Henrietta "Hen" Wilson is a character on FOX's 9-1-1 who works as a firefighter paramedic at Station 118 of the Los Angeles Fire Department. She debuts in the first episode of the first season of 9-1-1 and is portrayed by starring cast member Aisha Hinds.
History
Early Life
Hen is from Inglewood, California.
When Hen was 9, her father "abandoned her."[1] Her mother is still alive at least when she quits her pharma rep job and decides to become a paramedic.
When Hen was 16, she was accidentally shot. The bullet wasn't meant for her. The bullet ruptured her kidney and grazed her aorta. Luckily, the paramedics took great care of her and Hen survived. Hen tells Taylor Kelly in "Dosed" that following this, she decided that she wanted to be a paramedic like those who saved her so that she could save other people who were in her situation.[2] The episode "Hen Begins" shows more details of her path to become a paramedic.
Previous jobs
Hen was a lifeguard one summer when she was a kid.
She has mentioned having multiple jobs, including a stint as a lifeguard during the summer holidays when she was a student. Prior to joining the LAFD she worked for a pharmaceutical company as a sales representative. She quits after "the meltdown of '08," which likely means that she joined around 2009.
First Responder
In the show, she is the only first responder that is openly gay or lesbian. In the episode "Point Of Origin", her wife, Karen, is shown for the first time.
She introduces herself as Henrietta to Captain Gerrard when she first joins the 118, but is quickly nicknamed Hen.
Personal Life
Hen is currently married to Karen Wilson. Her ex, Eva is in prison at the start of season 1 and asks Hen for help for her parole, which Hen refuses. She was Hen's first great love and they lived together, as seen in "Hen Begins." Eva eventually got out of prison without Hen's help and began working in a tax firm until her overdose in "Awful People".
Hen saved a dog named Paisley in the episode "7.1" and is seen giving the dog to her son in the episode "Help Is Not Coming."
Hen cheated on on her wife with Eva in "Full Moon (Creepy AF)." Eva tried to regain custody of Denny on the grounds that she is his biological mother and claimed that Hen cheating on Karen made their household unsuitable for Denny to live in. Karen learned about Hen infidelity when receiving the papers from Eva, and decided to take Denny to live with her parents, leaving Hen.
Eva signed away all rights when Denny was born but we learn in "Awful People" that his biological father, Nathaniel Greene, did not. Although Eva claimed that Nathan was going to petition for parental rights, her overdose sent her back to jail and Nathaniel decided not to peruse parental rights.
In "This Life We Choose" (S02E18), it is shown that Karen and Hen were already a couple before welcoming Denny into their life, and they hoped to have additional children. Season three starts with the couple using IVF to have another child. Unfortunately, the treatment was unsuccessful.
Relationships
Chimney Han
Hen has a close relationship with "Chimney" Han. They call each other "best friend" on multiple occasions and often come to each others' aid. When Hen first joined the 118, Chimney was the first to show her compassion and friendship. They later bonded over becoming paramedics and discrimination at work. Their friendship extended beyond work, as shown with Chimney's health issues and through Hen's relationship issues.
Athena Grant-Nash
Athena coincidentally met Hen during an emergency incident, and the two quickly bonded, as they were both minority women in white, male dominated fields. Athena (known as 'Thena to Hen) introduced Hen to other "misfits", a gay firefighter and a female policewoman. They became a support group of sorts, regularly meeting to commiserate their sometimes difficult occupations. Athena and Hen eventually become close friends, disclosing private details of their personal lives and often asking each other for advice.
Karen Wilson
Hen absolutely adores her wife Karen and their children. She momentarily doubts their relationship when she cheats on her wife with her ex (and Denny's mother), Eva, but immediately regrets her actions. After that lapse in judgement, Hen learns to fully appreciate her wife and family, and dedicates herself to supporting them.
Personality
Hen is shown as caring, kind, and loyal. She has a big heart and is always ready to make sacrifices for others. Her cool and calm demeanor comes in handy especially when the crew have to deal with agitated victims.
Trivia
- Hen played the bassoon and was first chair in band when she was at school.[3]
- Hen has only been absent in two episodes ("Chimney Begins" and "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1"). She appears in archive footage in "Boston".
Appearances
| Season One | ||||
| "Pilot" | "Let Go" | "Next of Kin" | "Worst Day Ever" | "Point of Origin" |
| "Heartbreaker" | "Full Moon (Creepy AF)" | "Karma's a Bitch" | "Trapped" | "A Whole New You" |
| Season Two | |||||
| "Under Pressure" | "7.1" | "Help Is Not Coming" | "Stuck" | "Awful People" | "Dosed" |
| "Haunted" | "Buck, Actually" | "Hen Begins" | "Merry Ex-Mas" | "New Beginnings" | "Chimney Begins" |
| "Fight or Flight" | "Broken" | "Ocean's 9-1-1" | "Bobby Begins Again" | "Careful What You Wish For" | "This Life We Choose" |
| Season Three | |||||
| "Kids Today" | "Sink or Swim" | "The Searchers" | "Triggers" | "Rage" | "Monsters" |
| "Athena Begins" | "Malfunction" | "Fallout" | "Christmas Spirit" | "Seize the Day" | "Fools" |
| "Pinned" | "The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1" | "Eddie Begins" | "The One That Got Away" | "Powerless" | "What's Next?" |
Note:
* denotes archive footage only appearance.
| Season Two | |||||
| "Back in the Saddle" | "2100°" | "Hold the Line" | "Friends With Benefits" | "Difficult Conversations" | |
| "Everyone and Their Brother" | "Displaced" | "Bad Call" | "Saving Grace" | "A Little Help From My Friends" | |
| "Slow Burn" | "The Big Heat" | "One Day" | "Dust to Dust" | ||
