This past week on Grey's Anatomy, the unthinkable happened; Shonda Rhimes killed off one of the most beloved characters on TV: Dr. Derek Shepherd. A lot of fans, including myself, had a feeling he was going to die, but didn't think it would actually happen. Throughout the entire second half of the episode all, I could think was, “Don't die. Don't die. Don't die." In the end, however, Dr. Shepherd succumbed to his injuries.
Dr. Shepherd has been a TV icon for the past 11 seasons. Viewers loved him because he was passionate, caring and sensitive. He is the guy women want to be with. He is McDreamy.
The “MerDer" story is one for the books. In this love story, there is fighting, secret marriages, post-its, one-night stands, shootings, drowning's and so much more. Derek and Meredith started off as a one-night stand. Derek was just “a guy in a bar" and Meredith was just “a girl in a bar." But in the end they were so much more.
Derek pined after Meredith. Eventually, she fell in love with him only to find out he was married. Long story short, Derek left his wife and ended up marrying Meredith. Their relationship was realistic and full of heartbreak, but in the end they were happy with an adopted daughter and a biological son. In the episode where Dr. Shepherd is killed off, “How to Save a Life," their love is seen through Meredith's eyes.
The preview of the episode made it pretty clear that Dr. Shepherd was going to die, but watching Meredith say goodbye to him was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever seen. The worst thing about his death and the most ironic thing is that he could have easily been saved. If the doctors had been properly trained, Derek would have lived. If he had been transported to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, he would have lived. If they had ordered him a head CT, he would have lived.
As much as it kills me that Derek Shepherd will no longer be making a weekly appearance on my TV screen, I believe the way they killed him off was the only way for him to leave the show. He couldn't have simply left his family because that is not the McDreamy thing to do; the only way for him to leave the show was to die. During the first half of the episode, he saved four people who were in a car accident, and he did it in the most McDreamy of ways. He even told one of the victims it's “insulting" that she thinks she is going to die. He told her he doesn't let people die.
As he was leaving the scene, a Semi-truck hits his car. While in the hospital we hear Dr. Shepherd narrate how he would treat himself. Unable to speak, he is incapable of correcting the incompetent doctors. The doctors do not do a head CT and Derek ends up brain dead. The last thing we hear him narrate is, “it's too late; you're too late."
When Meredith is informed of his death, the first thing she says when she sees his chart is, “not getting a head CT was a bad call." As Meredith sits by Derek while the nurse begins to turn off the life support machines, chasing cars plays in the background. We see flashbacks of their relationship and the beautiful moments they shared together. Meredith stops the nurse as she is about to take out his breathing tube. Meredith tries to wake up Derek but is unsuccessful. The nurse asks if she is ready. Meredith replies, “No, but go ahead." The episode ends with Meredith looking at Derek as he flat-lines.
Dr. Shepherd taught viewers what it is like to be so passionate that would do everything in your power to accomplish a goal. He taught us how to love someone through thick and thin. He taught us how to come back from the unthinkable and come out on top. He taught us to think outside of the box and never give up. He taught us to make the best out of a bad situation. He taught us how to be better people.
We got over losing O'malley; we got over losing Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy; we got over losing Lexie; I don't think we will get over losing McDreamy.
There will never be another character like Derek. There will never be another McDreamy. It was a beautiful day to save lives; we just wish his could have been saved.
