Did Shonda Rhimes go too far with her latest Grey's Anatomy Plot Twist?

Shona Rhimes is one woman who can change the fate of many. She can build them, she can destroy them.  She kills some, kidnaps some, vanishes some characters. She creates the love story of dreams, and brings their world crashing down in the same breath. And the director of iconic series like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, she is at it again. In her latest kills, in the Grey's Anatomy Season 11's final episodes,  she devastated her Grey's FAnatomics: Derek McDreamy Shepherd. Yes, he  is no more.

The creator of the show, Shonda Rhimes, has induced an angry and dejected outburst from her fanbase for this unexpected plot twist. Fans now fear for their beloved protagonist, the now widowed Meredith’s willpower and sanity. They argue that this move was totally uncalled for, as she has been through enough already- a super storm, a plane crash, a near-drowning, a shooting, a bomb in a body cavity, Alzheimer’s disease, a bus accident, a ferry disaster, and the return of a rouge-haired ex-wife.

Meredith Grey is the show’s female protagonist- the most understated kind, might I add. Fans have witnessed her character’s evolution to a woman of substance through the show. She derives its layers from her strained relationship with her control freak super-achiever mother who happened to be an Alzheimer’s patient.

During the course of the show, she has loved and lost many- including Christina Yang, her best friend and “person” (who is easily the most badass portrayal of a female side-kick. She almost completely stole Meredith’s thunder.) Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey, was the love of her life, her husband and her source of strength. With his tragic death after he didn’t receive thorough treatment following his car accident, comes to an end an era - of MerDer.

Shonda Rhimes finally came on record to give howling Tweeple the closure they seek, over the loss of dreamiest love interest on television.

“Derek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important character — for Meredith, for me and for the fans. I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our ‘McDreamy.’ Patrick Dempsey’s performance shaped Derek in a way that I know we both hope became a meaningful example happy, sad, romantic, painful and always true — of what young women should demand from modern love. His loss will be felt by all. Now, Meredith and the entire Grey’s Anatomy family are about to enter  uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life. The possibilities for what may come are endless. As Ellis Grey would say: ‘the carousel never stops turning’”

Broadcaster ABC explained Dempsey’s departure from the show, from the business standpoint:

After 11 seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey is moving on to pursue other interests. Dr. Derek Shepherd is an iconic character and we’ve been proud to be the home of ‘McDreamy’ and the ‘Mer/Der’ love story. The devotion of Grey’s fans throughout the years has been a testament to the creative mind of Shonda Rhimes and Dempsey’s talent. ‘McDreamy’ will be greatly missed and we wish Patrick the very best in his future endeavors.

Patrick Dempsey also come back from the dead, as far as real life is concerned, to bandage the broken hearts. “It’s been a remarkable ride,” he told TVLine. “The worldwide impact has been extraordinary. It is incredible how devoted and passionate the fans are and I will forever be grateful and humbled by the experience.”

But life must go on, and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It will be interesting to see how Mer survives this trauma and emulates the strength into the remaining part of the show.

Image Courtesy: Huffington Post