Station 19 Season 3 Episode 12 Review: I’ll Be Seeing You

What just happened?

Has anyone else been able to make sense of what just transpired on Station 19 Season 3 Episode 12 because I am at a loss.

If this installment was going to be the season finale, then maybe fans could have mentally prepared.

However, viewers had no warning at all, and now nothing will ever be the same.

This is, of course, in regards tothe death of Pruitt Herrera.

When viewers learned his cancer had returned on Grey’s Anatomy Season 16, fans knew things were bad.

When Pruitt decided not to seek treatment, viewers assumed he die at some point.

Our mistake, though, is we assumed he would die from cancer, not at the 11th hour venting a fire at a storage facility.

Not even a psychic could have foreseen that.

It’s harrowing and shocking that Pruitt went out like that, and words can barely encapsulate the myriad of feelings viewers are experiencing right about now.

The silver lining of the situation is Pruitt’s death has meaning.

He didn’t wait to waste away in some hospital bed, but rather his actions saved the lives of his daughter and his firefighter family.

It was his sacrifice that allowed everyone to escape the fire relatively unharmed.

He was a firefighter up to the end and should be remembered as such.

It’s interesting, though, to think about Pruitt’s motivations for making sure an insane — albeit heroic — decision.

Pruitt: Bishop, move this ladder into position. I’m going up.
Maya: I can’t, sir. The roof is too unstable. Whoever vents that roof will fall in.
Pruitt: Copy that. Move the damn ladder.
Maya: Captain, wait, wait.
Pruitt: Bishop, I handpicked every member of this team. Not all of you were the best recruits but I picked each one of you specifically ‘cause you were the right mix, the right magic to become a family, a crew that would love each other, risk their lives for each other. That’s what I have to do today for my family.
Maya: But sir, you… you’re not well, you can’t…
Pruitt: Exactly, that’s why I’m gonna save my daughter’s life and I’m gonna o right now what I’ve done for the last 40 years of my life, which is be a damn firefighter.

Pruitt sprung into action when Andy’s life was in danger, but would he have made the same choice had he not been dying.

If, for example, he had a long and prosperous life ahead of him, would Pruitt have still made such a risky decision to save his daughter, knowing he would most likely die in the process.

Or would he have tried to find another way to save Andy, one that didn’t put his life in jeopardy.

Personally, it’s likely Pruitt would have done whatever he could to save Andy, regardless of his health, even if it meant leaving her fatherless in the process.

For Pruitt, his only objective would have been to ensure his daughter got out of the storage facility alive.

Whatever happened to him, well, Pruitt was more than willing to pay the cost.

It’s a selfless gesture, but Andy most likely won’t see it that way.

Even though she had come to terms with her father dying, she didn’t expect it to be so soon.

She expected to have more time with and to be able to say her good-byes.

Pruitt’s decision, though, robs Andy of that, and she’ll probably lash out in a self-destructive way.

There’s only so much grief and devastation someone can take before they either break down or completely lose control.

Though Ryan died at the start of Station 19 Season 3, his death still hangs over her.

Elena used to tell her stories every night before she went to bed. You know, there were, uh, there were moments when Elena was a really good mother to Andy. She’d make up these wild stories about princesses dancing until their shoes turned to dust. Oh, and the dragons, Andy really liked the ones about the dragons. Then when Elena wasn’t there to tell stories anymore, Andy couldn’t sleep for weeks. Hell, I couldn’t make up a story to save my life. So I’d just pull out my department radio, and I’d leave it on, and the two of us would listen to it together before bed every night. And I’d tell her about the calls that I went on that day, and her little eyes would get so wide in awe, and she’d call me a superhero, a fireman. She’d say it with the emphasis on man. Fireman.

Pruitt

And while she wasn’t just particularly close with Rigo, he also just passed.

Now, it’s her father, the one person who has been her constant her entire life.

It’s enough to make any sane and stable person crack.

Fortunately, Andy has someone else to lean on, as this episode also revealed she and Sullivan eloped.

Yes, it turns out that Sullivan’s low-key proposal on Station 19 Season 3 Episode 11 led to the pair tying the knot at the courthouse shortly afterward.

While they fast forwarded through many relationship milestones, the newlyweds at least had a conversation about what marriage meant to them before saying ‘I do.’

Andy simply didn’t want to get married just so she and Sullivan could be together while still keeping their jobs, nor because it was something Vic and Ripley were considering.

She wanted to do it for the right reasons.

She was also adamant about them not rushing into anything.

Though they’ve been in love for a long time, they’ve only officially been together for a few weeks.

Is that really enough time to get to know someone?

While they’re list of “flaws” was admirable, it was the deep-seated confessions that made me more open to their union.

In both instances, Andy and Sullivan laid their cards on the table, holding nothing back.

I’ve been in love with you for a long time, and I put my job before what I knew what right. And it was cowardly. It’s what my father did. It was what my grandfather did. I’m fighting a lineage of mistakes — it’s in my blood — but I’m breaking that pattern starting now. I love you, and I want to marry you.

Sullivan

Andy was honest about her more recent hookups with Jack, and Sullivan admitted to stealing Fentanyl from the PRT and overdosing at the firehouse.

