation—a group of masked men attacked an armored truck, forcing it off the road. The truck flipped, killing the driver and trapping a second guard inside. The firefighters arrived just in time to save the surviving guard, while Carlos and his fellow Rangers took over the investigation. Carlos, following his instincts, uncovered a string of similar robberies and laid a successful trap to catch the culprits. Despite his boss taking all the credit, Carlos was more focused on solving the case and secretly pursuing his late father’s unresolved case.
Meanwhile, Owen found himself emotionally adrift after helping his brother, Robert, die by assisted suicide. Still grappling with unresolved guilt from the childhood death of his younger brother, Tyler, Owen was unable to process his grief and withdrew from those around him. Tommy, noticing his struggles, took him to group therapy, but Owen remained unable to share his burden, especially given the illegal nature of Robert’s death.
The firehouse also saw tension between Marjan and Paul as they vied for the open lieutenant position left by Judd, who had retired to care for his paralyzed son, Wyatt. Their competition escalated, leading to risky actions during emergency calls as they tried to outdo each other in front of Owen. However, Judd remained at a loose end, unsure of his place without his job. With Wyatt now working at the call center and gaining independence, Judd considered un-retiring but struggled with the prospect of starting over from the bottom.
The episode ended on a cliffhanger, as a train derailment occurred just as Wyatt was working his shift as a dispatcher, signaling more chaos to come for the 126 crew.
