April Is Returning to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and We Have 4 Theories Why She’s About to Show Up

Meredith Jacobs
13 Comments
Sarah Drew Grey's Anatomy Season 11 April Kepner
Kelsey McNeal/©ABC/courtesy Everett Collection

Grey’s Anatomy, which just said goodbye to one of its own (Giacomo Gianniotti‘s Andrew DeLuca was killed during his pursuit of human traffickers), gets a doctor back when it welcomes a familiar face in Season 17.

Sarah Drew returns as Dr. April Kepner, Deadline reports. Viewers last saw April in Season 14, where she had married Matthew (Justin Bruening) — while her ex, Jackson (Jesse Williams), with whom she has a daughter, watched — and decided to move on to helping the homeless.

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No details have been revealed yet about when we’ll see her again or what brings her back for what could be the final season. But don’t worry, we have some theories.

The Hospital Needs Help

Grey Sloan already has two of its doctors battling COVID (Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey, on a vent, and Greg Germann’s Tom Koracick), and just lost DeLuca. So it could be that one of the doctors makes a call to someone they know and trust to come help them out.

As a Patient or Knowing a Patient

The doctors have treated one another time and time again. Could April be the next one to end up in the ER or the OR (and hopefully make it)? It’s also possible. that she knows someone who requires treatment, perhaps connected to her helping the homeless. Or could Matthew be the patient?

Jesse Williams Sarah Drew Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Jackson April

Ron Tom / ©ABC / courtesy Everett Collection

On the Beach

It’s getting a little crowded there, but as we don’t know if she’s even still alive (anything can happen), perhaps April’s return will take place on the beach with Meredith. (While battling COVID, Pompeo’s character has imagined herself on a beach with dead loved ones.)

Jackson- and/or Harriet-related

We hope that nothing bad has happened to Harriet, the daughter April had with Jackson. But it’s very possible that some plot line regarding Harriet is what puts April back on our screens. And with the series potentially wrapping up this season and some fans hoping for an April-Jackson reunion, the show’s writers might be planning just that. We shouldn’t rule out those two getting back together because on Grey’s, again, anything can happen.

Grey’s Anatomy, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC

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Conversation13 Comments

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  1. G

    GreenPretzel

    Don’t put her and Jackson together again!!! If she hurts Matthew again I will totally loose respect for her!!

    24 11

    1. G

      GreenHat

      Maybe Matthew died, idk but I really hope her and Jackson get back together.

      16 1

      1. R

        RedPlane

        Matthew is an EMT ,has had an accident and died? Get she and Jackson back together,,,that story was never finished

        4

    2. G

      GreenBone

      I agree Julie. Why put her back with the guy she left at the alter and has forgiven her and has been raising his daughter for her to leave or for him to die. That is cruel and not her nature.

      1

  2. B

    BlueSailboat

    April and Jackson definitely need to get back together!! They are soul mates.

    Please let them get back together!

    7 1

  3. C

    CyanBottle

    I think it's going to for Meredith as her proxy. She has always said when it comes to making hard choices that she would pick April because she can see all angle of a bad situation.

    1

    1. O

      OliveLocomotive

      You’re right, I had forgotten about that! If they are ending, they better get it right!

      5

  4. B

    BlueBullhorn

    beach scenes are the best

  5. O

    OrangeLamp

    same

  6. P

    PurpleCorn

    A couple things

    1-- The beach hasn't all been dead people. Sometimes Meredith heard Bailey or Richard on the beach when they were just visiting. I really hope it's not there though bc the beach scenes have been so boring.

    2-- I was a huge fan of Jackson and April. I've notice that the writers tend to make any biracial relationships short-lived, which has been a pet peeve of mine (being married to someone of a different race myself,, I root for a couple like Jackson and April, who were great and could have really stuck through it. Matthew could get in danger again seeing as he was a first responder. While we're insisting on covid fatigue for this season, we could at least use it to kill off Matthew and get Jack's and April back, but knowing the way they write, it's unlikely.

    3-- I'm all for the shows calling out systemic racism (new show For Life, I feel does it well by getting us into the feelings involved without being dismissive of anyone who isn't black in every other issue. This season has played out like a bombardment of the same statistics we see on every news platform and have seen for the past year. It makes me mad that they're overpaying the stats and losing the emotional connection on all the issues. I was into and ready to be right there with Dean suing the guys who impeded the rescue on S19, but then somehow the issue of trafficking became the issue of race and the attempt cheapened efforts on both sides.

    1 1

  7. R

    RedPalmtree

    its just damage control due to the recently surfaced cheating allegations. it won't work though.

    1. G

      GreenPretzel

      what cheating allegations? i’m lost lol

  8. O

    OliveHelmet

    i think it’s because of meredith and harriet. as much as i hope they’re endgame i don’t think it’ll happen. i just want a japril reunion for at least one episode.

    1