Only A REAL Grey's Fan Knows How These Characters Kicked The Bucket
- by Jamie Gerber
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Considering the extremely high mortality rate at Grey Sloan Hospital, it’s pretty surprising that there are enough characters left to keep Grey’s Anatomy on the air. We’re not even just talking about the patients! Between plane crashes, hospital shootings and being run over, it would seem that doctors should be looking for work at any other hospital in Seattle.
Incredibly, Grey’s Anatomy just began its 14th season. The series that put Shonda Rhimes on the map has shown no signs of slowing down. Although we can’t necessarily predict who will live and who will die in years to come, one thing is certain: there will be blood.
Very few doctors from the show’s original crop remain and it’s safe to say that no one’s safety is guaranteed, save Meredith Grey’s. Ellen Pompeo has stated that she has no intention of leaving and that the series would not continue without her. Sure, it seems like Alex Karev, Miranda Bailey and Richard Webber aren’t going anywhere, but we all thought the same of Derek Shepherd once.
How big of a Grey’s Anatomy fan are you? Have you been watching carefully for the last 13 seasons? If so, you might remember how these doctors and patients met their tragic ends. Can you match the Grey’s character to their death?
How did Derek Shepherd die?
The proverbial Grey’s shot heard round the world would have to be the death of Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd. Fans had been in love with Derek - thanks to the many charms of Patrick Dempsey - since season 1. We all fell for him around the same time as Meredith, probably even before. Their relationship was the show’s central focus for much of its run and let’s face it, no one else’s is all that interesting. What happened to him?
What happened to Denny Duquette?
It’s likely that no patient in the history of Grey’s was loved quite as much as Denny Duquette. In fact, Jeffery Dean Morgan was so charming that fans didn’t even judge Izzy for the terrible choices that she made, instead hoping against hope that she would succeed. Instead, we were left crying right along with her. We'll just pretend that the whole ghost sex thing never happened and choose to remember this as the end of Denny's story. How did he die?
How did Mark Sloan meet his end?
Mark “McSteamy” Sloan was basically a caricature when we met him, but over the course of several seasons, Eric Dane managed to make him a fan favorite. He was able to salvage his friendship with Derek, despite falling in love with his then wife, Addison. His relationship with Callie developed from casual sex to platonic parents, and their daughter Sofia was the apple of his eye. Sigh. Hopefully, he and Lexie are together in the afterlife. What happened to Mark?
How did Henry Burton lose his life?
Audiences took to this patient, played by a lovable Scott Foley, immediately and they weren’t the only ones. Teddy married Henry so that he could use her insurance to get a surgery that he was desperately in need of. However, Teddy fell for him...and so did the rest of us. He was certainly sweeter than Jake Ballard, the character Foley currently plays on Scandal - not that we don't love him too. Do you remember what exactly happened to Henry?
How did Dylan Young die?
Luckily, Kyle Chandler would go on to play Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights, because we lost him way too soon on Grey’s. He was called in to defuse a bomb and fans briefly speculated that he would be a new love interest for Meredith. Alas, he lasted but two episodes. At least he returned for Meredith's near death experience. Chandler is obviously the guy you want in your corner when you're trying not to go into the light. What happened to him?
What was the fate of Heather Brooks?
Despite being played by Tina Majorino, Heather Brooks never really struck much of a chord with fans. It wasn't her fault. She was simply the least memorable of the new crop of interns. When she met her end, it was kind of with a whimper, rather than a bang. Sure, it was sad and all, but Webber’s life was also in hanging in the balance and if we had to choose...sorry Heather, but our hearts are with the Chief. How did Heather lose her life?
What happened to Doc?
If you’re wondering how this dog made it into the quiz, then you obviously don't have a heart. His death was one of the saddest moments in Grey’s history. He was Meredith’s, then Derek’s, then the final remaining tether between the two. Meredith dated his vet in order to stop pining for Derek when he went back to his wife, but it was always going to be Mer and Der. Rather then let Doc suffer, Meredith chose to euthanize him. Why?
