‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 19 Finale: Meredith & Maggie Return For Unfinished Business; Turbulent Ride Ends With Life-And-Death Cliffhanger (2023)

SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about the two-part Season 19 finale of Grey’s Anatomy, “Wedding Bell Blues” and “Happily Ever After?”

Grey’s Anatomy wrapped its nineteenth season with a two-part finale packed with many hallmarks of the series: love confessions, hookups, heartache, a runaway bride and a cliffhanger ending with lives hanging in the balance. It also marked a return of the two longtime cast members who departed as series regulars earlier this season, Ellen Pompeo and Kelly McCreary, whose Meredith and Maggie, reunited with Nick and Winston, respectively, for much needed closure (and at least one happy ending.)

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The finale also symbolized the passing of the baton from outgoing longtime Grey’s showrunner Krista Vernoff to new showrunner Meg Marinis, who will be taking the reins next season. The two co-wrote Part 1 of the finale, directed by series star Kevin McKidd, while Marinis penned solo Part 2, directed by Grey’s executive producer and recurring guest star Debbie Allen.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 19 Finale: Meredith & Maggie Return For Unfinished Business; Turbulent Ride Ends With Life-And-Death Cliffhanger (1)

Part 1’s title, Wedding Bell Blues, pretty much sums up the episode. Simone tried to go through with her wedding to Trey despite her having feelings for Lucas and Lucas having professed his love to her – and despite the universe sending her signs in the form of a wedding dress zipper malfunction and a dead red robin. (It was her mom’s favorite bird so when a robin had showed up at her first date with Trey, she had taken it as a seal of approval from her late mother.)

In the end, Simone did get cold feet while literally walking down the aisle. In a scene straight out of a romantic movie, she ran, in her flowing wedding gown, to the hospital — and in Lucas’ arms — as the two went straight to the break room for some alone time.

Their bliss didn’t last because in Part 2 of the finale, Trey was admitted to Grey Sloan with a fractured arm, potentially jeopardizing his surgical career. The jilted groom had gotten in a traffic accident while chasing Simone to the hospital to talk to her. He proceeded to punch Lucas in the face with his good arm, with Simone left devastated.

“I hurt people,” she said, again pulling away from Lucas.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 19 Finale: Meredith & Maggie Return For Unfinished Business; Turbulent Ride Ends With Life-And-Death Cliffhanger (2)

Winston, Nick, Bailey, Amelia, Richard and Catherine flew on a private jet to Boston for the Catherine Fox awards where Nick, as well as Winston and Maggie were nominated. While on board, all were left shaken by severe turbulence, which made Winston and Amelia finally stop bickering over Winston and Maggie’s separation and hold hands. The fear of dying also tempted Richard to have a drink and convinced Nick that he had to give his relationship with Meredith one more try. Upon arrival in Boston, Nick ran to Meredith’s house where a handsome man opened the door to tell him that she was at work.

Meredith indeed was at the lab where she delivered a bombshell to her former co-workers — she wanted to challenge previous Alzheimer’s research, discrediting Derek’s work in the process, with a new take on what causes the disease. They all advised her to keep this quiet for now to protect her funding and her reputation.

But at the awards show, when Meredith was introduced to major donors, she blurted out her revolutionary – and controversial – theory, possibly jeopardizing her financing.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 19 Finale: Meredith & Maggie Return For Unfinished Business; Turbulent Ride Ends With Life-And-Death Cliffhanger (3)

At the ceremony, Meredith also presented the Catherine Fox award, which did not go to any of the nominees but to a stunned Bailey for her work “protecting reproductive rights and training the next generation of doctors on how to perform reproductive care.”

Nick, Winston and Maggie didn’t mind. Maggie, sporting a glossy new haircut, and Winston had just had sex, picking up where they had left off before the breakup and looking very much in love to the delight of fans after some ugly fights earlier this season. But just as the two seemed like they might get back together, Winston brought up getting divorced because “I want to excel at my job.” Maggie put a pin in it for the moment, with the two remaining “married but apart” and in a much better place in their relationship than their final months in Seattle.

Meanwhile, Meredith and Nick had the type of heart to heart fans had been pining over for months, since their disastrous farewell meeting in Seattle and the heartbreaking followup phone call. Meredith went to Nick’s hotel to slip him a note under the door. He opened the door and told her about his near death experience on the plane, which “made me realize how badly I want to live… live a whole life with love and mess and pain and you.”

