Theo Ruiz is a firefighter with Bennett Fire & Ambulance. He was a lieutenant at Station 19 of the Seattle Fire Department until he quit to relieve some of the budgetary issues.
History[]
Early Life[]
Theo was born and grow up in Seattle. After his father died, he moved to a different neighborhood with his mother.[2]
Friendship with Michael and Michael's Death[]
Theo and Michael went to the fire academy together, where they quickly became friends. When Michael began dating Travis, they also became friends. After finishing the fire academy, they began working at station 54 together. Theo was present when Michael and Travis became engaged. When a captain position opened up, Theo happily announced that he was in the running for it. He eventually got promoted. He served as captain of station 54 until he mistakenly told Michael it was safe to shelter in place, leading to Michael's death. After this incident, he asked to be demoted to lieutenant and he moved to station 23.[3]
Meeting Vic[]
After two weeks of spotting each other on their morning run in Bremerton Park, Theo got into a friendly race to the park entrance with Vic. When they'd both arrived, with Vic slightly ahead, they acknowledged that they'd both been jogging there a lot lately. When they each removed their masks at a distance, they realized they knew each other from fighting a fire together. Vic was put off when he mentioned being from station 23, but they said they'd see each other tomorrow.
The next morning, Theo smiled when he saw Vic jogging by him and started running after her.[4]
Theo and Vic met again when Vic went to Kaminski's, her parents' restaurant, to get celebratory pierogis after a three-alarm fire. Theo hadn't been there as his shift started after the fire was put out. He asked her out on a date, but she turned him down, saying she wasn't dating due to the pandemic.[5]
He told all his Instagram followers to try Kaminski's, saying they have the best pierogis in town.[6]
On another day, Theo met Vic in the park again. He saw that she was upset and asked if she'd had a rough shift. She told him she actually hadn't started yet. He told her he'd seen the video of Sullivan and Dean being arrested and they talked about that for a while. She said she was usually the one to find the good in the bad, but she couldn't this time, which he understood. He reached his hand across the back of the bench where they were sitting and let their fingers brush together lightly.
Later, Vic called Theo to try to set up a date between them, but was disappointed to learn he was on his way to meet up with someone. She was surprised when only a few moments later, he appeared at the station door with flowers for her. She asked when his next COVID test was and he said Tuesday, the same as hers, so they agreed to meet up on Wednesday.[7]
Subbing at 19[]
While they were on their date, Theo got a call asking him to sub at 19 the next day. Vic asked him not to tell anyone there they were seeing each other and he agreed. The next day, they pretended not to know each other, but Travis recognized Theo as the captain who had gotten Michael killed. Because of this, Vic told Theo they couldn't see each other anymore, believing that Theo had really done something wrong as she knew Travis and didn't believe he could be so wrong about anything so important. However, she later comforted Theo when he said that the day Michael died didn't just haunt Travis. She was hugging him when Travis walked in.[8]
Travis was angry that Vic was comforting him and realized Theo was the firefighter Vic had met in the park. This led to a fight between Travis and Vic that lasted for several days.[9]
Seeing Vic Again[]
After parting ways, Vic and Theo ran into each other as he left her parents' restaurant. He asked if it was okay that he kept eating there and she said it was.[10]
Fire at Kaminski's[]
When Kaminski's was set on fire, Theo went in to retrieve Vic's parents, carrying out a crock pot when her mother refused to leave without it. Later, once the fire was out, he came back from a fire down the street to help with overhaul. He brought bottles of water and helped Travis board up windows. While they boarded up windows, Theo apologized and Travis thanked him.[11]
Maya and Carina's Wedding[]
Theo attended Maya and Carina's wedding after Anthony Hughes invited him. He got the couple a massager. After Travis gave Vic his approval, Vic went to Theo and they kissed.[12]
Vic's Pregnancy and Abortion[]
On his way to answer a call, Theo told Travis that he asked Andy to watch Vic and Travis told him she wasn't a toddler and Theo asked why it was okay for Travis to do it, but not okay for Theo. Travis told him that it was okay because he wasn't her boyfriend and Theo told him that he didn't think he was Vic's boyfriend either. During the call, Theo and Travis got trapped inside a basement with no signal and he and Travis argued about his relationship with Vic.[13]
At the hospital, Vic wasn't sure what to talk about while they waited for an abortion. As Carina left after giving Vic the first medication, Vic questioned which wine goes best with an abortion. Theo said that she doesn't have to joke about it, but that's how she is. Vic told him that he could leave if he wanted to. Theo said that he wanted to sit with her, although she insisted that it would be fine. He read something. Vic was surprised when he explained to her and her gynecologist how a medical abortion works. Realizing what she did, she apologized to him and clarified that she just meant that he didn't have to stay. He told her that he wants to stay.