How did George O'Malley meet his end?
Let’s get this out of the way: George O’Malley was one day of the most beloved characters in Grey’s entire history, but by the time he was killed off, everyone had kind of forgotten that he was still even on the show. George was largely absent during season 5, which was in part why T.R. Knight wanted off the series. He got quite the send off though - we're still crying about it. Do you remember what happened to him?
How did Ellis Grey die?
Kate Barton is a fantastic actress, but Ellis Grey wasn’t a likable character. Sure, she was brilliant, but she was also a terrible mother to Meredith. She wasn't a great wife either, not that Thatcher was necessarily easy to be married to. Still, she did come through in the end, assuming that was indeed her and not just Meredith’s subconscious trying to make her mom a good person. Let's choose to believe it was Ellis. Do you remember how she died?
How did Gary Clark meet his maker?
Gary Clark (Micheal O’Neill) was a very sympathetic character...until he wasn’t. At first he was just a man who couldn’t accept the painful reality of his wife’s death. The writers subtly built his arc over the course of Season 6 and delivered what was probably one of Grey’s best - and certainly most frightening - finales. Gary Clark terrorized Seattle Grace, shooting everyone in his path until he was finally stopped. How did he reign of terror come to an end?
How did Susan Grey lose her life?
Meredith wanted to hate Susan Grey (Mare Winningham), the woman her father married after he and her mother divorced. Thatcher then had a whole other family and seemingly forgot about Meredith. He was largely absent from her life and she wanted to blame Susan. However, Susan was a lovely woman that Meredith found it impossible to actually dislike. In the end, Thatcher blamed Meredith for his wife's death, but there was nothing that she could've done to prevent it. What happened to Susan?
What happened to Harold O'Malley?
George's dad had a rough journey at Seattle Grace. He initially showed up after falling and breaking his clavicle. However, it was then discovered that he had esophageal cancer. Worse still, Harold O'Malley (George Dzundza) had a leaking valve in his aorta and needed surgery to replace it. So, on top of cancer, the poor guy also had a bad heart. This defect would have to be dealt with before they could even treat the cancer! What were the actual circumstances of his death?
How did Mary Portman die?
Played by Mandy Moore, Mary Portman was a patient of Dr. Bailey's. She had been in and out of the hospital, and formed a bond with her doctor. Mary wound up living anyone's worst nightmare when she found herself trapped there with Gary Clark shooting up the place. Her husband went out to grab her some pizza and was unable to return to her with a gunman on the loose. Did Mary survive that day? If so, how did she die?
What was the fate of Adele Webber?
One of the most heartbreaking developments in a series full of them, was Richard Webber losing another woman he loved to Alzheimers. Adele Webber (Loretta Devine) was Richard's devoted wife - she stuck with him despite his affair - and a wonderful person. Unfortunately, diseases don't discriminate and Adele's mind went just as quickly as Ellis's. To make matters worse, her death happened offscreen and all we saw was Richard's grief stricken face. What actually happened to Adele? How did she die?
How did William Dunn meet his maker?
Eric Stoltz had a memorable guest arc on Grey's as a serial killer who needed surgery to save his life...so he could be executed in five days. He came in with a stab wound, but then wound up needing brain surgery - nothing is ever simple at Seattle Grace. William didn't even want the operation, claiming that he would rather die in the hospital than in prison. Still, the doctors attempted to do their jobs. How did William wind up dying?
What happened to Reed Adamson?
When Seattle Grace merged with Mercy West Hospital, Grey's fans were introduced to several new doctors, one of whom was Reed Adamson (Nora Zehetner). She wasn't the best or the worst, but we only got a season to get to know her before she was unceremoniously killed off. Was it tragic? Yes. Shocking? Definitely. Did anyone shed a tear for the good doctor? Probably not. To be fair, there was a lot going on. How did Reed meet her end?
