Is 9-1-1: Lone Star 's Marjan really leaving the 126? Actress Natacha Karam on that 'extremely sad' final scene
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Marjan can't really be leaving 9-1-1: Lone Star... right?
We've seen 9-1-1 first responders fade into the distance before. (Thank you for your service, Liv Tyler. And where exactly is Arielle Kebbel's Lucy Donato?) But Natacha Karam's Marjan has three full seasons under her helmet, a fan favorite since episode 1.
Still, it felt pretty permanent when Marjan lit her career on fire and rode off on Capt. Strand's (Rob Lowe) motorcycle at the end of Tuesday's episode of the Fox drama. It apparently felt pretty permanent filming the episode, as well.
"It was heavy. It was a heavy scene," Karam tells EW of Marjan saying goodbye to her firehousemates. "There was a lot of sadness in the room. No one had seen the next scripts, so even as actors we didn't know. It was like, 'Okay. Well, when am I going to get to work with all of you again as characters?' It was extremely sad."
Kevin Estrada/FOX Natacha Karam on '9-1-1: Lone Star'
With the episode now out in the world, we asked Karam to reflect on Marjan's decision to refuse the demands placed on her by Austin Fire Department management and when (or if!) we will see her on the show again.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: With her job on the line, what makes Marjan stick to her guns and not tout that awful couple's GoFundMe on her social media?
NATACHA KARAM: I think when we offend people, our first response shouldn't be defense, or deflection, or retaliation. It should be, "Oh my God. I'm sorry I hurt and offended you. Let me know how I can do better." You can't tell someone that they didn't take offense at something. That is their reality. They were offended. And then it gives you the opportunity to be accountable, and grow, and be better. And Marjan is willing to say I'm sorry. But they don't want a sincere apology. They want to take advantage of the five million people following her — people she feels a responsibility to protect.
And there was no middle ground?
Well, any part of her that was like, "Oh, we may be able to find a creative solution. Let's see if we can come to some kind of compromise," is quelled by what happens out in the field where she's unable to follow her instincts.
She second-guesses herself when trying to rescue a man from a fire. Those extra seconds she took could put everyone's life in danger. So that feeling that maybe she could figure out a way to stay is very quickly disappearing. And she's like, "I can't do this job if I'm going to freeze up in the field. And I'm not really allowed to be here anyway unless I start meeting this couple's demands. And I can't do either of those things and go to bed and be okay with myself at night, so I have to go." She feels like she's been backed into a corner, and there's absolutely no way that she can stay and be in line with her morality and her integrity.
What was it like filming that goodbye scene?
It was sad, because everyone knows she wants to be a firefighter at the 126 more than anything, but now she feels like she can't. There's kind of this paralysis within her that's set in. And everyone's just watching it and knows that there's nothing they can do. I think everyone felt really helpless watching her drive off, and no one knew what was coming next.
She does mention she'll be at TK and Carlos' wedding.
Yes, but for now, standing in that room in that firehouse saying goodbye, no one knows when they're going to see her again. And the idea of the wedding is like, "Yeah. Yeah. Of course all my friendships and relationships are going to sustain themselves. It's just the professional element of it." Of course, I'm going to still come to my friend's wedding. Of course I'm still going to show up for birthdays and be on FaceTime. But I'm not going to be here as a firefighter anymore. That's the part that's going to be different.
So... what is coming next?
It's not like Marjan is just going to come right back and start working at the firehouse again. That is not the arc of this season. She is gone. She's out of state. She is alone. She's off on her own adventures, which the audience will get to follow her on — but not right away.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
9-1-1: Lone Star airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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