Ever notice that despite being set in Seattle, it hardly ever rains on Grey’s Anatomy? So, clearly, when it was pouring buckets on Omelia’s wedding day (Kepner says rain means good luck, Grey’s writers not so much) we were in for a challenging hour. The theme of the episode was, fittingly enough, “love.” Does love know no bounds? Do we only get one “true love” in our lives? Is it possible to find happiness once it’s been had – and lost – before? These questions and more were answered in this year’s finale, “Family Affair,” in which a baby was born, a secret was revealed, and a longtime character said goodbye.
You Want It To Rain
The richness of relationships is a crucial reason why Grey’s Anatomy is thriving twelve seasons into its run. As Meredith’s voice-over ended, the camera revealed Meredith and Alex laying on their backs on the grass, paralleling numerous scenes in which Meredith and Cristina did the same. Meredith insisted that Owen and Amelia’s marriage wedding was doomed because of the rain. Alex (in a prickly mood since he still doesn’t know why Jo won’t marry him) snarked that Meredith was willing the sky to open up and wreck the Omelia nuptials. Ironically, no intervention was necessary. The wedding was falling apart on it’s own.
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Omelia
Poor Amelia. Yes, you read that correctly. I truly feel badly for her (two weeks running!). I’m still not a fan of Omelia (Crowen forever, baby! #SorryNotSorry) but Girl Shepherd can’t catch a break. Not only is Derek dead (he was supposed to walk her down the aisle since their father is also dead), Amelia’s mother and sisters decided to not attend the wedding due to budget limitations and actor unavailability vague and unsatisfactory reasons. Fortunately, Owen, a “good and decent man who loves me and is expecting to marry me,” was still all in and assured Amelia that the only ones who needed to be there were the two of them. And maybe bridesmaids Maggie, Meredith and “best man” April.
Unfortunately, Amelia overheard Meredith talking to Owen about Cristina being the love of his life which freaked Amelia out again. After she and Meredith had it out (in an amazing Amelia soliloquy and Meredith rebuttal – wowza) Meredith pulled it together and offered to be Amelia’s “person” for the day. She could kick Amelia down the aisle or drive the getaway car. Which would it be?
Sure enough, Amelia (having been given a “menu of options”) bolted with her “sisters” in tow; Meredith literally driving the car as Maggie fretted. Amelia finally admitted that she had doubts. Was Owen her new drug? He’d had his one true love (Cristina) and she’d had hers (Ryan?). Could love be found twice? Magic Eight Ball said, “yes” because Amelia returned to the church (not Meredith’s house — hoorah!) and married Owen.
Japril
Having forgotten the wedding rings at Meredith’s house, April had Ben drive her there to find them. Good news: they found the rings. Bad news: April was having contractions hard and fast. After her water broke, Baby Kepner was coming. Ben had the sense to call 911, but he had to delivery April’s baby on Meredith’s dining room table (yuck). The baby was breach (of course) and the umbilical cord wasn’t right either (naturally). With a terrified Jackson, Miranda, and Arizona on the phone, Ben delivered April’s baby with no surgical instruments and no anesthesia. Result? April is stable, Baby Girl Kepner was well and gorgeous, Japril’s looking reunited (please? PLEASE?), and Ben/Miranda were – at last- all good, too. Whew!
Jolex
Alex, yearning for what Owen and Amelia were signing up for (house, marriage, kids), confronted Jo about her third “no” to his proposal. She hedged. He left, moving back to Meredith’s house. But, brace yourselves, I felt badly for Jo! Truth! After Stephanie passed a drunken Jo off to Andrew (who drove her home) it was revealed that Jo couldn’t marry Alex because she was already married! Jo was living in her car and met a guy she loved. She wasn’t living in her car anymore, but her husband turned out to be an abuser. Fearing for her life, she ran. Jo Wilson’s not even her real name and, as Jo confided to DeLuca, she can’t divorce the brute because that would mean he would find her which is not a risk she is willing to take. Just as Andrew was putting Jo to bed, Alex turned up and, assuming the worst, punched DeLuca in the face.
Griggs?
Bottom Line: Meredith + Nathan = adorable. Sexy banter, halting vulnerability, hotness and cuteness – all were evident in spades. Apparently, these two had sex four times that night in the car “which is not easy” but none since. Surely that won’t last long. No strangers to loss, Meredith and Nathan appeared to be reaching out to each other in spite of themselves. Too bad Meredith just found out that Maggie is crushing on Riggs and is convinced that Nathan likes her back. (Doh!) At least Owen and Nathan finally seem to be mending fences. Ah, bromance.
Farewell, Callie Torres
Finally, after Arizona came to Callie offering a more flexible custody arrangement and plane tickets, Callie decided to move to New York to be with Penny. Sara Ramirez has left the show. Cue sobbing Calzona fans in 3…2…1…
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See You In September
So there you have it. It was a calmer finale than some years. No shooters, no plane crashes, and, despite my hopes (Cristina) and predictions (Megan), no unexpected returns/arrivals. But I found the episode (Omelia nuptials notwithstanding) quite lovely and very true to who these characters are, which is why the clock now starts ticking for season thirteen of Grey’s Anatomy. Ready. Set. Go!
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Meredith: “Amelia! Stuff your feelings in! (Maggie stares.) What? It’s not my ‘love day’. I have things to do.”
Alex (to Jo): “I’m not some idiot kid anymore, Jo. I’m a man and I’m done with games. I’m done with crazy. I’m done with losing. I’m done with drama.”
Meredith: “Don’t do that.”
Nathan (eyeing her slyly): “Do what?”
Meredith: “Get any ideas. Don’t get any ideas. There are no ideas here for you.”
Meredith: “Big day today. Big step. Really big step.”
Owen: “Why do you have a problem with me marrying your sister?”
Meredith: “I don’t. But I’m responsible. I mean, he (Derek) left her (Amelia) to me. And she (Cristina) left you to me.”
Owen: “I’m not a piece of property for Cristina to just hand over for safekeeping.”
Meredith: “I haven’t told her. Does she know?”
Owen: “No.”
Meredith: “Don’t you think you should call her and tell her before you do this?”
Owen: “Why would I do that?”
Meredith: “She was the love of your life. If it were me, I’d call Derek. I don’t know. Just to see if it came close to what we had.”
Meredith: “I can be a twisted sister for you. I am your family, Amelia. Today, I am your person.”
Maggie: “What’s wrong with Owen?”
Amelia: “Nothing’s wrong with Owen!”
Meredith: “Well, he could use some sun…”
Jo (about Alex): “I can’t marry him because I’m already married.”
Grey’s Anatomy returns in September 2016, Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
(photo courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
