We’re still not over it, to be honest.
Grey’s Anatomy fans were left sobbing this week when the long-running medical drama took an unexpected stroll down memory lane.
This story contains spoilers for the most recent Grey’s Anatomy episode, Flowers Grow Out Of My Grave.
For the first time in the series’ 317-episode history, Grey’s had a Dia de los Meurtos-themed episode – and the final moments were particularly emotional for fans.
As Meredith Grey was getting ready to leave the hospital for the night she was visited by those that she had loved and lost – which meant that a lot of beloved characters made their return.
It all began when, as she started walking down the hall, George O’Malley runs around the corner and calls her name.
She stops off at the nurses station to say goodbye to one of her co-workers, and sees Lexie. Meredith turns again, and this time it’s her mum, Ellis, who walks by.
With Meredith always ❤️ #GreysAnatomy pic.twitter.com/VhihShB7Qk
— Grey's Anatomy (@GreysABC) November 2, 2018
She continues down the hallway and her late dog, Doc, starts trotting along beside her.
As she pulls out her phone and starts to dial a number, she remarks: “Well, I may not be an expert. But I do have some experience losing the people I love.”
And in the background of the scene, the ghosts of Derek Shepherd and Mark Sloan – aka: McDreamy and McSteamy – are watching her.
To top it all off, the emotional sequence was set tto a Spanish cover version of Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars (sung by Moon & Sun, featuring Israel De Corcho) – and, basically, fans just couldn’t deal with the surprise returns.
ON THE NEWEST EPISODE OF @GreysABC THEY PLAYED CHASING CARS BUT IT WAS SANG IN SPANISH AND THEN ALL OF MEREDITH’S DEAD LOVED ONES SHOWED UP THIS IS NOT FAIR 😭😭😭😭 #DiaDeMuertos #Greys
— NettiePie 🇵🇸🇨🇩 (@anetgoesswoosh) November 2, 2018
The best way to grieve is however the hell you want. 😭 #Greys pic.twitter.com/TSJYnYLKyV
— amanda fleshman (@aabossert) November 3, 2018
I got emotional as soon as chasing cars started playing and it all went downhill from there. 😭
— Riya Anand (@riya_anand22) November 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/slexie_japril/status/1058294197365719041
https://twitter.com/Flutiecutie99/status/1058161440174100480
Whew that episode of #Greys.. y’all. Just seeing Derek on the screen. I had to shed a tear.. 😢😢 #greysghostsgotmegood
— qui ✨▪️ (@qui_anna12) November 2, 2018
Just crying over @GreysABC and my dog hobbles over like what mom what’s wrong!! Oh hunny #Greys just did it again 😭😭😭😭 #DOC ok everyone else too but doccccc 😍😭😭😭😭😭 @EllenPompeo
— Jennifer Lauren (@JeLaurenn) November 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/jaaay__x3/status/1058163345528946688
Hittin all the feels this week #Greys https://t.co/c6iUE4CSHm
— bec (@rebeccajaeger3) November 2, 2018
Omg I just watched greys and that last minute was too much for me . The sight of Lexi got my eyes leaking like a broken faucet. #greys #GreysAnantomy #sad pic.twitter.com/B7kVHDJviO
— dyslexic prince 🍉🍉 (@7thTikTokLegend) November 3, 2018
Showrunnner Krista Vernoff explained how they created the special scene – and which one of the character cameos was new footage.
She explained to Entertainment Tonight:
“It’s not all old footage. The design of it is that some of those shots aired in previous episodes. Some of those shots were from dailies from old episodes but never aired.
“For example, that shot of Mark looking at Derek, that was from dailies and never aired in an episode.
“And some of those we shot fresh. Ellis, we shot fresh. Doc, the dog, we shot fresh.
“The design of that is that not everyone believes in life after death, not everyone believes that our loved ones can visit us. I wanted it to feel like there’s something in that for everyone.
“If you want to believe that this exists in Meredith’s memory, you can believe that. If you want to believe that exists in Meredith’s imagination, you can believe that.
“And if you want to believe that her beloved family came back to visit her, you can believe that. There’s a little bit of something for everyone.”
