The Character Who Must Die in Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 to Make the Season 21 Finale Meaningful md06

The startling explosion in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s ending needs to have lasting consequences, making it imperative that the medical drama’s season 22 kills off somebody. The last moments of Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s finale identified Link as the character most in danger, as he was about to cause a spark in the OR where Jenna released the inflammable chemical.

However, in line with Grey’s Anatomy’s most shocking deaths through the years, the fact that Link’s death is entirely predictable after how season 21 ended makes his demise in Grey’s Anatomy season 22 less likely. Instead, someone else’s death, whose whereabouts in season 21’s ending went unnoticed, makes the most sense, one whose unanticipated demise would be even more impactful.

Richard Webber’s Death Would Justify Grey’s Anatomy Season 22’s Trailer

Richard Webber’s death would have the greatest impact and make the most sense after what we saw in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s finale and season 22’s trailer. Indeed, it’s unknown where Richard went after Meredith exited Grey Sloan Memorial, making his death entirely plausible.

The worry Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s cliffhanger ending and season 22’s trailer instilled warrants the death of a key character, or the medical drama risks not being believed anymore when it endangers some, no matter how many Grey’s Anatomy main characters it has killed off. Richard’s demise instead of Link’s would guarantee the death being major, and misdirect audiences.

Moreover, Grey’s Anatomy season 22’s trailer showed Catherine asking about fatalities and Winston, Meredith, and Amelia all looking particularly distraught. Given Richard being a mentor to Meredith, Amelia, and Winston in different ways, and how his death would hurt Catherine the most, Richard being the one to die would also justify the trailer’s focus in the cruelest way possible.

Why Richard Dying Makes More Sense Than The Alternatives

Image via ABC

With so much focus on and worry about the characters notably on the OR floor when the explosion happened, Richard’s death would sneak up on audiences. Richard being one of the few Grey’s Anatomy characters from season 1 who are still part of the medical drama would effectively make his death the end of an era, shaking up Grey’s Anatomy.

Richard having been safe as part of the team trying to get Jenna to release the hostages in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s finale would make his death in season 22’s premiere follow the same path of previous iconic character deaths by feeling exceptionally unfair. However, his demise would make more sense narratively, especially compared to the other characters in danger.

Very little happened in Richard’s life in Grey’s Anatomy season 21. While he continued teaching, his major storylines revolved around squabbles with Meredith, Catherine, and Bailey, which aren’t really new. In comparison, Link’s future with Jo, Lucas’s foreshadowed love triangle, Bailey’s role as residency program director, Monica’s complicated relationship with Amelia, and Jules’s several storylines all seem more influential story-wise.

While his death would be immensely hard on Catherine, Meredith, and Bailey, and mark the end of an era, it would give Richard’s story an ending worthy of what he meant to Grey’s Anatomy over the years. This could set up recovering from such an unimaginable loss as Grey’s Anatomy season 22’s main story, making the most of Richard’s death.