[ This review covers Season Six, Episodes Twenty-Three and Twenty-Four of Grey's Anatomy, entitled Sanctuary and Death and All His Friends, which both originally aired on Thursday, May 20, 2010 ]

ABC/DANNY FELD

A little while back when Grey’s Anatomy series creator Shonda Rhimes started touting that the sixth season finale would be a “GAME. CHANGER.,” Megan e-mailed me and told me she didn’t want to tackle the two-hour finale all on her own. That it would probably be too big and scary for her to handle all by herself when it came to reviewing it. So we came up with a plan that involved all of us getting our input in on the harrowing two-hour finale: a round-table discussion. Megan, Renata, and I are proud to present to you a completely new experience in reviewing Grey’s Anatomy, as we each take a look at a wide range of topics covering each of the two hours. We hope you enjoy this discussion, and we hope you’ll join in as well in the comments section. It’s been such a pleasure writing for you all this season and we can’t wait to see you in the fall. Now, let the discussion begin!

HOUR ONE: “SANCTUARY”

Let’s start with after-thoughts. Sum up your reaction(s) to this season’s end. Good? Bad? Not what you expected?

Adam: I absolutely enjoyed every single moment of these two hours. I wasn’t completely sure to expect, and what I got blew me out of the water. I’m a huge fan of thriller movies, and to have that paired with my favorite show, Grey’s Anatomy? It’s kinda like a wet dream. But who knew it would be so intense?

Grey’s Anatomy is best-known for taking its viewers on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. The two-hour finale of “Sanctuary” and “Death and All His Friends” was absolutely no different. Throughout the course of two hours, I screamed. I yelled. I laughed. I jumped (you know, as in scary-movie kinda jumping). I shook (a lot). And I cried (multiple times). Hands-down, this was absolutely the most intense two hours of my life up until this point. Which may be sad, but that doesn’t make it less true.

If there was one thing I had to say about the finale that disappointed me, it would be the ending. In a series known for jaw-dropping conclusions that keeps viewers talking all summer, the final moments of the sixth season were a letdown in the sense that nothing was really left hanging. Everything – for once – was tied up. And maybe that was supposed to be a gift for surviving the previous two hours. But me? I still wish we’d had a giant cliffhanger twist… many of which appeared in the hours before. Still, that’s not to say the ending wasn’t satisfying. Everything that needed to happen – it happened. It was a happy ending.

Except for one little thing. The thing that will tie this season to the next. Meredith got pregnant. And lost the baby. And Derek doesn’t know a thing about it. But I guess… I guess that’s stuff we’ll learn about next year.

Still, I was utterly satisfied with this finale in a way that I never have been with any of the previous five. In my books, there’s only one other finale that rivals this one at this point, and that’s last year’s duo of “Here’s to the Future” and “Now or Never.” In my books, “Losing My Religion” has been knocked off the top. I’ve never seen so much positive reaction to an episode of Grey’s Anatomy before, and I’m pleased to see it. Unfortunately for our dear Shonda Rhimes, this means she has set the bar higher than ever for season seven’s finale, which, now that I think of it, should’ve been pitched to the writers by now (a very scary thought indeed).

We were promised that we would see each and every character turned on their head in this finale. See a side of them that we hadn’t yet. That promise was absolutely delivered on, as Shonda Rhimes gave us what could arguably be called one of Grey’s Anatomy’s best episodes to date.

Megan: I can honestly say, without a doubt that these were the two most intense hours of television I have ever witnessed. Even though I’d allowed myself to be spoiled of most of the first hour’s events, I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I don’t think I’ve ever screamed, cried, and laughed so much or been so emotionally affected during two hours of television on any given night.

