Meredith’s Fate & 6 More Questions for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’s 2021 Return

Ellen Pompeo Grey's Anatomy Season 17 Meredith COVID Hospital
ABC

Grey’s Anatomy may have gotten off to a bit of a later start than usual (like the rest of the fall lineup for the 2020-2021 season), but it still managed to leave off on quite the cliffhanger before its midseason break.

Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) has moved from working on the COVID floor to being one of its patients in the first episodes of Season 17, and as a result, has seen both her late husband Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) and friend George O’Malley (T.R. Knight). In the final moments of Episode 6, “No Time for Despair,” she had to be put on a vent. But how worried should we be about her?

That’s just one of several burning questions we have for when Grey’s returns on March 4. Scroll down to see where the ABC medical drama left off with its relationships, an ongoing storyline from last season and more.

Grey’s Anatomy, Thursday, March 4, 9/8c, ABC

Ellen Pompeo Meredith Mind Beach Grey's Anatomy Season 17
ABC

What will happen to Meredith?

While there is the concern of whether she’ll come off the vent, we doubt Grey’s is about to kill off Meredith, even if this ends up being the last season. But what about long-term effects of her battle with COVID? How long is she going to be in the hospital as a patient?

Patrick Dempsey - Grey's Anatomy - Season 17 - Derek Shepherd
ABC

What will we see next from Derek's return?

There’s still more to come from Meredith’s reunion with her dead husband on that beach in her mind. We have yet to see the two talk in a significant way like she did with George.

Grey's Anatomy Season 17 Meredith Mind Beach Richard George Bailey
ABC

Will any other dead characters return?

The ABC medical drama has said goodbye to quite a few characters over the years, so there is a list to pick from if Meredith’s going to have another reunion before this is over. But will we see anyone else or might we only see Derek and those sitting with her in her hospital room (as we did with Chandra Wilson’s Bailey and James Pickens Jr.’s Richard) from now on?

Kim Raver as Teddy and Kevin McKidd as Owen in Grey's Anatomy - Season 17 - 'No Time for Despair'
ABC

How much messier will the Owen/Teddy/Tom love triangle get?

Though Teddy (Kim Raver) seems to have chosen Owen (Kevin McKidd) — she’s trying to get him to talk to her, but revealing that she named their child after an ex-girlfriend didn’t go over well — we also saw her at Tom’s (Greg Germann) bedside in the hospital as he recovers from COVID. There’s enough for both sides of the triangle to suggest it isn’t completely over just yet.

Giacomo Gianniotti as Andrew DeLuca - Grey's Anatomy - Season 17
ABC

Can DeLuca taking the investigation into the sex trafficking ring into his own hands end any way but poorly?

DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) has been doing quite well taking care of his (and Meredith’s) patients and himself at the beginning of Grey’s Anatomy Season 17. But just as he was heading home to take his meds and get some rest, he recognized the woman from the sex trafficking ring introduced last year … and took off after her, with his sister Carina (Stefania Spampinato). Can two doctors put a stop to what’s going on? Can this end well?

Kelly McCreary as Maggie Winston - Grey's Anatomy Season 17 - Reunion
ABC

Now that Winston is in Seattle, what does that mean for his and Maggie's relationship?

Maggie (Kelly McCreary) seems to finally be lucky in love, especially since long-distance beau Winston (Anthony Hill) surprised her at her door in the midseason finale. But because we know this show, we expect drama to arise sooner rather than later. Let’s just hope these two can make it through whatever’s coming their way.

Ellen Pompeo Grey's Anatomy Gallery Photo
ABC/Mike Rosenthal

Is this the last season?

As long as Pompeo continues to sign on for more seasons, chances are Grey’s won’t end. But her contract is up this year, so there is the possibility that this could be it. What we do know for sure is we’re much closer to the end of the series than the beginning of it.