Grey’s Anatomy’s Saddest Death Was Also Its Most Necessary

Grey’s Anatomy fans can never forget the first time they saw the handsome neurosurgeon, who had a one-night stand with Meredith Grey. From then on, it was inevitable that Dr. Derek Shepherd would become the “McDreamy” everyone would fall in love with, like the hero of a ’90s rom-com. Derek stole the audience’s hearts almost immediately as the doctor who could get anyone he wanted. At least, that’s what one would perceive his character to be at first, but Dr. Shepherd was so much more. His character harbored both positive and negative attributes, but he was always seen in a “heroic” light throughout his eleven-season run in the medical drama. He could be considered the show’s leading man, and his and Meredith’s romance was nothing short of a fairytale. However, having such an enigmatic character drop dead on the viewers without warning was one of the biggest traumas that the show could give the audience.

Patrick Dempsey’s famed television character met a tragic end in Season 11, which left the fans shocked. He was essentially one of the original Grey’s Anatomy characters, and fans assumed that he’d be in on it until the series’ last episode. The fandom was so frustrated by Patrick’s exit that it still haunts and upsets them even today. A considerable part of Grey’s Anatomy’s fandom claimed they watched the show because of Derek Shepherd, and his death left a large hole in the series. As heartbreaking as it was, looking back at the events leading up to the fateful day of Derek’s accident, it would seem that the storyline wasn’t just a “stunt.” Various reasons contributed to the idea of writing the character off, and it led to several characters growing out, especially Meredith.

Derek Shepherd’s Death Still Haunts the Fans

• Fans were so devastated by Derek’s sudden death that petitions were signed to resurrect the character.
• Patrick Dempsey played the lead role for almost 11 seasons.
• There were several rumors surrounding Dempsey’s departure, including off-screen disputes.

Shonda Rhimes is no stranger to killing off fan-favorite characters in a jiffy. Grey’s Anatomy can even be considered the Game of Thrones of medical dramas since safety isn’t guaranteed for anyone. Fan-favorite characters being abruptly written off has been an ongoing trend in Grey’s Anatomy since its early seasons. Whether it was George O’Malley, Lexie Grey, or Izzie Stevens, several main characters bit the dust despite their characters’ promising arcs. However, most of these exits have been controversial, involving several rumors about off-screen issues with co-stars or Rhimes, tired of doing the same role and scheduling issues.

So, when the beloved McDreamy was sentenced to death in a heartbreaking episode in Season 11, rumors started to erupt about an off-screen dispute between Shonda Rhimes and Patrick Dempsey. It was reported that the actor still had time left till the contract ended, but he was written off early, indicating that the actor might be in hot waters behind the scenes. Fortunately, both Rhimes and Dempsey shut the rumors down, and thankfully, the reason for killing off Derek was much more understandable than controversial.

From Dempsey’s side, it was the fatigue of working full-time that didn’t allow him to have enough time for his family. For Shonda, there was a deeper meaning and necessity behind killing Derek. The neurosurgeon had been in the limelight since episode one and was integral to every storyline. Derek Shepherd was a rock for several people, especially Meredith, and he rose to the occasion several times. Despite hitting rock bottom in his career and love life, Derek found his way back to the great surgeon and person he was.

However, things drastically changed for him after the plane crash, when he lost function in his hand and was unable to perform surgery. This caused Derek to hit one of the lowest points in his life and career, and for the most part, it became about him. Although he and Meredith agreed to start a family, the spotlight was mostly on him, his career choices, and his ambition. Meredith had to take a backseat, which more or less might have contributed to sealing his fate on the show.

Derek’s Exit Was Necessary For Meredith’s Growth

• Things became complicated for Meredith after she and Derek decided to start a family.
• Derek increasingly prioritized his professional choices over Meredith’s.
• With Derek gone, Meredith was able to find her spot in the light.

The fans had gotten so used to seeing Meredith and Derek together that it became hard to separate their personal growth. While Meredith tried to juggle her career and personal life, the same wasn’t the case for Derek. His priorities always lay with his career, and that caused a storm in his love life. It’s safe to say that Mer and Derek’s romance wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t something that would define the two solely. However, their love story was seemingly taking center stage every time the spotlight was on them, and it surprisingly stunted Meredith’s character growth more than Derek’s.