I, too, was disappointed with the ending mostly because I felt like it just…ended. There was no cliffhanger, but there were no comforting resolutions to any storyline, with the exception of Callie and Arizona. There were so many questions left up in the air (mostly on the couples front): Will Meredith tell Derek about the baby? Are Alex and Lexie really going to do the relationship thing? Is Mark going to settle with Teddy? Was this last episode really Cristina taking Owen back? How traumatized is Bailey going to be next season–I mean, is she going to be all spacy the first couple episodes again like she was after George died? And where is Webber going to come into play now? It’s almost as if Shonda was trying so hard to please everybody (all fans) that she just quit while she was ahead. She didn’t seal the deal on anything just yet. As disappointing as that feels now, it leaves a lot open for next season. Whether or not it’s worth the wait remains to be seen.

Renata: I’m pretty sure I enjoyed these episodes like I’d never enjoyed any episode before. Not from Grey’s Anatomy, not from any other series. I didn’t even want to blink so I wouldn’t miss anything. As episodes, “Sanctuary” and “Death and All His Friends” reached near to perfection. As a season finale though, there was something missing.

By the very last minutes of the second hour, I was honestly bored. Well, I’m not even sure if bored is the right word, but… we spend two hours watching Gary Clark shoot a series of people. It was so very obvious he would kill himself last, that I could barely enjoy his last scene, when he was with Richard. I didn’t even fear for Richard’s life, and I don’t think that much people did either.

Despite that, the finale didn’t disappoint me. I may have a lot of questions in my head right now, most of them already mentioned here by Megan, but in the aftermath, the question I’m most interested in is “is it September yet?!”

The shooter. Was it any surprise to see the certain familiar face wielding the gun?

Adam: I was actually really surprised to see Gary Clark as the shooter. I wasn’t expecting it. I had been expecting some totally random guy, maybe from jail that had been at the hospital for some medical reason. But this? This was totally better and made way more sense. I think we all knew from the moment we saw Meredith pass by Gary Clark in the hallway that he was the shooter. And we all knew exactly what he wanted. It was absolutely perfect.

Renata: I can’t resist spoilers, and the fact that the shooter was an “old friend” of ours had been out there beforehand, so it wasn’t a surprise at all – especially because the moment I found out about it, the first words that came to my head were “Gary Clark.” (Ok, not so much “Gary Clark,” as much as “guy with the dead wife.”)

Megan: When Mr. Clark’s storyline resurfaced in How Insensitive, it seemed a little odd to me because that’s just not something they do on this show. When that storyline ended with no finite conclusion, I started to grow suspicious. So when it was made apparent that the season finale would see a shooter taking the hospital hostage, I had no doubt in my mind that it was Mr. Clark. I was a little surprised by how trigger happy he turned out to be and am still trying to reason how someone could be so distraught over the death of his wife to take his grievance out on anybody that got in the way of his revenge target(s). This was my only issue with these episodes. It all just seemed a little too far-fetched to me. Shooting random people for no reason, or only because they got in his way? And all before he ever even found his actual targets? It just seemed like the easy way out in cutting an over-abundant cast down to size and it was a little disappointing from a creativity standpoint.

Reactions to his victims?

Adam: I’ll admit it. I screamed when Clark shot Reed. Well, not so much screamed as yelled “OH MY GOD” a little bit too loud. I got the feeling that Reed might not be walking away, but I didn’t expect… Here’s the way I’ll put this: I saw the giant “Viewer Discretion Advised” warning before the episode aired. I saw it. And I didn’t really process it, not until this moment. When Clark shot Reed, I realized we had entered into something completely unlike anything we’d ever seen on Grey’s Anatomy before. And then freaking Alex comes around the corner… Commercial break! Yet another reason to hate commercial breaks.

I remember hearing about the two Mercy Westers who wouldn’t be back next season (Reed and Percy), but I didn’t connect the dots that they would be victims of the shooter. And as stupid as it makes me feel, I love that that happened to me, because it upped my enjoyment of these episodes by quite a bit.

Plus, can I just say this? Damn you, Shonda Rhimes, for actually making me feel for Percy. Though Bailey was spared, the scene in which the shooter dragged her out from under the bed after shooting Percy was absolutely horrifying and made me brake down into tears. Only Shonda Rhimes could do that.

