Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 24 Review: Ring of Fire

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Stephanie [Insert Middle Name] Edwards is a badass and don't you ever forget it.

Ever since the news broke that Jerrika Hinton would be exiting Grey's Anatomy, the speculation over how she would exit was a constant. Words cannot describe how happy I am that Stephanie's sendoff on Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 24 was not a tragic one.

Clear Trouble Ahead - Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 24

I didn't think it was possible for Shonda Rhimes to give us a hopeful finale, did you? I was already mentally preparing myself for someone or multiple someones to end up dead.

Grey's Anatomy isn't happy until you're curled up in the fetal position, hugging yourself, and crying your eyes out. I was already bracing myself for a cover of "How To Save A Life" and tears. None of that happened.

Chief Bailey

It is implausible and beyond ridiculous that Stephanie managed to survive that blast. She was face-to-face with it. The fact that she isn't suffering from more third degree burns is just ludicrous. 

I am willing to overlook just how much belief I have to suspend for this because it's Stephanie, and I didn't want her to die. So, some of you may be upset or awestruck by her miraculous survival, but dammit, I'm just grateful. 

To their credit, they didn't have her out of the woods. Stephanie was straight up having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (hopefully she actually will take a trip to Australia one day). I didn't think it was possible for two people to face as many obstacles as Stephanie and Erin faced while trying to get to safety.

I thought you were dead. I thought you were gone.

Erin

Speaking of Erin, I still secretly hope someone takes both her parents around the back of the hospital and slap them both multiple times. When Erin's father showed up hollering in the doctors' faces talking about his missing daughter I wanted to reach through the screen and choke him with my own two hands. 

Why couldn't they keep up with their daughter? Do you realize just how differently this whole situation would have played out if Erin wasn't wandering around the hospital and happened across Stephanie and crispy Keith? 

My annoyance for them both uptick a thousand percent when I saw that Erin was pinned under that equipment. She lost a lot of blood, too. That meant Stephanie, whose hands I'm assuming were only functioning because she was on some serious adrenaline, had to patch the girl up. 

Stephanie the BAMF

I just, Stephanie is one of the most badass characters in Grey's history. That woman had to set fire to a rapist, walk through fire multiple times, endure an actual explosion, and all with an 8-year-old in tow. I'm shocked that she didn't just give up at some point.

Even when Erin was pretty much checking out, Stephanie refused to let go. I was pumped when she all but cussed out Minnick, and by the time she fainted after finding out that Erin would be okay, I knew where the rest of her story was going.

This season has been all over the place, but they did build up the fact that Stephanie was becoming increasingly more disillusioned with the job. All of it was getting to her. I hated that Minnick made it out to be like she wasn't functioning, because she wasn't burning out in that way. 

I spent my whole life in hospitals. My whole life and I think I need to see everything that's not in a hospital. I need to travel and explore and hike and breathe, and breathe, and breathe.

Stephanie

Stephanie just genuinely seemed to be tired of the inner workings of the hospital and dealing with crappy patients and people. It wasn't something that affected her job, but it was something that you could visibly see in her. So, it makes sense that she quit.

Hell, if she didn't quite after what she endured in the past two episodes, then she would have been insane. It just didn't seem worth it in the end, since she's not even happy with where she is right now.  I loved her moments with Richard. 

A lot of what she told Webber made sense. She was always the sick kid confined to beds and hospitals and then she spent the rest of her life working towards becoming a doctor. Now is the perfect time to actually focus on herself and just live and enjoy life. 

Farewell

Why continue to spend so much time in an environment that continuously stirs up bad feelings in you? I almost feel like Stephanie would have been suited for Doctors Without Borders or the Peace Corps. 

I loved that she thanked Richard for teaching her so much and having such a positive impact on her life. This exit works for me. Does it for you? Considering I thought they would kill her off, anything other than that is an upgrade in my book.  

I only wish that she had a moment with the people who were closest to her. I LOVED the Richard scene, but Stephanie not getting to have a moment with Amelia, her other mentor, sucks. Jo is supposedly one of her closest friends, and she won't get a goodbye scene with her either.

Bailey: Minnick, what did the cops say about Edwards?
Eliza: Oh my God, I forgot.
Jackson: You forgot?
Eliza: There were patients.

For all the work Jackson did to find her, it was an underwhelming reunion of sorts, considering she didn't get a goodbye for him either. 

Did anyone find the Jackson thing odd? Jackson being worried about Stephanie wasn't a shock. In part, it was because he felt guilty for leaving her with Keith. The thing is, it kept feeling like they were trying to get at more, but never did. 