Theo came home with everything he bought to help Vic through the day. He was upset that she'd already taken the second round of pills because he thought she'd wait for him. He asked her why she didn't want him in her life because she kept doing things to push him away. He was in the relationship, but she didn't think there is one because they still wouldn't be talking if she hadn't found out she was pregnant. Theo said it was Vic's fault. They argued about it. Theo said that he tried to be there for her despite his own feelings. She asked him how he felt, but he said that if she wanted to know, she would have asked.
Theo and Vic went for a walk because the book Theo read said it's good for cramps. Vic questioned Theo about his feelings on the subject. He admitted that he had thoughts that she would make a great mother, but he didn't want her to keep the baby if they weren't ready to be parents. Theo told her that those are all just hard parts. His mother had an abortion. She found out she was pregnant shortly after his father's death. Her sisters tried to persuade her to keep the child, as it was a gift from God after her husband died, but she had an abortion anyway. Theo tried to explain to his mother that it wasn't a sin, but he thought she never forgave herself. When they got back to the house, he asked Vic if she needed anything and she asked him to sing because he's a terrible singer and she wanted him to feel some of the humiliation that she felt. He started singing and she opened the bathroom door to hug him. Vic ran back to the bathroom and Theo started to tell her that he loved her, but stopped himself and said he was going to make some tea. Theo put the tea on the nightstand and then lay down next to Vic. She told him that she loved him and he said he loved her too and they kissed.[14] A year later Theo confessed to Vic that he had cried over the whole situation they were going through.[15]
Acting as Captain[]
After the fire at Tomás's barbershop, Beckett told Ross that he is going to check himself into rehab.[16] Ross offered Andy the position of interim captain, but she turned it down, so Ross offered it to Theo. He was surprised by the offer, but accepted.[17] When Beckett returned to work, Theo told Vic that he didn't finish rehab and Theo has to fill out a report every day on his status.[18]
Personality[]
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
High School Girlfriend[]
In high school, he was helping his girlfriend parallel park while also trying to make her laugh, which resulted in her rolling the car over his foot and bruising it.[19]
Theresa and Ally[]
Theresa was Theo's first girlfriend, who spent two months in a psychiatric clinic. He also dated Ally, who also spent two months in a psychiatric clinic.[20]
Victoria Hughes[]
He and Vic flirted over their morning jog.[21] He later asked her out on a date after seeing her outside her parents' restaurant, which he said had the best pierogi in town. She turned him down, saying she wasn't really dating because of the pandemic.[22] However, at a later meeting, Vic said she may have been a little rash turning him down and they made arrangements to go for a date after their next Covid test.[23] The date went well, but while they were together, Theo got a call asking him to sub at station 19 the next day. Vic asked him not to tell anyone they were seeing each other and he agreed to that. When they were at the station, Vic learned that Theo was previously a captain and was the reason Travis's husband, Michael, was dead. Vic told him they couldn't see each other anymore because of that, but later comforted him when he said that day didn't just haunt Travis.[24]
On the day of Maya and Carina's wedding, Anthony Hughes invited Theo to join the celebration. He did and after the wedding, he ended up kissing Vic outside her parents' restaurant.[25] At the firefighter's ball, after learning that Andy was officially the new captain, Theo and Vic got into a heated argument and ended their relationship.[26] He told Travis that they had broken up only five minutes before he kissed Kate.[27]