Unlike the last time on the plane, when Meredith pretended she didn’t hear when Nick told her he loved her and hung up, she reciprocated his feelings. With the two eyeing a possible future together in Boston, they may be the answer to the “Happily Ever After?” question from the finale Part 2’s title. And the guy who opened the door at Meredith’s house – turned out he was her daughter’s tutor, and he also happened to be gay.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 19 Finale: Meredith & Maggie Return For Unfinished Business; Turbulent Ride Ends With Life-And-Death Cliffhanger (4)

Another set of longtime star-crossed Grey’s lovers, Link and Jo, finally revealed their feelings for each other at the very end of Part 2. Link was the one who professed his love first after he couldn’t take it anymore, having suffered for days watching Jo flirt with their hunky patient Sam.

Speaking of Sam, he found himself on the operating table bleeding profusely in the final seconds of the finale, with Lucas refusing to wait for an attending and stepping up to perform the surgery in an eerie throwback to last season’s episode where Levi took a similar risk, which didn’t pay off, and his patient died.

Sam’s fate was left in limbo, along with that of the attending who was supposed to lead the surgery, Teddy.

Overworked as the new chief, she never found the time to go see a dentist for a debilitating toothache that had been bothering her during the entire two-part finale. In the end, she collapsed in the ER, with Owen rushing to her side and trying to revive her with a defibrillator.

While Teddy’s life is in grave danger, as Deadline revealed earlier today, Kim Raver, who plays her, along with fellow longtime Grey’s cast members James Pickens Jr. (Richard), Chandra Wilson (Bailey), Kevin McKidd (Owen), Camilla Luddington (Jo) and Caterina Scorsone (Amelia), have signed on to continue on the show next season.

In other developments from the Grey’s finale, Jules and Kwan took their love-hate relationship to another level when he ignored the DNR and DNI requests of Jules’ beloved roommate Max — and ended up saving her life.

He was emboldened to do it after sticking his neck out for a single mother accused of giving her little boy fentanyl and winning that battle, with the mom exonerated and her son making a recovery.

Mika had a good day at the office – asserting herself at the hospital while also finding love as she and Helm kissed to become official as a couple.

Richard and Amelia were both feeling overwhelmed after the severe turbulence on the plane and Meredith’s daring theory. Needing support, Amelia left to find an AA meeting while Richard was last seen staring at a vodka tonic he had ordered.

FAQs

What is the bloodiest episode of Grey's anatomy? ›

It's the End of the World
"It's the End of the World"
Grey's Anatomy episode
Episode no.Season 2 Episode 16
Directed byPeter Horton
Written byShonda Rhimes
9 more rows

What episode does Meredith return after Derek died? ›

She's Leaving Home (Grey's Anatomy)
"She's Leaving Home"
Running time81 minutes
Guest appearances
Kate Burton as Ellis Grey Debbie Allen as Catherine Avery Kevin Alejandro as Dan Pruitt Nicole Sullivan as JJ Elizabeth Ann Bennett as Anne Chambers
Episode chronology
10 more rows

How long was Meredith gone after Derek died? ›

New Wrinkles. Drama Rundown: Meredith goes missing for an entire year (it's only one episode) to cope with the loss of her husband — when she pops up again, surprise! She is giving birth to her and Derek's third child, Ellis. She moves back into her mother's house, where Maggie and Amelia eventually join her.

Was Meredith pregnant when Derek died? ›

As we all know, our beloved Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) died during the April 23 episode of Grey's Anatomy. But did you know that Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was pregnant with Derek's baby when her husband passed away? Watch the video above to meet baby Ellis, Mer-Der's beautiful daughter!

What did Karev's note say to Meredith? ›

Karev explains that Izzie used their frozen embryos from seasons ago to have the twins, and meeting them spurred Karev to leave everyone in Seattle behind to live on a farm with his twins and his former love. "You always said Cristina was your person, then I was your person," Karev tells Meredith.

Did Cristina go to Derek's funeral? ›

Grey's Anatomy star Kevin McKidd (Owen) revealed in a TV Line interview that Cristina Yang was indeed by Meredith's side at Derek's funeral, which took place last season.

What were Derek's last words? ›

"I would... never... hurt you." —Derek's last words to Sidney before dying.

What was Derek's last message to Meredith? ›

In his message, Derek reaffirmed his commitment to Meredith and their kids. “We're gonna do this a lot more when I get home, by the way. You, me, and the family, we're just going to take a day and ride the ferryboat — all day if we want. I love you, Meredith.

How does Amelia handle Derek's death? ›

“You should call Derek,” Shepherd said. She later remembered he passed away, but it made her freak out. She felt like she didn't know who she was anymore and almost didn't want to get back together with Owen Hunt (Kevin Mckidd). “You married a tumor,” she told her husband.

