‘Bones’ Says Goodbye to a Familiar Face

Spoiler alert! This post contains plot information about the Feb. 14 hour of Bones.

When Bones first revealed to viewers that Max (Ryan O’Neal) was sick early in Season 12, executive producer Michael Peterson told TV Insider, “It’s going to be resolved in a way that hopefully no one is expecting.”

The other shoe dropped in Tuesday’s episode as the truth of his illness came out—he secretly had a pacemaker put in—and he seemed to be thriving…until he was shot trying to protect his grandchildren. Max was able to have a heart-to-heart with his daughter, Brennan (Emily Deschanel), while he was recuperating at the hospital, but he ultimately passed away.

Related

'Bones' Boss on Aubrey's Resolution, Working with John Boyd's Real-Life Dad

As Brennan is consumed by grief, the next hour also features the return of her onetime love, Sully (Eddie McClintock). “What’s interesting about that one is how it relates to the larger arc we’re doing, where Booth and Brennan’s relationship is tested a little bit because of what happened in Booth’s past,” Peterson previously said. “[Sully] comes in during a very vulnerable time in Brennan’s life. It’s an odd time for him to show up, it puts a little more strain on them. It’s a beautiful resolution, but it’ll be stressful for the fans to see Brennan’s past love showing up at that key moment he does.”

The series also isn’t done saying goodbye to Max. The Feb. 21 hour, “The Grief and the Girl,” includes Max’s funeral. And this farewell video to Max includes a bit of what Brennan has to say about her father:

To the father who never gave up. You’ll forever be in our hearts, Max Keenan. ❤️ #Bones pic.twitter.com/cxgVJdqUXY

— BONES (@BONESonFOX) February 15, 2017

Bones, Tuesdays, 9/8c, Fox