After such an underwhelming season 17, the season finale did an outstanding job bringing back a sense of “ the Grey’s DNA” to Grey’s Anatomy. Though it was nice to see the faces of a few of our favorite dead characters, this season was missing something no season of Grey’s had missed before. But the season finale, which still did have minor flaws, truly had that “something” and it was like a breath of fresh air. The twists and turns, the drama and comedy, finally a simply enjoyable episode. Krista Vernoff gained my heart back.

First off, finally the time jump we all needed. It was getting to be too much when we were in May 2021 and they were showing us April 2020. We did not need to keep being reminded of the horror we all lived through especially as we are finally coming out of it. Yes, Covid happened and it needed to be addressed in the show but it was going on for too long and was becoming depressing and boring, pretty much like quarantine itself, and that’s not too much fun. We start in August 2020 and through the episode, progress to April 2021. The pacing of this season was wacky to say the least. Did some of the storylines get rushed? One-hundred percent. But the jump was needed.

Let’s start with one of the major stories in this episode, Jo! Jo, Levi and Taryn all live in the former “Jolex” apartment. Jo is done with their bickering and is clearly in a depressive state. We saw her in the last episode get torn apart after being declined to adopt Luna, which truly was heart wrenching because she is going to be such a good mom. In August 2020, she still has not

given up on Luna and attempts to cheat the system to be her mom. She figures out that if she can get a family to foster to adopt Luna, she can take custody of her after a few months. Here is a super sweet moment where Link agrees to foster Luna, although he didn’t even consult Amelia (but let’s save this drama for later). I LOVE to see the JoLink friendship finally get the screen time they deserve. This story moves super fast as we soon see Jo get the call that Luna is hers. She moves out of the apartment for good and Luna moves into their new home, aka JACKSON’S HOUSE!! It was iconic of Krista to put the Jo-Jackson face time in this episode because their relationship storyline went too quickly. Jo is honestly one of the only things keeping most fans watching so I’m happy she is happy.

Alright, on to Amelia. A great tool that they used to show the progression of covid was Amelia’s AA meetings as they gradually changed from Zoom meetings to socially distanced outdoors. She just loves to stir the pot and I just love her so much no matter what she does. She has been struggling with how to tell Link that she does not want what he wants (more kids, marriage, etc). She takes her time and it was so hard to watch Link continue to think of ways to propose to her and just love her so much for almost an entire year. On Christmas, the families all get together and Link is prepared to propose but freaking OWEN takes the spotlight and proposes to Teddy. So we have to wait longer for the proposal while Amelia just continues not to tell him the truth. Link loves her so much that he goes out and buys four rings because he doesn’t know which one to choose, and Amelia during this time is going to AA meetings and leaving him oblivious. She deserves to make her choices and do what is best for her but seriously what did Link do wrong?! After a serious conversation with Richard who tells Amelia, “give yourself permission for it not to work”, she realizes she needs to prioritize herself and what she wants and needs. This is all fine and dandy except she still does not tell Link her feelings until it is too late.

After the first failed proposal, Link plans such a sweet moment and decides to give each of Mer’s kids a ring and hold one himself on the beach at the Magston wedding. Bailey, Ellis, and Zola all look so freaking adorable as they hold their rings and Link professes his love to Amelia, and then the worst moment to watch comes. Amelia STILL cannot say anything and makes Link and all the kids stand there in a silence that feels like an eternity. We slowly see Link’s face go from love to sadness and it is horrible! The kids and the two just stand there. Obviously, Amelink is no longer alive. In seconds, the fan favorite couple is finished. I am sad, but honestly I think this will be good for them both. Right now though, Link is not okay and arrives at Jo’s place depressed in need of a place to stay. There’s a lot of rumors of JoLink as a couple, but I cannot imagine that at all.

Now, for another huge storyline of this season that came to somewhat of an end in this episode, Maggie and Winston. We saw them in the previous episode with their parents planning to have a spontaneous wedding with just close family and friends. In the beginning of this episode, I was shocked to see the wedding already, but obviously there had to be some twist and soon the couple’s parents object to the marriage saying they need to wait for a time when it is safe to have a bigger, more special wedding. They decide to wait a while, and the wedding ends up being in April 2021, on the beach (because obviously the beach needed a feature in the finale. I believe all those dead characters were right there with all of them.) The wedding is absolutely gorgeous and although we truly don’t know much about Winston and the two’s chemistry, they are in love right now and Maggie honestly really deserves this. The wedding does fall short on emotion and drama, unlike most Grey’s weddings, but it was something.

After an entire season of Ellen Pompeo on the beach while “doll Merideth” sat in bed in a coma of sorts, it was great to see Merideth back at work, seemingly healthy as the new head of

the Residency Program. I really wish she would've told people about the beach, but at least we know it happened. She is able to perform a lung transplant on a covid survivor patient with Teddy, which is so special and a full-circle moment. When she walks out of this surgery, Meredith finally gets the iconic clap out that she escaped previously, and it is so sweet. I think it is even better for her to get a clap out after performing surgery, because that truly showed that Merideth was back in action. She was happy and emotional and I loved every second of it. Meredith looks up in her happiness and in my mind, she is looking up at Ellis, Derek, Lexie, and Mark. The overhead shot of everyone clapping for Mer was a tear-jerker for sure!

Seeing all of the characters get their vaccines was so powerful and emotional, and a symbol of our world getting vaccinated. It was finally normal life without the insane PPE and there was humor and light. Jackson, Koracick, and the Christina messages gave me all the feels. The finale saved this season of sadness and made me hopeful for the future of Grey’s.