Renata: I never liked Reed, but I was absolutely horrified with the way she died. I knew these episodes would be very intense, but I’d never think something like that would happen. Shots? Yes, sure. Shots right on the head? No. Definitely not.

And then there was Alex. My Alex. It’s not like I didn’t know nothing would really happen to him, but that didn’t matter. He was still my Alex and I can’t stand to watch him suffer, so this was torture for me.

Even though I think it was kind of sloppy of Shonda to use the shooting as an excuse to get ride of all the Mercy West-ers she didn’t want anymore, I was really, really touched by Charlie’s death. Up until the moment when he gave his very last breath of air, I still had hope that someone or something would save him.

Megan: Reed–First of all, Heroes flashback! Secondly, she was such an insignificant character, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel about her death… Alex–WHY??? Even though I knew there was no way Shonda was going to kill him, I couldn’t help but spend the whole episode fearing for his life. Percy–I never liked the guy, but man, that’s a terrible way to die!

OMG! He totally shot Derek! WTF, Shonda?

Adam: I’m glad Shonda didn’t shy away from actually shooting Derek. It would’ve been too safe. Too hoakey. For a moment there, I was very afraid that that is what would actually happen – Derek would convince Clark to not shoot him (which really left me puzzled as to what “Death and All His Friends” would be about). So, thankfully (in a twisted kind of thankful way), Shonda shot Derek, instantly creating one of the most emotional moments of the entire series. It was beautiful, and the perfect way to end this episode and begin the next one.

Megan: Even if I hadn’t read all the spoilers and speculation beforehand (all of which pointed to the direction of Derek getting shot–and even Cristina having to operate on him), with all the blatant foreshadowing going on in the first half hour, I would’ve been just as prepared. To be honest, though, all the “preparation” in the world could not have kept me calm during the actual act of Derek being shot. My entire body literally went numb and I was thisclose to losing my dinner when that bullet went through his chest. WHY would Shonda ever do anything to harm Meredith’s McDreamy? Shonda’s own McDreamy? (See writer’s blog for that answer)

Renata: Going into this scene, I had no idea what to expect – would Derek really get shot? Would he get away with it? Was there any way someone could help him? Would Mr. Clark see Mer and Cristina? Would he shoot one of them?

I was clueless. And then, a few seconds later, I was speechless. And relieved.

Getting Derek shot was shocking (even if it was totally predictable, seeing it actually happen wasn’t anything less than a shocker), and a really bold move on Shonda’s behalf. Letting Derek get away intact would have been somewhat impossible and not believable at all, which is why I definitely think she made the right decision, even though it was certainly painful to watch him go through all of that.

Favorite scene or moment from “Sanctuary”?

Megan: Meredith and Cristina discuss whether or not Meredith should tell Derek about the baby. “I wanna see the bitch baby tears.” ‘Nuff said. I also have to give a very honorable mention to Derek’s speech/plea to Gary Clark. I have to say, I have never been so mesmerized by Patrick Dempsey’s acting as I was during those minutes before he was shot, which is why his being shot took my breath away.

Adam: Meredith and Cristina discuss the fact that Meredith is pregnant, and how Cristina wants Meredith and Derek to die so she can have the baby. Dark and twisted, but so true to Cristina. I also absolutely loved actually seeing both Cristina and Callie. In their apartment. At the same time.

Renata: Bailey and Charlie hide from Mr. Clark in Mary’s room. Hands down, one of the best scenes ever. Honorable mentions to the few funny scenes we got, like Cristina and Callie crying during breakfast and all scenes with Cristina and Meredith talking about the pregnancy (as mentioned above.)

Favorite quote from “Sanctuary”?

Megan: “Do not alarm the makers of the tiny humans.” - Arizona (Because I so want to refer to parents as “makers of tiny humans” now.)

