SPOILER ALERT: I will be talking about the badass known as Meredith Grey from the hit TV series Grey’s Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes. I will specifically be speaking to Meredith’s growth as a human being and doctor from season 11 onward, and if you are not there yet and don’t wish to have anything spoiled, please don’t read on.
Okay, season 11 hit some of us really hard. Specifically, season 11 episode 21, “How to Save a Life.” I’m going to be really blunt here and say it didn’t impact me all that much other than the fact that Meredith was heartbroken over the loss of her husband. Derek was stuck up, snobby and most definitely DID NOT treat Meredith right. Leaving her and their children to work in DC? Do I even need to mention Addison and that whole ordeal?
So this may be a bit biased, but the truth is still in the pudding. Meredith has grown as both an individual and a doctor since Derek’s passing and I am HERE for it!
She handles so much on her own
After the death of Derek, the Meredith Grey had baby Ellis all on her own while taking care of Zola and Bailey. She had done this all on her own as she took her kids and ran away. Alex finds her and brings her back eventually, and after her time off she is just… ready to go back into the full swing of things. She even wears Derek’s surgical cap as her own until the premiere of season 15. Jackson Avery says so himself in season 14, episode 7: “The most amazing thing about Meredith, though, is that she takes all that pain, all that loss, and she turns it into drive…she continues to find joy in her work as a surgeon, as a teacher, as a mother.” He accepted Meredith’s Harper (now Fox) Avery award on her behalf and says just what everyone was thinking. Mer is strong and it’s a good thing the other characters see it! Meredith puts up with so much and she does it with such pride and kindness that it is inspiring.
How she handles her relationships
Meredith has dated a couple of men since Derek and I’m more than happy for her! Some people are enraged and heartbroken but the men that have come into her life have been really valuable life lessons for her. In Season 13, Meredith meets Nathan Riggs but lets him go when he discovers the love of his life is still alive. This is a big step from her days with Derek. She was in a love triangle with Derek, where she stood in front of him crying and begging for him to love her. She found herself in a love triangle with Riggs as well but she knew when to step back, and I think it shows how much she’s grown. No more “pick me, choose me, love me” B.S with her! (I don’t know if you can tell, but I really hate that quote).
Meredith has also dated/is dating De Luca (depending on how you interpret De Luca from the latest episode) but has really shown how she values herself and her children over him. During the trial, Meredith even told him that if she loses her medical license they are done. Some, including myself at first, thought that was a little harsh and cold-hearted of Meredith, but it does show how much of a boss bitch she is. She was able to honestly say she couldn’t stay with him, a fellow doctor, if she lost her license. Most people may think that but wouldn’t be able to actually tell their partner and it just shows her excellency again and again.
Her career advancements
Finally, let’s discuss Meredith’s substantial career advancements from season one until season sixteen. As Meredith continues in her medical adventures as an attending, she continues to blow away viewers and characters of the show with her excellence. She became chief of general surgery, but let’s not forget how well-advanced her training was with neuro. In addition to that, she built tiny livers with Jo Karev and won a Fox Avery award, demonstrating her amazing skills as a surgeon. And if that wasn’t enough, in season sixteen episode 8, many of Meredith’s previous patients come forward and say how she has impacted their lives during the trial. This not only saved her medical license but was very heartwarming to watch. It shows just how many lives Meredith has influenced throughout the years as her boss-ass-bitch-ness continues to grow.
Meredith Grey through thick and thin has remained an excellent person, mother and surgeon throughout the entire sixteen seasons of the hit drama, Grey’s Anatomy. Her confidence and competence shines as her character grows and although fictional, she is a great role model for young women to view and be inspired by.