Does Meredith have Alzheimer's? ›

'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19: Meredith's Alzheimer's Research Doesn't Ruin Derek's, It Honors It. Sorry Amelia, but the fight against Alzheimer's was always Meredith's. In its ongoing, nearly twenty-year run, Grey's Anatomy has had plenty of dramatic and devastating moments.

Who was the first person Meredith slept with after Derek died? ›

Nathan Riggs

After Derek's death, Meredith opts to avoid romance but falls into an entanglement of complication with Riggs.

Why did Meredith name her son Bailey? ›

After he was born, Shane Ross noticed that Meredith had suffered from a massive splenic hemorrhage caused by her fall down the stairs. Miranda Bailey performed surgery to stop the hemorrhage and saved Meredith's life, thus Meredith named her son after her.

Does Meredith have Derek's baby girl? ›

Ellis Shepherd is the younger daughter, and youngest child, of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd. She has an older brother, Bailey, and an older sister, Zola.

Does Yang have a baby? ›

Seasons. Theo Hunt is the son of Owen Hunt and Cristina Yang in one of her imagined futures.

Who is Bonnie when Meredith dies? ›

Due to highly positive fan reception, Monica Keena would return again as Bonnie Crasnoff, despite her character's death, in Season 3, Episode 17, "Some Kind of Miracle," as a ghost while Meredith Grey was in limbo.

Who is in Meredith's death dream? ›

Bonnie appears in the limbo-like scene when Meredith is dead in Season 3 to remind her to fight for her own life--Meredith was the only one who fought for Bonnie's life, and it wasn't enough. Meredith is indifferent to dying, while Bonnie hardly had a choice.

Why does Meredith get called death? ›

Notes and Trivia. Sadie and Meredith have given each other nicknames; "die" and "death" respectively, playing off of their names (Sadie and Meredeath). Lexie Grey mentions she is 30 in "In the Midnight Hour".

What were Cristina Yang's last words to Meredith? ›

"Don't be a hero. You're my person. I need you alive. You make me brave," Cristina said to her soul sister before advising her to avoid small planes, sticking her hands into a body cavity filled with a bomb and other adventures the two had shared in the past.

Why can't Meredith speak? ›

Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) address the injuries, Meredith realizes she is unable to speak. They soon discover that she's lost her hearing as a result of the beating she endured.

What was Christina's speech to Meredith? ›

Before leaving, Cristina told Mer not to let Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) overshadow Meredith's own needs in her career. "You are a gifted surgeon with an extraordinary mind," Cristina said, "Don't let what he wants eclipse what you need. He's very dreamy, but he is not the sun. You are."

Does Meredith sue the hospital for Derek's death? ›

During Thursday's “The End is the Beginning is the End” episode, Meredith, Derek, Cristina, Arizona and Callie learn that they won the lawsuit — and are awarded $15 million each — that will be paid from the pocket of the hospital's insurance company.

Does Meredith get over Derek's death? ›

But while we are still over here mourning the loss of McDreamy, it seems his widow, Meredith Grey, has had no problem moving on. While she may still think of the handsome doctor from time to time, the show's main character has been with other men since his passing.

Is Yang coming back to Grey's? ›

Don't set your hopes too high, though. Sandra Oh has been pretty clear in past interviews that she has no interest in playing Cristina anymore. When asked if she'd ever return in a 2021 interview, Oh responded that she's completely out of the Grey's world for good.

Who answers Derek's phone? ›

According to Derek, his research fellow Renee (NCIS' Scottie Thompson), who he insists is just his research fellow, answered his phone because he left it in the lab and was already at the airport.

Who is Derek's secret nephew? ›

That's right: One of the new interns, Lucas Adams (Niko Terho) is Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey)'s nephew.

Was Derek's death a surprise? ›

Not so much. The episodes leading up to last Thursday's “How to Save a Life” all but told the audience, Derek is going to die. The only thing that kept viewers hopeful that the missing-in-action Derek was still alive was that he had almost died so many times before: He survived getting shot by the hospital gunman!

Who held Meredith's hand at Derek's funeral? ›

It may not have been Sandra Oh, but it was definitely Cristina. “Cristina was there,” McKidd confirms. “I presume Sandra was busy and unavailable for that episode, which was the only reason why [a body double was used]. That funeral sequence was meant to imply that Cristina was obviously there for Meredith.

