9 ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Questions We Need Answered in Season 21: That Near Kiss, Richard’s Future & More
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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 finale “Burn It Down.”]
Grey’s Anatomy concluded its milestone 20th season with the futures of most characters in limbo. From firings to a possible retirement to the reappearance of a lost love, the ABC medical drama didn’t hold back.
Once the credits start rolling, you probably had just as many questions as us about what’s next for the Grey Sloan doctors. What will be Ellen Pompeo‘s status next season? What does that near-kiss mean for Yasuda (Midori Francis) and Jules (Adelaide Kane)? We’ve rounded up the important questions we need answered in Season 21.
Grey’s Anatomy, Season 21, Fall 2024, ABC
How much will Ellen Pompeo be in Season 21?
Pompeo’s Meredith Grey was a recurring character in Season 20, but she still had a juicy storyline as she and Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) shifted their Alzheimer’s research without telling Catherine (Debbie Allen). By the end of the season, Catherine discovered what Meredith and Amelia were up to. Meredith refused to back down from her research and resigned from the Fox Foundation. She appeared to be buying a house with Nick (Scott Speedman) in Massachusetts. Will we be seeing even less of Meredith in Season 21? Or could something bring her back to Grey Sloan in a bigger capacity?
Is Richard retiring?
In the final minutes of the Season 20 finale, Richard (James Pickens Jr.) sat down with Meredith and admitted that it may be time for him to step back from the OR. After a surgery ended in a patient’s death, Richard started to think about the future. He told Meredith that he felt his time “might be up.” Richard’s been down this road before, but he could actually step down in Season 21.
What's going on with Yasuda & Jules?
We could feel the mountains shift during that finale scene. Yasuda and Jules almost kissed. Jules helped to calm Yasuda down when she panicked about a patient’s death. Their foreheads touched and they were very close to locking lips before Blue (Harry Shum Jr.) walked in. With Francis’ status in Season 21 up in the air, will this possible romance not even get off the ground?
Why didn't Jo tell Link she's pregnant?
After passing out during a stressful shift, Jo (Camilla Luddington) found out she was pregnant. When she had the chance, she didn’t tell Link (Chris Carmack) the news. The couple discussed starting a family earlier in the season after a pregnancy scare, but they acknowledged they needed to wait a while before having a baby. Jo and Link spent most of Season 20 in the honeymoon phase, but could a pregnancy cause problems? Maybe she just needed a minute to process it all.
Could Owen & Teddy be leaving Grey Sloan?
Teddy (Kim Raver) was fired by Catherine in the penultimate episode. During the wildfires, Teddy returned to work anyway to help. She came face-to-face with Catherine in the hospital, and Owen (Kevin McKidd) defended Teddy in front of everyone. Later, Owen’s hospital keycard didn’t work. Did Catherine fire Owen, too? Did Amelia resign or get fired for publishing her research with Meredith? It’s looking like Grey Sloan will have a serious shortage of doctors next season.
Will Blue's ex-fiancée be back?
That was a twist we didn’t see coming. A patient named Molly was admitted with asthma issues because of the wildfires. Following a car accident years ago, she lost her memory. When Blue rushed to her aid, Molly told Blue that she felt like she knew him. Lucas noticed that Blue recognized Molly. Turns out, Molly is Blue’s ex-fiancée!
Will Lucas really take Maggie's job offer?
Lucas was prepared to say goodbye to Grey Sloan to take Maggie’s (Kelly McCreary) Chicago offer given that the council established for Sam Sutton’s death recommended he redo his intern year. During his meeting with Catherine, the interns declared that they would follow Lucas. Catherine threatened to replace them all, and that’s when Bailey (Chandra Wilson) walked in. “What about me? Can you replace me?” she asked Catherine.
Will Carina & Ben return to Grey's Anatomy next season?
With Station 19 over, what does this mean for major crossover like Carina (Stefania Spampinato) and Ben (Jason George)? Both started out on Grey’s Anatomy, so we wouldn’t be surprised if they crossed back over to the flagship series. Could Ben end up returning to Grey Sloan to pursue a medical career again?
What's next for Yasuda & Schmitt?
Ahead of the Season 20 finale, it was reported (but not confirmed) that Francis and Borelli would not be returning as series regulars in Season 21. What does this mean Yasuda and Schmitt’s storylines if they aren’t coming back full-time? Could Yasuda wind up taking Maggie’s offer in Chicago? Time will tell!
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