Warning! SPOILERS for Grey’s Anatomy season 18, episodes 19 and 20 ahead.
Grey’s Anatomy season 18 ended with an intense two-episode season finale that tied up many season-long storylines – here’s the medical drama’s ending explained. While Shondaland’s long-lasting show was renewed for season 19, Grey's Anatomy season 18 delivered a two-part season finale that answered as many questions as it asked. In doing so, it set up season 19 with challenges fit for a final seasonshouldGrey’s Anatomy season 19 to actually be the show’s last. Here’s every question of the Grey’s Anatomy season 18 finale answered.
Grey’s Anatomy season 18’s main threat to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital was its residency program being shut down, but that wasn’t the only development reaching a turning point in Grey’s Anatomy season 18's finale. Meredith’s (Ellen Pompeo) decision in Grey's Anatomy to leave thehospital to pursue a life and career elsewhere caused many problems for Grey Sloan. It proved to be somewhat contentious for Meredith herself, as she was pushed to that decision without having thoroughly thought it through. Finally, Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy’s (Kim Raver) study on providing end-of-life care to veterans whose failing lungs were a result of the military mismanaging burn pitsbecame an issue as their involvement in stealing drugs to give veterans tooffer a less painful death came back to haunt them.
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All these major Grey’s Anatomy season 18 storylines were carefully intertwined in the show’s season finalewith the doctors’ bid to save the hospital’s reputation. Grey Sloan Memorial’s historical residency program was as much part of the fabric of Grey’s Anatomy as a show as it was fundamental for the residents’ lives, making its shutdown a colossal hardship that will need to be survived by Grey Sloan. That decision highly influenced theGrey’s Anatomy season 18 ending'stwists and turns, and it will also shape season 19’s main challenges. Here’s every question Grey’s Anatomy season 18’s ending answered.
Is Meredith Chief Of Surgery Now?
In a twist justified by everything that happened at Grey Sloan, Grey’s Anatomy season 18 ended with Bailey (Chandra Wilson) resigning as chief to Jackson (Jesse Williams) and handing her office’s keys over to Meredith. While Meredith’s decision to leave didn’t formally change from what could be seen, she did go to Bailey’s office to reflect on Jackson’s offer, and she begrudgingly accepted that she’d have a lot of work to do to save Grey's Anatomy's hospital. This all pointed to Meredith effectively accepting Jackson and the Fox Foundation’s offer to be Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital’s new Chief of Surgery. While Meredith’s position as chief could be temporary, as Jackson suggested, it would still mean that Grey’s Anatomy season 19 will start with Meredith as a leader, struggling to save the hospital that shaped her, teasing a challenging but entertaining season 19.
Grey's Anatomy All But Confirmed S19 To Be The End
Grey’s Anatomy season 18 ending with the hospital in a tough spot without a residency program, nor a Chief of Trauma or a co-Chief of Cardio, heavily hinted at Grey's Anatomy season 19 being its last. The challenges the hospitalwill face next season will be even greater than those of this season,when the residency program was only threatened. Its shutdown will undermine the reputation of Grey Sloan Memorial. Meredith will have to lead the hospital through its biggest challenge yet.
In addition, Grey’s Anatomy highlighted throughout the second half of season 18 how Meredithfelt she was done with Grey Sloan but was also having issues letting go. Her difficulties in leaving her colleagues and family behind resulted from how quickly she decided to resign but also from how connected she is to the place where she's spent her whole life. TheGrey’s Anatomy season 18 endingleft the story open to the possibility that, while the show might end with Meredith leaving Seattle, it could also end with Meredith acceptingher complicated history with Grey Sloan Memorialand permanently becoming its Chief of Surgery. The setup makesGrey’s Anatomy season 19 the perfect oneto see former characters returnto save the hospital and the bestpossible way to close out the storied series.
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Is Webber Out Of The Picture?