Familial[]
His father, who was also a firefighter, died when he was eight. After this, his uncles, his father's firefighter buddies, and his mother's eventual husband all stepped in to be like father figures for him. He says that he had a lot of anxiety about this as he was worried about losing another dad.[28]
Friendships[]
Angel[]
Angel was Theo's best friend from childhood and adolescence. He was Theo's favorite person. Angel used to do dirty puppet shows with empty cans and made Theo laugh a lot. One day when he and Theo were in high school, Angel's parents found him making out with a boy named Mike. His father beat him up and his mother didn't support him and wanted him to go live somewhere else. He lived with Theo for a few weeks until his father appeared at Theo's doorstep threatening him with a gun. Theo's parents tried to reason with Angel's father, but he wanted his son to leave. Theo never saw his best friend again.[29]
Michael Cooper Williams[]
He and Michael were best friends until his death, for which Theo was responsible. They attended the fire academy together and were probies together. They also lived together until Michael married Travis.[30]
Travis Montgomery[]
Professional[]
Lucas Ripley[]
Ripley was Theo's Fire Chief and was the one who made him captain. Ripley and Theo were very close coworkers. After Michael died, Ripley did not want to accept Theo's resignation and tried to convince him to stay as captain but ended up accepting his resignation. Theo described him as a good person.[31]
Career[]
Theo is a Lieutenant of the Seattle Fire Department. Like all Seattle firefighters, he's also a qualified EMT.
Following in the footsteps of his late father, he rose up the ranks quickly and was appointed Captain at a young age. He thus became Captain to Michael Cooper Williams, with whom he had completed his training at the Fire Academy. Not long into his Captainship, he made a judgment error that cost Michael his life. Theo was demoted because of this and ended up at Station 23.[32]
After feeling despised and rejected by the team of Station 19, he tells his captain that he can help her with the layoffs so that she doesn't have to fire anyone else from the team he is going to resign and that he is going to give her the paperwork at the end of the shift.[33]
Notes and Trivia[]
- He shops at farmers markets.[34]
- He is a fan of Vic's parents' restaurant.[35]
- He brought broccoli soufflé to his and Vic's first date.[36]
- Theo attended the funeral of Lucas Ripley.[37]
- He speaks Spanish.[38]
- He loves pernil and especially when it's made according his mami's recipe.[39] He cooked pernil for his first dinner date at home with Vic.[40]
- He has keys to Travis's house.[41]
- When his mother took the green card exam, she made him learn the middle names of all the presidents.[42]
- Theo, Travis and Michael went every year for Halloween to the haunted corn maze.[43]
- Theo used to go to Tomás' barbershop every Sunday with his father when he was a kid.[44]
Gallery[]
|
A more complete gallery with pictures of Theo Ruiz can be found here. |
Notable Episodes[]
These episodes are Theo-centric or are otherwise very informative about his life:
Memorable Quotes[]
- Theo (to Maya): Is that why you work so many extra hours? Because Beckett is harassing you and you want to prove him wrong? I know what it feels like to burn out. To work so hard for something you want and...then it all comes crashing down on top of you. I think you're crossing the line, Maya.[45]
- Theo (to Maya): That was a stupid thing you did. You know that, right? You could have stayed where you were and directed us like you did Vic and Trav. You wanted to be a hero and it was dumb as hell. Maya, your wife might be pregnant. You could be someone's mom right now. And you are pulling cowboy crap like you got a death wish.