Both of these confessions could derail the relationship, but the pair didn’t let them.

Though still uncertain about the longterm success of this relationship, Andy’s and Sullivan’s unbridled honesty makes it seem like this couple has a fighting chance.

What is worrisome, though, is how their relationship affects their ability to do their jobs.

When Sullivan learned Andy was trapped inside the storage facility, he broke protocol and rushed inside all by himself to save her.

In that moment, all Sullivan could think about was saving the woman he loved.

While his actions mirror those of Pruitt’s, Sullivan was the acting incident commander and in charge of the entire scene.

Though noble, he put the lives of not only himself but of his entire team at risk.

Though the fire department’s rule about subordinates not dating their superiors exists for liability purposes and preventing potential lawsuits, it also has some validity when it comes to the first responders’ safety.

Any sort of romantic relationship can have farther reaching effects than just the two involved, especially when it comes to life-threatening calls.

It’s not like Andy and Sullivan even have to look far for any sort of evidence to support this “theory.”

All they have to do is remember how Jack’s tryst with Eva started a chain of events that indirectly led to Rigo’s death on Station 19 Season 3 Episode 9.

And while the topic of Sullivan switching firehouses was briefly discussed on Station 19 Season 3 Episode 11, the pair should have discussed it further before getting married.

Pruitt: Listen, I know he’s a good man Andrea. I just, I don’t understand the rush.
Andy: It… it was really, really hard for me to come to terms with your decision not to get treatment. I broke a lot of beer bottles. I went to a condemned burn site and smashed the walls with a sledge for hours. I screamed into a lot of pillows. But I did it. I let go. And, you know, he helped me through a lot of it. Robert makes me feel… He makes me feel. Not a lot of men have done that. He loves me, Dad. I know that much. And when you realized you loved Mami, how long did you wait?
Pruitt: Five minutes.
Andy: I want my dad here for this.
Pruitt: I’m here. I’m here.

Granted, there’s no way they could have predicted what would happen during this call, but they knew their relationship could potentially impact their jobs.

However, this eventuality took a backseat to the joy surrounding their impending nuptials.

Now, though, it seems this decision could cost them.

Not only were there no official discussions about transferring firehouses, but Sullivan and Andy have yet to disclose their relationship to anyone.

They may not technically violate the departmental rules by being married, but they still have to let the higher-ups know what’s going on.

That misstep could have been overlooked, if not for Sullivan breaking protocol.

While things could have been worse if more people died, Sullivan will most likely find himself in hot water for his actions.

It’s even possible he could be held accountable for Pruitt’s death, as Sullivan abandoned his post and left Maya in charge, who was powerless to stop Pruitt.

It’s quite a mess Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan have found themselves in.

So instead of going on their honeymoon, they’ll be facing an inquistion.

Elsewhere, Jackson and Vic got a crash course lesson in how to work with an ex, which can have just as many pitfalls as being in a relationship with that person.

Their situation is a little different as Jackson and Vic weren’t working together when they dated.

Vic: Seriously, this is not weird for you, working together?
Jackson: Vic, why would it be?
Ben: Because you dated her.
Jackson: I’ve literally worked with anyone I’ve ever dated.
Vic: And you don’t sleep together… accidentally?
Jackson: If I sleep with an ex, it’s not an accident.
Ben: Kinda feels like I shouldn’t be here.
Vic: No, he shouldn’t be here.

Jackson’s presence at Station 19 is recent as he has agreed to help Ben in the PRT on his days off.

What this has translated into so far is awkward run-ins, a lot of unresolved sexual tension, and some witty banter.

However, things aren’t going to stay light forever, as Jackson experienced his first wave of anxiety when Vic was in danger.

The doctor has always known what Vic did for a living, but this was one of the first times he saw for himself firsthand.

There’s a difference between knowing your girlfriend runs into burning buildings than seeing her coming out of one with a badly burned man.

All of these signs point to Jackson and Vic potentially rekindling their relationship.

While I’m not against it outright, I hope this doesn’t turn into a love triangle between Vic, Dean, and Jackson.

Dean is still figuring out he feels about Vic, which is fine, but trying to shove another love triangle down viewers’ throats would not be appreciated.

However, since this takes place in the Grey’s Anatomy universe, love triangles are par for the course.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Some stray thoughts:

• I hope the series will further explore what it means for Dean to be a firefighter as a single father. Until this episode, he never realized what would happen to Prue if he died. The thought of leaving his daughter without a father is terrifying, thus explaining why he froze during the call.

  It’ll be interesting to see how he balances his job and parenthood, especially now since he’s been made aware of the inherent dangers.

• Travis and Emmett are still on the rocks, and I find myself not caring that much. A secret affair is one thing, but this weird limbo they’re is boring. They either need to make a go of it or stop altogether, though it could be said that’s what Travis is trying to do but Emmett won’t let him.

So what did you think Station 19 Fanatics?

Did you see Pruitt’s death coming?

How much trouble will Sullivan be in?

Don’t forget to hit the comments and let me know your thoughts. If you happened to miss the latest episode, remember you can watch Station 19 online at TV Fanatic.

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Jessica Lerner is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.