I've been a fan of Grey's Anatomy for many years. I started watching it in high school and binged it entirely on Netflix. By the time I finished the episodes on Netflix, I was up to speed with the current episodes: the show was airing Season 13. However, I found myself losing interest as my favorite characters were either killed off or had left the show. Life also became busy for me, but without George, Mark, Lexie, Cristina and Derek, I didn't really want to watch the show anymore. Once Alex Karev left I knew I had to stop watching. I had basically given up all hope on a show that had once been my favorite.
Until last week.
I'm not up to date with the current season of Grey's Anatomy at all. I saw many tweets from my friends watching the most recent episode, and they were all freaking out. Curious, I looked into what had caused their excitement. I was in shock. I had to do a double take. Had I seen Derek Shepherd...with Meredith Grey? In 2020?!
My first thought was that Meredith had finally went to the great beyond. I've written an article about this before, but Meredith has cheated death so many times. I thought that this might be the end of her. I don't know if I'm so sure now. Considering she's survived drowning, a plane crash, a bomb explosion, and many other death traps, I don't think there's really anything that can harm her.
I had to ask a friend what was happening for more context because I hadn't seen the entire episode. In short, Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital has become a COVID-19 center and is now taking any and every patient exhibiting symptoms of the virus. The doctors, nurses, and everyone on the staff are fully equipped with masks, shields, and protective suits. The episode really highlights how serious the pandemic is and how many lives have been lost because of it. It really put things into perspective and emphasized the importance of keeping your distance and wearing a mask. It's also really interesting to see the pandemic from a healthcare worker's perspective.
The episode continues with the doctors growing tired: physically from all of the work they have been doing, and emotionally tired due to the amount of patients they have lost. Some crack under the pressure and some grow extremely tired. Meredith has a breakdown and cries loudly when she loses another patient, adding to the list. After a while, she calms down. Then the unthinkable happens.
Meredith is found collapsed in the parking lot of the hospital, unresponsive. The scene switches to a beach where Meredith sits, hearing a familiar voice calling out to her. In disbelief (like most of the fans), she stands up to see her husband smiling and yelling her name. Derek Shepherd appears on screen and the tears begin to flow. The screen cuts to black after Meredith whispers, "Derek."
This couldn't be possible, was my first thought. Then I considered: wait...if Derek is dead...then did Meredith die? Based on the preview for the upcoming episode, Meredith is not dead. It appears as though she has COVID-19 and is struggling severely.
So, what do you think is going to happen? Is Derek back for good: meaning that Meredith is dead? Is Derek a figment of Meredith's imagination? Will his return be long-term, or only last for two episodes? Only time will tell. All I have to say is that my heart is so happy to see Derek and Meredith reunited, even if it's only a dream.