Adam: “So are we happy about this, or are we excersing our legal right to choose?” - Cristina to Meredith, upon finding out about the pregnancy

Renata: “Was his world made whole because your womb is not empty and dry? Did he weep like a bitch baby?” – Cristina to Meredith, about Derek’s reaction to the pregnancy news

Star Ratings for “Sanctuary”

Adam: Rating:

Megan: Rating:

Renata: Rating:

HOUR TWO: “DEATH AND ALL HIS FRIENDS”

The first hour of the Grey’s Anatomy finale really was about finding Derek Shepherd. That’s what caused all the mayhem. All Reed woulda had to do is tell Gary Clark where Derek was and she wouldn’t have a bullet hole in her head.

Gary Clark found Derek. And shot him.

The second hour of the Grey’s Anatomy finale was about saving Derek Shepherd.

One of the things I’ve always absolutely loved about Grey’s Anatomy is the fact that – really, truly – everything comes back around. Everything. It’s part of what made the season five finale so fantastic. During those two hours, a lot of stuff from the previous four seasons fell into place. During these two hours, more stuff continued to fall into place.

Tremorgate from season three finally has a purpose. With no attendings around to help them save Derek, Cristina must use her advanced skills from the days she spent performing Burke’s surgeries to save her best friend’s husband. She also had to face a familiar scene – a man she loved (let’s face it, in some way, Cristina loves Derek, even if it’s just by association) was bleeding out in front of her eyes. But this time – this time, the outcome would be different. This time, she would save the man.

I didn’t really expect Patrick Dempsey’s voice to be both the very first and very last things I heard during “Death and All His Friends.” I kind of find it very discomforting when they mess with the voiceovers. While I’ve grown much more accustomed to it now than when they first messed with it in season two, it still irks me when someone other than Meredith is doing the voiceover for the finale. (Despite the fact that seasons two, three, and four featured none.) But this episode was about saving Derek Shepherd. So it worked.

In what felt like to me to be another version of the final moments of season four’s finale “Freedom,” the ending of “Death and All His Friends” was actually a happy one. With no major cliffhangers to be found, we saw many choices made and many couples reconciling, as other wounded patients made it through to see another day. And then suddenly, and very quickly, as if in the middle of a thought, it simply ended. Leaving us nothing to do…but wait.

Cristina takes charge.

Adam: I loved this. It’s what absolutely needed to happen. And it made everything that happened surgery-wise between Burke and Cristina in season three make total sense. Plus, how great was it to watch Cristina boss everyone around? It felt natural. It felt right.

Megan: I agree. This HAD to happen. It needed to happen. All I kept thinking was “It’s about time Mer and Cristina come into their own as surgeons!” As hardcore as she always is, Cristina’s ability to keep it together enough to save her best friend’s husband’s life shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but it did. I think, though, it was more of a relief to find that these “baby surgeons” have finally learned enough to operate on their own. I mean, what Cristina did, that’s like the fast track to becoming an attending, right? Especially since her patient was her boss–who, by the way, now owes her BIG TIME, and I kind of hope Cristina constantly reminds him of that from here on out.

Renata: I completely agree too. Cristina has already done some pretty incredible things for a resident, but this? This was it. I find it hard to believe anyone doubted Cristina’s badassness, but if someone did, they sure don’t anymore. Watching her take the lead on such an important event like that, with so much naturally to be a leader, as Adam mentioned, was amazing.

Bailey breaks down.

Adam: For some reason, my heartstrings pulled more with Bailey than with anyone else over the course of these two episodes (excepting possibly Meredith, of course). As a result, I cried throughout most of her storyline. I couldn’t help myself. In a way only Shonda could, she made me care for Charles Percy, and then she killed him. And Bailey was there the whole time. And so was Mandy Moore! (Can I just say, Mandy Moore was awesome. Let’s have more Mandy Moore.) It was crushing. I was actually kind of sad to see Percy die. Maybe it’s because she’s just such a good person, but whenever something bad happens to Miranda Bailey, I just kind of freak out a little (remember the Denny Duquette M&M from season three? That was torturous for me to watch.), so tonight broke me into pieces. I was convinced Bailey would get shot… Thank God that didn’t happen. Thank God. (Upon reading Shonda’s writer’s blog, I find that Bailey was supposed to be shot. I’m so glad that was too horrifying, even for Shonda. Because, really? Bailey getting shot? It really would’ve been too horrifying.)