How did Craig Thomas die?
When Christina Yang arrived at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, she could not have been more unhappy to see Dr. Craig Thomas (William Daniels). She felt that there was nothing he could teach her that she didn't already know. Christina was quite wrong and once the two got to know each other, she realized that Dr. Thomas was the best teacher she could've asked for. Unfortunately, she lost him rather suddenly. Do you remember what it was that happened to him?
How did Lexie Grey lose her life?
As much as Meredith wanted to hate Susan Grey, the woman her father remarried, she really wanted to dislike her daughter, Meredith's half sister, Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh). When Lexie arrived at the hospital, Meredith wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. Lexie hoped to get to know her big sis, but Meredith wasn't having any of it. Luckily, over time, the two grew very close. Unfortunately, Lexie became yet another loved one that Meredith had to bury. How did she die?
What happened to Jimmy Evans?
By the time we meet Jimmy Evans (James Remar), he had almost become a mythological figure. We spent years hearing about Alex's junkie dad, who knocked around his wife and kids, before just abandoning them. By the time he found his way back to Alex - by accident - it was too late to change anything between them. That didn't stop Jo from wanting to try, much to Alex's chagrin. What happened to Alex's dad? How did he actually die?
What was the fate of Nick Hanscom?
Guest star Seth Green brought a lot to this brief, but sad role. You probably remember how sweet Nick Hanscom was and how adorable it was when he would attempt to flirt with Lexie without dying. Why was it so difficult for him to do that? Do you remember what Lexie had to constantly be on guard for? Nick had a very serious medical condition that finally got the best of him in the end. Do you recall what that was?
How did Charles Percy die?
Charles Percy (Robert Baker) was another doctor who came to Seattle Grace as a result of the Mercy West merger - let's be honest, the only one worth keeping around was Jackson. There wasn't much to like about Charles honestly, so although his death scene was excruciating, it was better than losing any of the characters that we were all more invested in. Still, Percy went out like a champ and it was incredibly difficult to watch him go. What happened to him?
How did Liz Fallon lose her life?
This one is a bit of a deep cut. Liz Fallon (Anna Maria Horsford) was a scrub nurse who used to work with Ellis Grey. She later returned to Seattle Grace as a patient. Liz was a well respected and beloved member of the hospital staff, and everyone came to pay their respects. Like Denny Duquette and Dylan Young, Liz made an appearance in an unconscious Meredith's brain after she nearly drowned. What was Liz Fallon's diagnosis? How did she die?
How did Bonnie Crasnoff meet her end?
Denny, Dylan and Liz weren't the only former acquaintances doing guest spots in Meredith's unconscious mind. Bonnie Crassnoff (Monica Keena) was also there - it was basically a gathering of the more memorable personalities who were only on Grey's for a short while. She was admitted to the hospital with a man named Tom. The two had been traveling together and were impaled by the same pole. We'll tell you that Bonnie died of internal bleeding, but what kind of accident was she in?
What happened to Kyle Diaz?
Wilmer Valderrama played Kyle Diaz, a smooth talking musician who flirted his way into being Stephanie Edward's boyfriend. He developed a plethora of issues, multiple sclerosis, a hand tremor - which is particularly painful for a guitarist - and meningitis, among other things. Stephanie couldn't make up her mind about whether or not she wanted to be with him and broke his heart with her uncertainty. How did Kyle Diaz actually die? What were the circumstances of his tragic death?
How did Stan Giamatti die?
Stan Giamatti (Theo Rossi) was a paramedic who found himself in a an unimaginable situation. He was a good man who didn't deserve such a fate. Stahn handled it like the hero that he was, but it didn't really make a difference. Like many people who came to Seattle Grace to help, he wound up losing his life. That hospital is a dangerous place. Apparently, nowhere around there is safe. What happened to him though? How did Stan Giamatti die?