Was all of that just to remind us that Jackson still has a hero complex, like April pointed out? Also, what the hell was that situation with Maggie? Did Grey's really just bumrush us with another damn love triangle? Why? Every single last one of them deserves better than this.

Maggie: We have been looking for you!
April: You scared the crap out of me!

Jackson and Maggie's friendship was something new, and yes, it was abrupt. I can admit that.I love it though, and it makes sense, especially after Diane died. The thing is, I have only seen their interactions as friendly. 

People have been freaking out for months about a Jackson and Maggie pairing, and I just wasn't seeing it that way. I'm not a big Japril fan, so I don't actually care if this potential 'ship comes to fruition.

I do care about building things up and making it clear that that's the direction intended. Nothing has supported Jackson and Maggie having anything other than platonic feelings for each other. Nothing. So, honestly, where the hell did that comment from April come from?

Jackson, uh, he likes you. I know. I know what that looks like. He likes you. He has feelings for you.

April

I didn't even see anything romantic about Maggie being concerned about Jackson and yelling at him along with April. I guess it was meant to be a callback to when April went off on him after he saved that kid from a burning truck, but it didn't give off the same vibe.

Maggie just lost her mother and admits that Jackson is basically like family, and thus some of the only family she has left. That would be cause for her to go off on him and doesn't imply romantic feelings. Anyway, Japril fans are pissed, and I'm just a fan who couldn't care less either way, but at least wants it to not be pulled from thin air.

Siblings or 'Ship?

There was approximately three times I cussed out Eliza during the hour.  Let's just say it was along the lines of "Screw your protocols, Eliza. Also, what the hell do you mean you forgot to call the cops? Isn't that protocol? You absolutelly WILL NOT sit there and disparage  Richard and inured Stephanie for saving a kid, you smug jackass."

Of course, I was a bit more colorful with the language. Even in her final moments I could not bring myself to like Eliza. When Bailey finally fired her ass I cheered. I haven't cheered that much since the first three-quarters of the last Super Bowl.

Good riddance, Eliza. I can only speak for myself, but you will not be missed. 

Nothing about Nathan and Meredith's scenes mattered until Meredith told him about Megan. When she did, my heart broke for him. Nathan got me right in the feels when he kept thinking that Meredith was playing some sort of cruel joke on him. 

Meredith and Nathan's relationship is at its best when they're having more serious moments and bonding over their grief. So, of course, one of their finest moments in all of two seasons is them celebrating Megan being alive. 

Only someone who has experienced losing a lover could be that ecstatic for Nathan, even if it left a huge question mark for their own relationship. Meredith knows that if she could have Derek back, she would go to him in a second. She's truly happy for Nathan.

Joy

I didn't initially want Meredith to be the one to tell Nathan the truth, but now, I'm glad that she was. Their joyful hug in the parking lot was one of my favorite scenes of the night. I don't know what this means for their relationship, but I think that regardless of how it plays out, the two of them will be okay.

That makes me happy.

I also don't know what this means for Amelia and Owen's relationship, but I'm happy that Amelia has been so amazing throughout this ordeal. She came through in the clutch and has been there when it counts the most. 

Owen: I don't know what to say.
Amelia: You will, when you see her. You'll know when you see her.

When is the last time Owen has looked as hopeful and happy as he looked when he saw that shock of red hair splayed across that gurney? Please, please, please let this mean he's going to have a moment of peace and contentment. 

Additional Notes:

  • So, Alex just shows back up at the hospital after all that nothingness with Jo's husband, and he doesn't have any more screentime after that? WTF?
  • Since Stephanie is gone can her screentime go to DeLuca, Ben, and Cross? They're the only residents I care about.
  • All that time spent on Erin and we didn't even see her reunited with her stupid, negligent parents... I needed someone to tell them her injury is their fault. 
  • This was a great episode and yet it still just left things dangling, pulled plots out of nowhere, and underused and neglected most of its characters. Basically, the finale fits with the rest of the season.

I'm turning iit over to you guys. How did you like that finale? Are you happy Stephanie lived? Did you like the way she exited the series? What do you think about this weird April/Jackson/Maggie situation? What does the future have in store for Riggs and Meredith? Do you think Megan will remember everyone? Hit up the comments below.

The season has been disjointed and frustrating, but it had some great moments too. If you want to experience all the highs and lows all over again you can watch Grey's Anatomy online right here at TV Fanatic!

Ring of Fire Review

Editor Rating: 4.85 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.1 / 5.0 (155 Votes)

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.

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