Megan: After reading Shonda’s blog, I’m grateful that’s all that happened to Bailey because the one thing I kept telling myself coming into this episode was “If Bailey gets shot or hurt, Shonda has no soul!” And apparently Shonda agreed. Bailey is the soul of this show. She CANNOT be taken out of commission. So, she breaks down because one of her colleagues gets shot instead and “Dr. B” eventually has to do the hardest thing she’ll ever have to do as a surgeon: LET someone die. Cristina refused to LET Derek die even when she had a gun pointed at her head. Bailey wasn’t being held at gunpoint and yet she was even more helpless. And she absolutely broke my heart…again.

Renata: Being in this position would be devastating for any doctor, but it had to be even more harmful and disturbing for Bailey. It doesn’t matter if Charles was a Mercy West-er. It doesn’t matter if she didn’t even know him for that long. It doesn’t matter if she said she didn’t like him. Bailey has a huge heart. A mother’s heart. She’s like a mama bear and, despite everything, he was one of her pupils, like all the other residents. So yeah, I’d break down too.

The shooter’s in the OR! WTF?

Adam: So I’m still not completely sure I understand how he made it into the OR, but to be honest, I don’t care. I’m willing to overlook it. And I’m willing to do this because this was an absolutely fantastic twist. I like to pretend I’m good at guessing plot twists, and sometimes I am, but the truth of the matter is that I’m actually really bad at it, and so I didn’t see this coming. Not even though Owen was acting all weird. Because, see, this is horrible, but I thought Owen was acting all weird because he was going to do something horrible when he went into the OR. I don’t know what, but I had a feeling it would be bad and jeopardize Derek’s life even more. Thankfully, I was wrong, because I’d like to continue liking Owen, thanks.

As horrible this turn of events may have been, it was also absolutely brilliant. Though I knew Patrick Dempsey wasn’t leaving the show, I burst into tears the moment Meredith did when she thought Derek was actually dying. That was probably the most horrific scene of the night. Wait – no. I thought it was really horrific when Meredith shoved Cristina into those shelves, no matter what the reason may have been.

Megan: I LOVED this twist because it was the one thing I didn’t suspect in the slightest until the very moment it was revealed (mostly because I, too, couldn’t figure out how he could’ve gotten in there). When Owen came into the scrub room where Meredith and April were and was peering into the OR, I couldn’t even fathom what he was reacting to. His tone definitely sounded ominous, but I think I was just so caught up in the fact that he was there where Cristina was that I couldn’t even imagine what he was walking in on. On another note, I loved how Jackson stepped up amid the chaos. He was definitely the steadiest hand in that OR and it saved everyone’s life (well, except for the one growing inside Meredith).

Renata: After it happens it seems oh-so obvious, but I would have never seen it coming.

When Owen got in and his eyes clearly showed us there was something wrong going on, the only thing I could picture was the surgery going terribly wrong and Derek’s blood around the whole OR. As soon as we were allowed in and found out Mr. Clark was not only there, but with his gun pointed to Cristina’s head, I couldn’t even move. My body really turned to stone. And everything that followed – like Owen’s heroic act, Mer’s speech and Jackson’s genius move – only made the scene get better and better.

It will always be Webber’s hospital.

Megan: Honestly, I’m not a fan of Richard Webber. Therefore, there was FAR too much Richard Webber in these two hours for my liking. I get that Shonda was making an effort to bring his character full circle, but I feel like his scene with Gary Clark was too lengthy and could have been handled so much more quickly, leaving time for other, more important things, like epic reunions and reconciliations or poetic arias by more principal characters.

Lexie chooses Alex.

