Two weddings and no funerals marked the Grey's Anatomy finale episode of season 17. The finale was an emotional one, as three couples experienced major turning points in their relationships. But who got married, who got engaged and who broke up? Major spoilers follow for the Grey's Anatomy finale!
In non-relationship news, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) made a successful return to surgery after battling COVID-19 all season and then experiencing lingering symptoms during her first trip to the OR. But she continued to fight for her patient, a fellow COVID survivor named Gerlie, eventually performing a double lung transplant. For her efforts, she received a round of applause from the hospital staff.
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The Grey's Anatomy season 17 finale fast-forwarded from August 2020 to April 2021, so the show is mostly caught-up to the present day.
Here's a rundown of what happened in the finale, "Someone Saved My Life."
Grey's Anatomy finale: Who got married?
In August 2020, Maggie (Kelly McCreary) and Winston (Anthony Hill) are holding a small, intimate wedding in Meredith's backyard. But hold up, because Maggie's dad and Winston's grandmother object! Not because they don't think the couple belongs together, but because they should have a real, big wedding with all their family and friends present.
Maggie and Winston are a bit stunned by the objection at first, but soon realize the merits of what their relatives are saying. Maggie downs a glass of champagne and Mer's kids happily go for cake.
Fast-forward to April 2021, when Maggie and Winston hold their second, real wedding on the beach. And it's as big and beautiful as their loved ones could wish. We've already seen the hospital staff get vaccinated and the event is outdoors, so the COVID risk is very low.
Maggie walks up the aisle on her dad's arm, while her biological father Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) officiates. The couple say their vows and jump over a broom, a Black wedding tradition.
Then, everyone dances it out!
Grey's Anatomy finale: Who got engaged?
On Christmas Day 2020, Meredith is enjoying opening presents with her kids, sisters and friends. Link (Chris Carmack) is planning to propose to Amelia (Caterina Scorsone), but his big moment is interrupted when everyone notices that it's snowing outside ... but just in the backyard.
Turns out, Owen (Kevin McKidd) set up a snow machine for Teddy (Kim Raver), whose love of snow is well-established. Then, he gets down on one knee — with Link sighing "come on, man," in frustration — and asks Teddy to marry him. She tearfully says yes. After all their ups and downs over the years, they may finally get their happily ever after.
Grey's Anatomy finale: Who broke up?
Over the course of months, Amelia is torn about her future with baby daddy Link. She confesses to her addiction group that she doesn't think she wants to ever get married or have another child with him.
Meanwhile, Link has been making plans to propose, buying four different rings and showing them to bestie Jo (Camilla Luddington). His first opportunity is foiled by Owen's Christmas proposal. So, he uses the romantic setting of Maggie's wedding to carry out his second chance.
He also enlists Meredith's children to help him. When Amelia meets them on the beach, he and the three kids all hold out one of the rings — she can choose her favorite. He gets down on one knee and asks Amelia to marry him. But the look on her face is answer, enough. It's a no.
Grey's Anatomy finale: What else happens?
A lot goes down in the finale, besides the couple drama. Jo decides to do whatever it takes to get custody of baby Luna. First, she begs Link for his help — he can act as a front and be Luna's official foster parent, while Jo actually cares for her. Then, she realizes she's wealthy, thanks to Alex leaving her his shares in the hospital. She ends up selling them to Tom Koracick (Greg Germann) and hiring a good custody lawyer.
Later, Jo uses the rest of the money to buy Jackson's (Jesse Williams) apartment and settle in with Luna. When Amelia turns down Link, he heads over there, looking for a place to crash.
The big medical case in the finale revolves around Gerlie, an assisted-living nurse who recovers from COVID-19 but is experiencing ongoing problems with her lungs. Meredith wants to perform a double lung transplant, but Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) is dubious. She thinks Mer should concentrate on her new role teaching interns. But Meredith insists that she was brought on to "change things."
However, Mer's first surgical procedure on Gerlie leaves her feeling dizzy and weak. She, too, is still feeling the after-effects of COVID. But several months later, on the day of Maggie's wedding, Mer is notified that Gerlie is a match for a pair of lungs. She and Teddy rush to the hospital, where they perform the surgery.
Meredith completes it feeling perfectly well and emerges from the OR to a huge round of applause, led by Bailey. Meredith Grey is back.
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