*Warning: this does contain spoilers if you are not caught up to Season 14 Episode 7 (the infamous 300th Episode).
I tend to hype up significant TV shows, and sometime too much. See, as soon as the ABC started giving the audience hints as to what the 300th episode of Grey’s Anatomy would entail, it was time to begin theorizing what would happen. The trailer contained a scene with George and Cristina look-alikes, who were injured in a roller coaster accident. This scene led the audience to believe that characters were coming back in some way, shape or form. A show writer from earlier seasons, Krista Vernoff, returned to help write the script for this episode, and revealed that most, if not all the significant characters who have come and gone will be paid respect in this episode. Check out some of the ties with this episode and previous episodes.
Derek
McDreamy was known for his love of ferryboats, from riding them to and from the city for work. The opening scene shows Meredith on a ferry boat, cue the feels because this is rare and one of the first similarities with older episodes. While Derek’s death is still upsetting, the call for not getting the head CT always sticks with people close to Derek, especially Amelia.
While Owen is in surgery with a patient, Amelia receives information that the patient never got a head CT, but needs a neurological consult. Owen believes that she is reading too much into it because of what happened to Derek. However, Amelia takes the head CT, and proves to Owen that it was a bad call for him not to get it. Through the neglect of Derek’s head CT, it has pushed Amelia to be extra cautious, but overall well worth her while.
George and Cristina
One of the roller coaster victims, Gregory, looks very similar to George O’Malley. The other roller coaster victim is Cleo, who looks like Cristina. To add more emotions into the scene, aside from the fact that they bring back so many memories, the trauma is similar to the train pole trauma in season 2. While going into surgery, Cleo looks at Meredith and tells her to save her like she is her friend, Cristina. Meredith’s reaction is ultimately the same as when Cristina finally left in a taxi for the airport to go to Switzerland in season 10.
Izzie
A woman who accompanies Greg and Cleo from the trauma is also a doppelgänger. Alex picks up on the fact that she looks just like Izzie. The character also brings back emotions, as she is pregnant. Without her partner with her, she asks Alex to keep her company during surgery. This satisfies any fans who enjoyed Izzie and Alex together. Alex later reveals to Jo that he know how Izzie is doing, that she has a family and works as a surgeon. But at this time, it is best for both of them to continue on like this.
Aside from these major character similarities, some phrases and scenes brought back memories too. The new interns find themselves exhausted on their first shift, eventually finding a place to rest in the depths of the hospital. Iconically, this is the same place where the original set of interns crashed during their intern year. When Alex is walking with Meredith before the main events, he mentions how the plane is a roller coaster, which eventually results in a roller coaster crash. Surprise surprise, this related back to the plane crash in Season 8.
The rollercoaster trauma that comes into the hospital causes Meredith to postpone her plans for going to the Harper Avery award ceremony. She reacted in a similar way that Cristina did before leaving for Switzerland.
A major success in Meredith’s career is not only the nomination of the Harper Avery award, but receiving the award for her achievements. Meredith stayed behind in Seattle to scrub in on a surgery, a surgery where the image of Cristina is open on the table. Cristina was the person who kept pushing Meredith to become more innovative, which is all the more reason for Meredith to stay. In typical Grey’s fashion, everything is over the top. Upon completing the surgery, the OR and the gallery above fills with people to tune into the award ceremony. Meredith is shocked as Catherine Avery announces her as the recipient, and presents the award to Jackson on Meredith’s behalf. Jackson describes Meredith as the most deserving person for the award, as her pain turns into drive to save lives, which exhibits joy. The fact that she stayed in Seattle shows her determination to stay with where the medicine is through unexpected traumas. Everyone is proud of Meredith, including her mother, Ellis, who is seen in the gallery. Earlier in the episode, Zola tells Maggie that her mom is with her even if she is not actually there. The image of Ellis shows this in the end of the episode, especially as she stands next to Maggie, her daughter with Richard Webber, and her granddaughter, Zola. To top the celebration off, Meredith and Alex return to where they sat as interns, in the tunnels. Just before Alex pops the bottle of champagne, Cristina calls Meredith to wish her congratulations.
The closing quote reveals that “the history and memory and ghosts of our past are just as tangible as anything we can hold in our hands.” This gives meaning that it is healthy to remember the past and people we used to know, but sometimes the present is just as important to focus on.
Quite honestly, this episode was overemphasized too much, leading the audience to believe someone significant would return. Instead, we got little yet significant references to previous characters such as phrases, doppelgangers, songs, similar scenes, and a few reflections. In doing so, there was too much emphasis on trying to bring people back, that it took away from the usual feel of the episodes in the current season. While it was emotional to reflect on the past, it was too forced to have it all at once.