Adam: As much as I love Mark and Lexie, and as much as I want to ship them… I can’t. Not when the possibility of Lexie and Alex is still alive. I’ve always loved these two together, dating all the way back to when they first started hooking up in 406 “Kung Fu Fighting.” I have a soft spot for this couple, and my thinking is that if Alex can’t have Izzie, then Lexie is the next best thing for him. So I’m glad Lexie chose Alex. But I don’t know how long that will last, because Lexie said all these great things. And Alex thought she was Izzie (yet again showing that it was ingenious to die Chyler Leigh’s hair blonde!). That’s bound to complicate things. A lot.

Megan: “One of the hardest things in life is to watch the one you love love someone else.” That’s all I kept thinking as Mark fought to save Alex’s life all the while watching Lexie practically profess her love to Alex. I’ve never been a fan of Mark and Lexie, but I never really hated them together because I “got” it–I guess I just never “felt” it. They understood each other. They clearly love(d) each other. While I don’t mind Alex and Lexie, I’m still not convinced they’re completely over their exes. Alex’s calling for Izzie as he was lying there (not) dying and Lexie trying so hard to prove to Mark and herself that she loves Alex was evidence of that.

Renata: Megan’s quote pretty much explains the Alex/Lexie/Mark equation perfectly – Mark’s suffering because of Alex and Lexie. Lexie is suffering because of Alex and the memory of Izzie. Alex is suffering without Izzie.

I really like both Lexie/Alex and Lexie/Mark, so I didn’t really know (or want) to take sides in the previous episodes, but, after this episode, I think I know what side to go to. Alex and Lexie are trying to convince themselves that they’re fine. That they’re loved. That they have someone there for them. They need to believe that, because they had that, and they lost it. Alex had it with Izzie, and she left him. Lexie had it with Mark, and when it came to a choice, he chose his daughter over her.

All of that summed up to the fact that Lexie probably felt guilty that Alex got shot makes her “choice” understandable, but if they try to keep fooling themselves they’ll both get hurt and hurt other people (Mark), so I hope Shonda doesn’t drag this for too long.

Owen chooses Cristina.

Adam: He HAD to pick Cristina. DUH. Otherwise half the viewers would’ve shut their TV sets off upon seeing Owen pick Teddy. He HAD to pick Cristina. But despite that, that doesn’t mean I’m not glad he did. Because I am. I so am. They are kind of perfect for each other and a fantastic couple that the fans love so much. I think they’ve still got a very long road ahead of themselves, but I’m really pleased with the progress I saw in the finale.

Renata: C’mon, Shonda. Owen didn’t choose Cristina in this episode. Owen chose Cristina a long time ago. Owen chose Cristina repeatedly. You just seem to be the only one who’s not able to accept that.

This being said, I was really happy Owen came back for Cristina, even if I feared a lot for his sake, because I was sure he would get shot. I really was. I figured “okay, so they broke up and now he’ll get shot, and Cristina, in fear for his life, will run back to his arms.” And it’s not like anyone can blame me for this thought – doesn’t it sound like something that would totally happen in Shondaland? To me, it does.

I’m obviously glad she didn’t do that, and, as a CrOwen shipper, I’m actually feeling good with what we got. I was desperately hoping that they would, at least, have a scene in the end of the episode, even if just a tiny one. A scene that was theirs. And by that, I don’t mean they needed to be alone; just Teddy-free, in love, and happy to be together. It could have been in the OR. They could have just held each other tight. That would have been enough. But even if we didn’t get that, I’m okay with what we got, simply for the fact that there was no better way for him to prove his love for her, and to prove that it doesn’t matter who gets in their way, by the end of the day she’ll always be the only one he runs to.

