Much of whatGrey’s Anatomyseason 21’s trailer highlighted involved the aftermath of season 20, episode 10, but the trailer ostensibly avoided revealing details about one character’s fate in particular.Grey’s Anatomyseason 20 ending on a cliffhanger for many of Grey Sloan Memorial doctors guaranteed season 21 will have to pick up right after it, explaining whether those whose fate was hanging in the balance lost their jobs and how the others whose fate was set in stone were faring. However, the trailer curiously tackled the story of one character whose actions had huge consequences in season 20’s finale.
The decisions of multiple characters had a massive impact during theGrey’s Anatomyseason 20 finale. From Meredith having to choose between continuing her Alzheimer’s research herself or securing Teddy her job back after her granting Meredith funds got Teddy fired to Catherine having to manage rebelling interns and defiant surgeons, season 20’s ending brilliantly set upGrey’s Anatomyseason 21. However, while most doctors or interns lost or risked losing their jobs because of their unruliness,one character’s career was threatened following an avoidable mistake that killed their patient, despite Dr. Ndugu trying to salvage the tricky operation’s results.
10 Former Grey’s Anatomy Characters Who Still Need To Return In Season 21
An unlikely character from Grey’s Anatomy season 2 returning in season 21 highlights how many more characters could easily return to visit Grey Sloan.
Grey’s Anatomy Season 21’s Trailer Doesn’t Mention Richard’s Retirement Despite His Season 20 Mistakes
The Trailer Showcases Richard’s Centrality By Letting Him Present The Medical Case
Grey’s Anatomyseason 20 involved Richard temporarily stepping back from surgery. However,Richard still attended an aortic aneurysm surgery inGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s finale, letting Mika and Jules briefly suture in his place, which led him to believe it was their inexperience that killed Garrett. However, Richard soon realized it was his stitches that did not hold, prompting his sharing with Winston about who handled the posterior wall, revealing his part in Garrett’s death and freeing Jules and Mika of guilt as the two interns both did everything well.
While Richard and Meredith’s talk at the OR gallery openly discussed Richard’s belief that it was likely his time to retire as a surgeon,Grey’s Anatomyseason 21’s trailernever showed Richard’s smaller role in the medical drama. Instead,the season 21 trailer showed Richard in a relatively central position as he presented the unusual medical caseof the bungee jumper whose cord snapped, hinting he might participate in the saving of the patient, something the events ofGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s ending would have discouraged after Garrett died because of Richard’s mistakes.
Dr. Winston Ndugu was easily angered when he realized Richard had let Jules and Mika do part of the stitching in Garrett’s operation, butGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s finale eventually revealed it wasn’t the interns’ stitches that didn’t hold.
Richard’s Retirement From Surgery Can Potentially Make Him Chief Again In Grey’s Anatomy Season 21
Catherine Needs To Appoint Someone She Can Trust After Season 20’s Mutiny
WhileGrey’s Anatomyseason 21’s trailer never hinted at Richard’s retirement, which was a big part of season 20’s ending, Richard’s bigger role in explaining cases might point toRichard returning to be a Grey Sloan Memorial chief. AlthoughGrey’s Anatomyseason 21’s trailer didn’t hint at that in any way apart from Richard’s bigger role in presenting cases,it would make sense for Catherine to appoint someone she trusted as chiefafter half her surgeons and all her interns led a mutiny against her.
Were Richard to officially retire from surgery inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, becoming chief again would still let him hold a central position.This would make Richard a key character at Grey Sloan Memorial without letting him be too close to patients who needed surgeries, with his appointment being a win-win for the medical drama and the hospital, asGrey’s Anatomycould keep Richard front and center without having patients die from his mistakes.
Grey’s Anatomyseason 21 premieres on Thursday, September 26 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