When Jackson asked Meredith to stay in order to not utterly destroy Grey Sloan’s reputation as a hospital, he mentioned that he couldn’t “lose her and Richard at the same time.” As the Medical Accreditation Council shut down the residency program and Richard (James Pickens Jr.) was its director, itmakes sense that he would no longerbe in that capacity at Grey Sloan. But Richard’s roles as the Fox Foundation and Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital liaison remained, so he’d still have a role beyond just working as a surgeon there. Still, Jackson phrased his concern in a way that made it seem as though Richard wouldn’t be there at all, despite the fact a big storyline in Grey’s Anatomy season 18 revolved around Richardevaluating if he could continue as a surgeon and teacher. Jackson’s wording hinted at Richard possibly leaving, and, if that's the case, season 19 could unite multiple Grey’s Anatomy ending theories together. Characterscould easily back both to save Grey Sloan and for Richard’s retirement, making an even stronger case for Grey’s Anatomy season 19 being the show’s final season.
Grey's Anatomy Season 19 May See Owen & Teddy On Trial
Things got worse fast for Teddy and Owen in Grey’s Anatomy season 18's ending two-part finale.They were confronted by a man who traveled from Utah to Seattle specifically to ask themfor drugs thatwould let his ex-Marine wife die peacefully, or he wouldreport Owen to the authorities. With Grey’s Anatomy season 18's final episode establishing Bailey’s knowledge of Owen’s crimes, her duty to report them to the police, and Owen and Teddy’s rushed trip outside the U.S., it’s highly likely this storyline will continue in season 19. As a result of Owen’s actions, Grey’s Anatomy season 19 mightseehim and Teddy standing trial. Considering that Owen stolethe life-ending drugs for his veteran patientsfrom Grey Sloan, however, it’s possible that when the news gets out, it will have consequencesfor Grey Sloan’s standing beyond justOwen and Teddy.Either way,season 19 will have to continue that storyline as the Grey's Anatomy season 18 ending left off with Owen and Teddy on the run with their children.
Grey's Anatomy's 400th Episode Hinted At Meredith Finally Being The Sun
Grey’s Anatomy season 18’s ending set up the best challenge for Meredith yet, as Grey’s Anatomy’s latest seasons saw her grow in her professional capacity, but they often avoided her struggle to deal with her complicated past, especially living up to the legacy of her mother, Ellis (Kate Burton).Whenever her past came back to bother Meredith,such as the final visit to Thatcher Grey (Jeff Perry) in a hospice in season 15 or as nightmares about Ellis in season 18, she faced it by being present and being the bigger person. Still, Meredithsuffersconsequences from her inability to deal with her past. It came to a head in Grey’s Anatomy season 18's finale whenMeredith's patient died as a result of Meredith choosing to operate on her during a blood shortage, going against Richard’s recommendations. This landed Meredith in a tight spot even with Nick, but she eventually backtracked. Realizing she was pushing her personal life aside to compartmentalize and solve her work problems was a first step in the right direction. It indicates that she will embrace not only her greatness as an innovative surgeon, but also learn how to balance her own personal desires while making peace with her complicated relationship with Ellis and Ellis' legacy. It all proves thatMeredith Grey is still central in Grey’s Anatomy and willfinally be the sun in Grey’s Anatomy season 19.
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FAQs
What happened at the end of Greys season 18? ›
But Meredith made a bad surgical call, Grey-Sloan lost more surgeons, and the hospital experienced a dire blood shortage. The program gets cut by the end of the season. During the season finale, Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) quit and gave Meredith the keys to the chief of surgery's office.
Who dies at the end of GREY's Anatomy season 18? ›With enough blood only for one of them, Simon made the call himself, choosing to die but save his wife. Simon got to hold his newborn son for a few seconds before he took his last breath in one of the most emotional scenes of the finale.
Who was the guy Meredith was talking to in season 18? ›Ellen Pompeo's Meredith has a new leading man, and surgeon, to go toe to toe with. With Scott Speedman's surprise promotion to series regular last year for season 18 after a memorable guest spot in Season 14, we saw Meredith enter into a new and exciting relationship. Scott Speedman is no stranger to romantic leads.
Does the residency program get shut down? ›At the end of Season 18, the Grey Sloan Memorial residency program was shut down. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, took over as interim chief of surgery.
Is Grey's coming back for season 19? ›The nineteenth season of the American medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy was announced on January 10, 2022, by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). It premiered on October 6, 2022, for the 2022–23 broadcast television season.
What happened to Meredith Grey at the end? ›With the support of Alex, Meredith returns to Seattle with the children and is later appointed Chief of General Surgery by Bailey. She sells the "dream house" and moves back to her mother's house, having purchased it back from Alex, and now lives there with Maggie and Amelia Shepherd, her sister-in-law.