Megan: Agreed. Owen chose Cristina soooo long ago, and several times over. Still, I don’t view Teddy’s “It’s okay to choose [Cristina]” comment to Owen as her making the choice for him or him choosing Cristina by default (because, remember, he already chose her–Teddy was just confusing him). I took it more as Teddy finally letting him go and letting him know it was okay to let her go because she finally sees how much he loves Cristina and how broken he was after losing her. At least this is what I’m hoping. That Teddy finally gets that it doesn’t matter what she wants because Owen needs to be with Cristina. Owen needs Cristina. Teddy finally sees this and because she loves Owen and wants him to be happy she needed to let him go…be happy…without her. And in that moment Teddy grew on me because, in my head, she put an end to this god-awful triangle once and for all. And I really hope, for the sake of my season-seven enjoyment, that’s what was happening in Shonda’s head as well. And I just want to put this out there to all the Cristina/Owen nay-sayers: Owen took a freakin’ BULLET for THE woman that he loves. That makes him a freakin’ hero. That makes him a hero in freakin’ love. Granted, he still has some winning-back to do of Cristina, I think Cristina was left in a position where she’s open to being won-over again, which is what I guess we’re left to look forward to next season with these two.

Callie and Arizona choose…each other.

Adam: I had no clue how these two would work out their issues. I just didn’t see how they could. Because that’s a really tough issue to have to work around, and there isn’t really a compromise for it. So the way it all worked out? It was perfect. They both finally realized that it didn’t really matter, they just needed to be together. Still, Arizona agreeing to a family – and not just any family, but a big, giant family – was really gratifying. These two are so beautiful together and I hope that this is the end of their troubles… for now.

Megan: I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little bitter. Even though they’ve been my second-favorite couple for almost two seasons now, I’m a little bit bitter that they got their happy ending (kiss), while my favorite only got a semi-happy ending (sans kiss). I always liked Arizona and Callie together because they were always very real with each other and in themselves. Call it the bitterness talking, but I can’t help but feel like their reunion killed a little bit of that realness. It just seemed like they resolved the issue too quickly.

Renata: In my opinion, concession is one of the trickiest subjects there is, especially when it comes to relationships. You don’t want to give in; you want to stay true to your beliefs and desires. But you also don’t want to let go. So, you need the other person to grant you what you want from her. But if you can’t convey, why should the other one? It’s a cross fire. All options suck. You either ignore what you believe in, or you ask the one you love to do so. You give in, or you lose them. I’d love if there was a way Callie and Arizona could work things out without one of them having to give in, but their reconciliation was all about concession, so that was impossible.

I’m happy they managed to be together once again, but as if all of this wasn’t complicated enough as it was, they both gave in. And I’m still honestly trying to decide if that’s good, or doubly bad…

Meredith chooses not to tell Derek about the baby until it’s too late.

Adam: I don’t know how to feel about this. I really felt like Meredith should’ve told him as she was standing over him in the OR, as her and Cristina figured out what to do. To me, that would’ve been the perfect time. But she didn’t say anything, and then she lost it. So do you say anything? Or do you not?

I feel like this is going to be a central issue for season seven. Obviously, it’s not going to break up Meredith and Derek, but it’s probably going to cause issues. Another way to “keep the relationship interesting,” I suppose.

Am I mad Meredith lost the baby? No. I’m not. I think we all knew there’s no way Meredith would actually be having this baby. I know I knew there’s no way that baby would survive these two hours. I just didn’t expect the pregnancy to end the way that it did. But Meredith can still get pregnant. McBabies can still happen – we’re not talking about “dried-up” Addison here.

But, if I had to pick, this would be the one thing I am most worried about going into next season. Because there are so many different directions something like this could go in. And not all of them are good.

Megan: Part of me says don’t tell Derek. Just try again. He never needs to know. It would only break him because of the way Meredith lost the baby. Because, in a way, he might feel like it was his fault for not being a good enough hero. Another part of me says, well too many other people (Cristina, Jackson, Owen, and April) know, so it might not be the kind of deep, dark secret a woman wants to hide from her husband only for the truth to be slipped to him via one of the other secret-keepers. Besides, it’s something I want to see them support each other through. It adds a whole new dynamic to their relationship in that they’ve experienced personal loss together.

Renata: During the few times Meredith and Derek were in the same scene, I kept hoping she would just tell him, for once and for all. But then after the shot happen, I was glad she didn’t, because they would have both suffered even more – Derek for knowing he may die without getting to know his child, and, therefore, Meredith for knowing he would be suffering about it.

