Meredith’s Oldest Remaining Relationship Is The Real Reason Why Ellen Pompeo Can’t Leave Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s finale hinted at why Meredith will never be completely free of Grey Sloan Memorial, thus impeding her complete departure from the medical drama. Ellen Pompeo’s reduced role since Grey’s Anatomy season 19 meant Meredith’s time at Grey Sloan Memorial officially ended, but Meredith found herself at the center of Grey’s Anatomy’s story repeatedly, including in season 21, when Catherine’s protégé essentially accused Meredith of being at fault if her wife’s transplant fell through. Meredith’s Alzheimer’s research let her often pop in to give updates about her study, keeping her connected to Grey’s Anatomy’s story through that.

This has been the case ever since Grey’s Anatomy season 19’s finale first introduced Meredith’s groundbreaking findings, which partially put off Meredith’s loved ones before convincing them to support her, Amelia in particular, who has been researching by Meredith’s side since Grey’s Anatomy season 20. Pompeo’s reduced role in Grey’s Anatomy made it difficult to let Meredith’s story go much further than just updating on Meredith’s personal life and research, but the promise of her bigger presence in Grey’s Anatomy season 22 could change that. The reason for that also hints at why Meredith can never fully leave Grey Sloan.

Meredith Will Always Be Linked To Grey Sloan Through Webber

Their Talk In Grey’s Anatomy Season 21’s Finale Proved It

The reason for Meredith’s early arrival at Grey Sloan was immediately revealed in the meeting with a pressed-for-time Catherine, who wanted the matter sorted as soon as possible, while Meredith explained to Richard why she wanted to sell her Grey Sloan shares to Catherine and the Fox Foundation. Although Meredith expected Richard’s understanding of her plot to do anything to finance her research that wouldn’t have been funded otherwise without bankrupting her family, what she faced was Richard’s befuddlement, who took her willingness to sell her shares for Meredith’s wish to cut ties with Grey Sloan Memorial, thus, indirectly, Richard.

Richard’s shocked reaction, summed up by his “You grew up here, and this hospital is part of who you are,” fully explained why he took Meredith’s decision personally, rather than as Meredith’s means to an end. Richard couldn’t understand why Meredith couldn’t do both, even bringing up the always-returning threat of his retirement, and how Richard wanted his former protégés Bailey and Meredith to lead Grey Sloan when he was gone. Richard’s reaction in and of itself didn’t stop to consider Meredith’s wishes, instead going straight to taking Meredith’s actions as her wish to sever herself from Grey Sloan Memorial.

Even Richard’s knee-jerk reaction to accept Meredith’s new conditions for the selling of her shares without checking first with Catherine in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s ending showed how he longed to maintain his bond with Meredith. Indeed, even if the new deal set out to reduce Meredith’s official imprint on the hospital, as she would only be a doctor who consulted there, it guaranteed Meredith would spend more time at Grey Sloan. Richard jumping at the chance proved he was more interested in having Meredith closer more often than just thinking about what legacy he would leave to Grey Sloan.

Richard & Meredith’s Relationship Is The Most Enduring Dynamic In Grey’s Anatomy

It’s The Most Consequential After MerDer Or Meredith & Cristina

Richard and Meredith’s bond withstood for the entirety of Grey’s Anatomy. If it started very difficultly, with Richard essentially tricking the system to have Meredith match with Seattle Grace as an intern, only for them to clash often in Grey’s Anatomy’s earlier seasons because Meredith didn’t want Richard to see her as a kind of daughter, Richard and Meredith’s bond grew splendidly in Grey’s Anatomy. Meredith and Richard have consistently been there for each other through the years in ways very few other people would have, crossing the line more than once to support one another.

While Meredith and Cristina were also there for each other in compromising situations and had each other’s backs, the same couldn’t be said for Meredith and Derek, who often clashed on ethical problems, with Derek staunchly following the rules, while Meredith followed her morals, a similarity that she shared with Richard. Meredith and Richard’s unbreakable bond in Grey’s Anatomy couldn’t be easily classified, as the two inevitably quarrelled and did so often, but also went further to protect one another than anyone else would have, making them one of the most interesting medical drama dynamics going on for the longest.