- Theo (to Beckett): Good job? Seriously? No, you're so focused on proving you're the big guy around here that you don't know how to be a good leader. You do know that Bishop is working five shifts in a row, right? That's 120 hours without any sleep, because you can't win without dignity, man. She's killing herself to prove that she deserves her spot on this team. People die on this job, and they die a lot faster when captains are too wrapped up in their egos. I know that first hand. So do something, because if someone dies on your watch and it's because of your failure, you'll never get over it. Captain.[46]
Appearances[]
| Grey's Anatomy, Season 18 | |||||
| #01 | "Here Comes the Sun" | #08 | "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" | #15 | "Put It to the Test" |
| #02 | "Some Kind of Tomorrow" | #09 | "No Time to Die" | #16 | "Should I Stay or Should I Go" |
| #03 | "Hotter Than Hell" | #10 | "Living In a House Divided" | #17 | "I'll Cover You" |
| #04 | "With a Little Help From My Friends" | #11 | "Legacy" | #18 | "Stronger Than Hate" |
| #05 | "Bottle Up and Explode!" | #12 | "The Makings of You" | #19 | "Out for Blood" |
| #06 | "Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)" | #13 | "Put the Squeeze On Me" | #20 | "You Are the Blood" |
| #07 | "Today Was a Fairytale" | #14 | "Road Trippin'" | ||
| Grey's Anatomy, Season 19 | |||||
| #01 | "Everything Has Changed" | #08 | "All Star" | #15 | "Mama Who Bore Me" |
| #02 | "Wasn't Expecting That" | #09 | "Love Don't Cost a Thing" | #16 | "Gunpowder and Lead" |
| #03 | "Let's Talk About Sex" | #10 | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" | #17 | "Come Fly With Me" |
| #04 | "Haunted" | #11 | "Training Day" | #18 | "Ready to Run" |
| #05 | "When I Get to the Border" | #12 | "Pick Yourself Up" | #19 | "Wedding Bell Blues" |
| #06 | "Thunderstruck" | #13 | "Cowgirls Don't Cry" | #20 | "Happily Ever After?" |
| #07 | "I'll Follow the Sun" | #14 | "Shadow of Your Love" | ||
| Station 19, Season 4 | |||||
| #01 | "Nothing Seems the Same" | #07 | "Learning to Fly" | #13 | "I Guess I'm Floating" |
| #02 | "Wild World" | #08 | "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" | #14 | "Comfortably Numb" |
| #03 | "We Are Family" | #09 | "No One is Alone" | #15 | "Say Her Name" |
| #04 | "Don't Look Back in Anger" | #10 | "Save Yourself" | #16 | "Forever and Ever, Amen" |
| #05 | "Out of Control" | #11 | "Here It Comes Again" | ||
| #06 | "Train in Vain" | #12 | "Get Up, Stand Up" | ||
| Station 19, Season 5 | |||||
| #01 | "Phoenix from the Flame" | #07 | "A House Is Not a Home" | #13 | "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" |
| #02 | "Can't Feel My Face" | #08 | "All I Want for Christmas is You" | #14 | "Alone in the Dark" |
| #03 | "Too Darn Hot" | #09 | "Started from the Bottom" | #15 | "When the Party's Over" |
| #04 | "100% or Nothing" | #10 | "Searching for the Ghost" | #16 | "Death and the Maiden" |
| #05 | "Things We Lost in the Fire" | #11 | "The Little Things You Do Together" | #17 | "The Road You Didn't Take" |
| #06 | "Little Girl Blue" | #12 | "In My Tree" | #18 | "Crawl Out Through the Fallout" |
| Station 19, Season 6 | |||||
| #01 | "Twist and Shout" | #07 | "We Build Then We Break" | #13 | "It's All Gonna Break" |
| #02 | "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" | #08 | "I Know A Place" | #14 | "Get It All Out" |
| #03 | "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" | #09 | "Come As You Are" | #15 | "What Are You Willing to Lose" |
| #04 | "Demons" | #10 | "Even Better Than the Real Thing" | #16 | "Dirty Laundry" |
| #05 | "Pick Up The Pieces" | #11 | "Could I Leave You?" | #17 | "All These Things That I've Done" |
| #06 | "Everybody Says Don't" | #12 | "Never Gonna Give You Up" | #18 | "Glamorous Life" |
| Station 19, Season 7 | |||||
| #01 | "This Woman's Work" | #05 | "My Way" | #09 | "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" |
| #02 | "Good Grief" | #06 | "With So Little to Be Sure Of" | #10 | "One Last Time" |
| #03 | "True Colors" | #07 | "Give It All" | ||
| #04 | "Trouble Man" | #08 | "Ushers of the New World" | ||