After six seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, Katherine Heigl is finally nearing a discharge.

EW says series creator Shonda Rhimes has agreed to release the fast-rising movie star from her contract and it's up to ABC Studios and Heigl’s reps to hash out an exit agreement.

Why is all of this coming down right now? That’s where things get interesting.

After taking more than half of the current season off to make another movie and connect with her adopted daughter, Heigl was scheduled to return to the Grey’s Anatomy set on March 1 to begin work on the five remaining episodes of the season.

Just one problem: March 1 came and went and there was no Heigl.

A source within the actress’ camp claims that Katherine “was at home and ready to return to work.” Another insider, however, “insists that it’s much more complicated than that.”

So she just didn't go in? This whole thing is bizarre.

The source adds that talks between Heigl and ABC have been going on for months and last week both sides mutually decided that the best solution would be to part ways now.

As a result, Heigl is not expected to return to the Grey’s Anatomy set this season after all, which means her final episode as original character Dr. Izzie Stevens already aired.

The soon-to-be-finalized break-up caps a long history between Heigl and Grey’s Anatomy that can be described as contentions. Some of the more high-profile squabbles:

• In 2007, Heigl found herself in the middle of the T.R. Knight / Isaiah Washington feud when she publicly dissed Isaiah for repeating the F-word at the Golden Globes.
• In 2008, Heigl took a swipe at Grey’s Anatomy writers when she announced that she wasn’t entering the Emmy race because “did not feel I was given the material."
• In 2009, she whined to David Letterman that Grey’s Anatomy was subjecting her to intolerable working conditions. “A 17-hour day, which I think is cruel and mean.”
• Multiple times over the course of those years, Heigl's disagreements over her contract situation became public, with speculation that Season Five would be her last.

The bottom line is that we don't suspect that there will be any love lost on either side as this whole sordid chapter comes to an end. But how do you feel about it as fans?

Happy this ordeal is finally over? Couldn't care less? Sad that she's leaving, or at least sad that she's not getting a formal send-off and just vanishing?

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.