Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Already Sneakily Set Up Meredith’s Replacement

Meredith Grey isn’t going anywhere in Grey’s Anatomy, but her reduced presence in the medical drama can nevertheless mean that another character has the chance to take her place, especially in the way one key Grey’s Anatomy character relates to them. Meredith’s departure in season 19 hinting at her definitive disappearance made the search for Meredith’s perfect replacement more urgent.

When thinking about possible replacements for Grey’s Anatomy’s protagonist, their centrality and similarities between their story and Meredith’s came to mind, making Jo or Simone the likeliest. However, Meredith’s replacement could also introduce themselves more subtly, with someone taking over her role as related to other characters in the medical drama, and Grey’s Anatomy season 21 heavily hinted at that.

Richard Looked Out & Took Winston Under His Wing Like He Did For Meredith Beforehand

Meredith’s move to Boston in season 19 didn’t diminish her importance or centrality, with Meredith being forced back at the center of Grey’s Anatomy’s story through her research and her patients. However, one thing Ellen Pompeo’s reduced role can’t let the medical drama devote enough attention to is Meredith’s relationships with other Grey’s Anatomy characters.

From Meredith’s extended family to her long-term mentorship with Bailey and unusual personal and professional bond with Webber, all her relationships weren’t the focus when Meredith reappeared in Grey’s Anatomy. This couldn’t have been clearer than in Meredith and Richard’s fight, which reminded us of their bond’s importance, but wasn’t developed throughout Grey’s Anatomy season 21 due to Meredith’s absences.

However, Richard evidently took someone else under his wing, just like he had done with Meredith in Grey’s Anatomy season 1. Their casual hangouts at the hospital and outside it showed Richard wanted to be close to Winston Ndugu despite his marriage to Webber’s biological daughter Maggie ending in divorce. Grey’s Anatomy season 21 made their connection even more evident.

It was Richard’s persistent interference in the bond developing between Winston and Jules in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 that nevertheless confirmed Ndugu becoming Meredith’s replacement in Richard’s heart. Indeed, just like he opposed Meredith and Derek’s relationship, wanting to protect Meredith, Richard kept Jules away from Winston, realizing that Ndugu was unwittingly developing feelings for the resident.

How Meredith & Winston’s Difficult Family History Cements Winston As Her Replacement For Richard

Richard looked out for Meredith because he felt responsible for breaking up Meredith’s family through his affair with Ellis, as she left Thatcher for him, but Richard backed down from leaving Adele. If that was why he wanted Meredith at Seattle Grace, their bond grew after a while, leading Richard to encourage her to help Thatcher when he reached out.

Meredith’s messy family bonds inevitably drew Richard to become part of her Seattle family, and Winston’s own difficulties with his family can do the same. Although Richard didn’t have anything to do with the problems within Winston’s family, he was partially privy to them, having witnessed Winston’s extreme reactions to his brother Wendell’s arrival.

Winston not wanting anything to do with his family makes him share with Meredith the same quality that led Richard to act as mentor and father figure all at once for her. Grey’s Anatomy season 22 building up on it can make this true for Winston too, making Maggie’s former husband incredibly well-suited to be Meredith’s replacement in Grey’s Anatomy.