I believe miscarrying must be one of the saddest things for a woman, and not even being able to count with her husband’s support must be so much worse, which is why I wouldn’t really understand if Shonda brought such a delicate subject in for two episodes only. Dealing with it next season will be painful, but needed.

Favorite scene or moment from “Death and All His Friends”?

Megan: Cristina, Jackson, Owen, and Meredith dealing with the gunman in the OR. I could watch this scene over and over and over again. In fact, it’s probably my favorite Grey’s Anatomy scene EVER. From Cristina refusing to cease operating on Derek to Meredith offering her life for Derek’s to Owen attempting to take down the shooter to Jackson initiating a plan to foil the gunman and save all their lives, each character in the scene played the part of a hero and that alone makes it one of the most epic/moving/inspirational scenes ever played out on television.

Adam: As much as I love the scene that Megan chose, and it’s certainly one of many runner-ups, I have to say, I kinda loved the scene between Richard Webber and Gary Clark. Like Megan, I’m not a fan of Richard. But, in my eyes, he’s been slowly redeeming himself this season, and this scene was absolutely haunting. Yet also incredibly brave, as we learned everything we ever needed to know about Richard in this scene. And he poured out the vodka. If that’s not character growth, then I don’t know what is.

Renata: Mr. Clark in the OR while Cristina operates on Derek, no questions asked. It was an amazing moment that has certainly won a spot as one of my favorite scenes ever. The situation was terrifying. The lines were incredible. The acting was… wow! Sandra, Kevin and Jesse seemed so in synch with each other. The looks they exchanged throughout the whole scene said everything they couldn’t say.

Favorite quote from “Death and All His Friends”?

Megan: “That is the woman that I love. You shoot her, you touch her and I will KILL you.” – Owen (Because it’s virtually the only CrOwen moment I have left to hang onto between now and next season!)

Adam: I have two. Maybe that’s cheating, but I don’t care. I can’t choose. So here’s number one: “You want justice right? Your wife died, I know what happened. Derek told me the story. Lexie Grey is the one that pulled the plug on your wife, she’s my sister. Dr. Webber, he was your wife’s doctor. I’m the closest thing he has to a daughter. And the man on the table, I’m his wife. If you wanna hurt them, the way that you hurt, shoot me. I’m your eye for an eye.” – Meredith to Gary Clark (It so brilliantly tied all the characters together and was absolutely horrifying.) And here’s number two: “I can’t talk right now because I’m trying to save your guy. Now please go and try to save mine.” – Cristina to Meredith

Renata: Mine was this one as well: “I can’t talk right now because I’m trying to save your guy. Now please go and try to save mine.” – Cristina to Meredith, while operating on Derek, after Owen gets shot

Star Ratings for “Death and All His Friends”

Adam: Rating:

Megan: Rating:

Renata: Rating:

One wish for Season 7?

Adam: I’m not completely sure what I wish for season seven yet. Just more of the awesomeness that season six brought to my home. Maybe some happy couples… at least for a while? Please? And a peaceful resolution to the McBaby dilemma. That would be nice. After leaving on such a high note, it’s hard to imagine what’s going to happen next.

Megan: I really hope the writers have had their fill with this Cristina/Owen/Teddy triangle. It ran its course so long ago, that continuing it into next season (after Owen “picked” Cristina for the gajillionbillionth time) would be beating a dead horse. It’s inhumane! Let’s give Teddy some self-sustaining material if she absolutely must stay.

Renata: I truly wish Shonda and company will allow Cristina and Owen to grow as a couple and to have a mature relationship, without third wheels or ghosts of their pasts, but real life, daily problems to get past. Also, like Megan, I really want Teddy to start walking with her own legs and getting her own storylines.

Also, Cristina needs to become the Chief of Residency. Just sayin’.

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Grey’s Anatomy will return with a seventh season this fall to ABC.

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