Can you dial a number to hear Derek's last message to Meredith? ›

Call 1-929-266-5283 to hear Derek's voicemail to Meredith before he died.

What is Meredith's phone password? ›

☤ grey's anatomy facts ☤ on Instagram: “Fact 1803😱 Meredith's phone passcode, as of season 12, is 1008. — #factsforgreys_ellen #greys #greysanatomy #greysanatomyfacts…”

Is Amelia Derek's twin? ›

Amelia Shepherd is the Head of Neurosurgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. She is the youngest sister of Derek Shepherd and was officially employed at Seaside Health and Wellness with privileges at St. Ambrose Hospital.

Who removes Amelia Shepherd's tumor? ›

Amelia Shepherd, Season 14

Her arrogant, but highly competent, mentor successfully removes the tumor. After the surgery, Amelia is left to wonder who exactly she is without the tumor. It's certainly disconcerting to assume that her entire identity is based on a tumor.

What type of surgery does Meredith choose? ›

She and Derek reconcile. Meredith chooses a general surgery specialty over neuro, and they successfully fight to get Zola back. As her last year of residency is coming to a close, the residents travel around the country, searching for the best jobs in their specialties.

What mental illness does Meredith have? ›

It's the disease that led to the demise of Ellis Grey (Kate Burton), Meredith's mother, in season 3, and Meredith tested positive for several genetic markers for Alzheimer's in season 9. Alzheimer's disease first found its way to Grey's Anatomy in the pilot.

What disease did Meredith cure? ›

Courting Meredith

He then showed her a research lab that he'd had set up and asked her to work there, developing a cure for Parkinson's, a condition which he had.

Why did Meredith not choose neuro? ›

Meredith had tampered with her husband Derek Shepherd's Alzheimer's trial to try and help Richard Webber's wife Adele get in. When she got caught, to save her relationship, she left a specialty she was naturally good at.

Who was Nick in Meredith's past? ›

Nick Marsh is a world-class transplant surgeon and the current Director of the Residency Program at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. He previously worked at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He is currently in a relationship with Meredith Grey.

Who was the girl that Derek saved before he died? ›

When asked by a doctor if Derek was a family member or neighbor, Winnie said that he was her friend and that he'd saved everyone. She was one of the last people to see Derek before his death.

How many kids did Meredith have before Derek died? ›

Before his death in 2015, Derek was happily married to his longtime partner and wife Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). The couple had three children together.

Why did Bailey name her baby after George? ›

Her son is born during a bomb scare at Seattle Grace while her husband is being treated in surgery for injuries from a car crash. George O'Malley helped her through labor, and she thanked him by naming her son William George Bailey Jones (though he is nicknamed "Tuck").

Who did Bailey have a child with? ›

Miranda Bailey is a general surgeon and the former Chief of Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. She is married to Ben Warren and has one son, Tuck, with her ex-husband, Tucker Jones.

What does Bailey call her baby? ›

George O'Malley helped coach Miranda Bailey through her labor, and she thanked him by naming her son William George Bailey Jones (he is nicknamed "Tuck" for his father).

Are all of Meredith and Derek's kids adopted? ›

Zola was adopted by Meredith and Derek after coming to Seattle Grace (later known as Grey-Sloan) for surgery when she was 6-months-old. Meredith gave birth to Bailey during a superstorm at Grey-Sloan, but her youngest child, Ellis, was born elsewhere when she was in Boston after Derek's death.

Is Meredith pregnant with Derek's baby after he dies? ›

As we all know, our beloved Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) died during the April 23 episode of Grey's Anatomy. But did you know that Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was pregnant with Derek's baby when her husband passed away? Watch the video above to meet baby Ellis, Mer-Der's beautiful daughter!

Did Meredith have a secret baby? ›

Meredith gives birth to Derek's daughter. Alex, who is Meredith's emergency contact, rushes to her side when he's called. Meredith tells him her newborn baby girl's name is Ellis. Baby Mer-Der is beautiful.

Who does Cristina have a kid with? ›

13The main plot line dealing with abortion takes place in the first season of the show. Cristina finds out that she is pregnant with the child of her "sort of" ex-boyfriend Preston Burke: she decides not to tell him and makes an appointment with an abortion provider.

Does Cristina actually have a baby? ›

Didn't realize Cristina was expecting after she hooked up with Owen a couple of weeks back? It appears Cristina is not pregnant and the baby is just a figment of her imagination.

Does Doctor Yang come back? ›

Dr. Cristina Yang will not be returning to Grey Sloan Memorial. On the premiere episode of the Los Angeles Times' Asian Enough podcast, Sandra Oh said she will not consider making a guest appearance on Grey's Anatomy. "I love it, though," Oh said of the long-running medical drama, on which she starred for 10 seasons.