Their “love” was becoming an obstacle in her dreams and passion for becoming the best surgeon. As Cristina once pointed out, the two women did start out with the same goal, but Meredith changed along the way, and she became a mother. As harsh as it may sound, the bitter truth is that motherhood became a hindrance in her career, even for someone as talented as Mer. Although the decision to start a family is mutual, the mother has to pay a higher price.

Even though Derek agreed to take a step back and let Meredith focus on her career, he went back on his word and let his ambition get the better of him. Everything went spiraling down when he accepted a job at the White House, which was the final straw for Meredith. With this decision, it was evident that the show had come too far to change Derek’s course of action. There was nothing more to be done to redeem his character after his poor choices of prioritizing himself. No matter how devastated it left the fans, Derek’s departure was instrumental in Meredith’s growth. Although she had to go through a rough patch for a time, she came out shining at the other end.

Not only did she give birth to their third child alone, but she also took care of three kids, all the while giving her best in the hospital. Suddenly, it became all about Meredith. She was suddenly free of the co-dependency she had established in her relationship, which was sadly holding her back in several aspects of life. Derek’s was one of the saddest TV deaths of all time, but it paved the way for Meredith to become a strong woman and surgeon in the later seasons.

Derek’s Death Allowed Amelia Her Chance in the Limelight

• Amelia was always going to live under Derek’s shadow with him in the picture.
• Despite being devastated by his death, Amelia grew into a strong character and neurosurgeon.
• Derek’s death brought out the best in Amelia, both professionally and personally.

Meredith wasn’t the only character who broke out of the co-dependency cycle with Derek. After Derek’s demise, his sister Amelia also found her spot on the stage as an aspiring neurosurgeon. Amelia had a rough start on the show as she couldn’t be trusted by Derek after her overdose incident. She was almost dead for a few minutes before he resurrected her, but that event led her to turn a clean slate and become sober. However, when she arrived at Seattle Grace, she didn’t receive a warm welcome from her brother. He was critical of her skills and didn’t trust her to be at the same level as he was. Although he never intended bad for her, Amelia would forever be in his shadow as the “second-hand” Shepherd. No matter how hard she tried, she could never be as good as THE Derek Shepherd.

Amelia loved her brother and was particularly devastated by his death, especially when Meredith didn’t tell her before pulling his life support. However, with Derek out of the picture professionally, she was able to take his place and make a name for herself in neurosurgery. It’s hard to say how her character would have turned out with Derek still on the scene, but his charismatic personality and experience would definitely have overshadowed hers. Like Meredith, she somehow benefitted from his absence, which seemed necessary at the time. Otherwise, her character would’ve been too boring lurking in the background with a storyline that would’ve burned out too quickly.

McDreamy’s Death Kept the Love Story Alive

• Meredith and Derek are considered one of the best couples in television
• Their love story was an essential aspect of Grey’s Anatomy storyline.
• Fans would’ve been devastated if Derek left Meredith and lived to tell the tale.

The enormity of the “Mer/Der” love story was one of the reasons why Shonda decided to come up with an exit strategy for Derek. Derek’s choice to leave Meredith and prioritize his career over their family was something that the viewers could never have expected of him. His character was built on the foundation of being that one person who would always be there for Meredith no matter what. They were the Romeo and Juliet of the medical world minus all the family feuds. The show had built so much on their love that it wouldn’t have been a wise choice to keep Derek’s storyline going. He would have become a hated character for leaving Meredith and his family. The idea was to keep that swoon-worthy romance alive that the fans had come to love since the beginning.

No matter what, the viewers were always rooting for the couple, and it would’ve been a shame to see that magic had gone to waste just to keep Derek’s character alive. It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision but a necessary course of action to keep the show’s core element alive. The audience had to feel the devastation of love lost and mourn a character that was kind and loving and died doing what he did best – saving lives. Derek and Meredith’s love life had seen several on-again/off-again scenarios, but the point they had reached in Season 11 wasn’t about a “break” anymore. They couldn’t go back to breaking and making up like they used to in the early seasons. They were married and had a family and Derek being that guy who leaves all that would have further diminished Meredith’s character development. It was sad, but if the audience looked at the bigger picture, Derek’s death was necessary.