Dr. Derek Shepherd is not coming back from the dead and the sooner fans accept that, the better for them to enjoy Grey's Anatomy Season 12's focus on Meredith Grey's personal rebirth. This is despite the 108,000 signatures gathered calling for McDreamy's (Patrick Dempsey) return.
EP and show creator Shonda Rhimes said that back in season 10, Meredith realized that her world should not revolve around Derek after Cristina told her that he was "not the sun". "When Cristina said that, Meredith realized that she had been taking a back seat to allow this man to get what he wanted," Rhimes said in an Entertainment Weekly interview. "We got to the point in the season when Meredith said, 'I can live without you, but I don't want to,' which for any woman is a very powerful statement. It means: You compliment me, but you don't complete me."
With this premise, the Season 12 storyline will focus on Meredith living without her other half says IBTimes. It will be her rebirth into this new and independent person. The series after all was named after her character so it makes sense for the show to take this direction moving forward.
No details on Meredith's life post-Derek have been made known although Variety reports that she will not have a new romance in the coming season. She will focus instead on her career where she might even have some luck. Meredith will be surrounded by romance though as couples dating and hooking-up will be all over the show.
Meanwhile, Ellen Pompeo, who portrays Dr. Meredith Grey declared that her role can navigate the show without a need for a male lead. She told US Weekly that Rhimes' other shows, "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Scandal" are carried by strong female lead Annalise Keating and Olivia Pope respectively.
"Why can't I just be the lead of the show the way Annalise and Olivia can? Somehow, Meredith Grey needs someone. Why can't I be on that poster by myself?" Pompeo intensely asked. She also confessed that fans' doubts on whether Meredith can carry the show by herself was hard on her ego.
Grey's Anatomy returns on Sept. 24 for its Season 12 premiere.
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