What are the most dramatic episodes of Greys anatomy? ›

'Grey's Anatomy': 10 Most Nerve-Wracking Episodes
  1. 'It's the End of the World' (Season 2, Episode 16) ...
  2. 'Drowning on Dry Land' (Season 3, Episode 16) ...
  3. 'Now or Never' (Season 5, Episode 24) ...
  4. 'Sanctuary' (Season 6, Episode 23) ...
  5. 'Flight' (Season 8, Episode 24) ...
  6. 'The Perfect Storm' (Season 9, Episode 24)
Jan 27, 2022

What is the highest rated season of GREY's? ›

Grey's Anatomy: The Best Seasons, Ranked
  1. 1 Season 2. ABC. ​​​​​​This is the season that made Grey's Anatomy the hit sensation it was and still is.
  2. 2 Season 6. ABC. Season six was Grey's Anatomy almost at the peak of its powers. ...
  3. 3 Season 3. ABC. ...
  4. 4 Season 1. ABC. ...
  5. 5 Season 8. ABC. ...
  6. 6 Season 4. ABC. ...
  7. 7 Season 5. ABC. ...
  8. 8 Season 10. ABC. ...
Nov 20, 2022

What is the most interesting disease in GREY's anatomy? ›

VHL, the condition featured on "Grey's Anatomy," is a genetic cancer condition that causes tumors in areas of the body that are rich in blood vessels, such as the eye, kidney, pancreas and spinal cord. About one in 32,000 people in the world have been diagnosed with the disease.

What season does GREY's Anatomy get bad? ›

By the time Grey's Anatomy season 8 arrived, many of the main characters viewers had known since season 1 were gone, most notably George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) and Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl). The finale of season 8 saw more big changes in the series, all as a result of a plane crash.

Who is the least popular character on GREY's anatomy? ›

Surprisingly, the most hated Grey's Anatomy character turned out to be Meredith and Lexie's father, Thatcher Grey. He was a complicated recurring character who, just like his ex-wife, made Meredith's life hard. After her parents divorced, Meredith hadn't seen her father for 20 years.

How long would it take to watch every episode of GREY's anatomy? ›

Grey's Anatomy—343 hours (14 days, 7 hours)

Has any character been in every episode of GREY's anatomy? ›

Only three actors have remained the entire time: Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, and James Pickens Jr.

Is Grey's Anatomy over for good? ›

Is Grey's Anatomy ending after Season 19? The answer is no. Variety confirmed in March 2023 that Grey's Anatomy was renewed for a 20th season by ABC.

Have the ratings of GREY's Anatomy dropped? ›

Grey's Anatomy Season 19 Episode 8 managed 3.1 million viewers and a 0.4 rating in the demo. The series was down 20% in the demo this week, despite facing decreased competition.

Is Grey's Anatomy still popular? ›

There are various reasons why Grey's Anatomy is still so popular. An iconic soundtrack (that traumatized fans every time Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol starts to play), intriguing medical cases, great writing, and action — the list of why it is successful is not short.

What disease does Meredith get? ›

Bailey to perform gene mapping on her to finally know whether she has Alzheimer's genes like her mother. She tests positive for more than one of the genetic markers for the disease. Meredith moves to the completed dream home and sells her house to Alex, who purchases it as the only true home he's ever known.

What is inappropriate in GREY's anatomy? ›

The show is meant for an adult audience with adult themes, including sexual relationships among many of the show's characters, lots of blood and gore during surgeries, occasional violent incidents, and issues that affect many people around the country, such as gun violence, sexual assault, PTSD, and more.

Was there 2 plane crashes in GREY's anatomy? ›

Second plane crash (Season 8)

Some of the hospital's finest surgeons are aboard a Boise-bound flight that crashes in the woods in the Season 8 finale, “Flight,” and eventually, Lexie (Chyler Leigh) and Mark (Eric Dane) succumb to their injuries.

Why is Meredith hardly in season 18? ›

EXCLUSIVE: In the Season 18 finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo's Meredith made a decision not to move to Minnesota. While Meredith is staying at Grey Sloan Memorial as an interim Chief of Surgery, we will see less of her next season.

Is season 19 the end of GREY's anatomy? ›

Will Season 19 be the last season of Grey's Anatomy? No. ABC ordered a Season 20 of Grey's Anatomy earlier this year, extending the show's record as the longest-running primetime medical drama on TV.

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