Who Will Die?

It has been a long and stressful road for both us fans and those who work behind-the-scenes at Grey’s Anatomy just waiting to see how this year’s contract negotiations work out, as it could change the face of the series forever. Series creator Shonda Rhimes hasn’t been shy about sharing her apprehensions going into this year, and even revealed that it wasn’t until recently that she was even able to figure out how to end (and then, subsequently, write) the season.

Still, the end of the season is coming – and quickly – and it doesn’t look like the stress will be ending for either party any time soon, as a new TVGuide.com interview with Shonda Rhimes has shed light on this season’s finale, airing May 17, which will reportedly be even worse than when a rogue gunman roamed the hospital two years ago. The interview confirms recent speculation that a series regular cast member will die, though there’s no telling out of the 14+ cast members who it could be. And though Rhimes won’t reveal much of the finale, whose main story arc apparently kicks off in the May 10 episode, “Migration,” she does reveal that we will finally see Meredith and Derek’s dream house and that it won’t be burning down. “I was not ready to do that,” she says, adding that she hopes they get to use the location next season.

The finale will apparently also offer up a lot of key moments for many characters, including Alex, where “we watch Alex have a really lovely moment where we discover how much he’s grown up this season.” Ben and Miranda will make a big decision, while Mark and Lexie will “have some very beautiful moments with one another.” And Cristina will struggle to come to terms with the fact that she would rather be a talented surgeon before being Owen’s wife.

But Rhimes wouldn’t offer any information up on Callie or Arizona, saying there was nothing she could reveal about them. With a finale so big, it seems curious that they wouldn’t have a storyline or be included, which has many people thinking quite the opposite – could one of them be biting the dust?

It would also appear that Rhimes now knows the outcome of the contract discussions with her actors, which is something she is hoping to keep secret until after the finale airs. Whereas previously, Rhimes would admit to having no knowledge about what was happening with contract talks, Rhimes now states that she’s simply not allowed to talk about it.

Either way, this year is going to be a big finale for Grey’s Anatomy viewers, one that is sure to keep us talking all summer. Current popular opinion seems to suggest that it will be Arizona dying on the series, but I remain unconvinced. Rhimes does admit that “there are certain characters on this show that you can’t kill. It wouldn’t be acceptable not only to the audience, but to me and my vision of what this show is. They can’t die.” So now it’s just a matter of who those “certain characters” are.

UPDATE – 05.11.12

Now that we’ve come to the final week before the finale, and now that we know all of the original cast members will be returning to the show for at least two more years, it’s time for one final poll. Take your final guesses: Who do you think will die in the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy?

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ORIGINAL POLL from April 25: Who do you think will die in the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy?

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823 Migration, 824 Flight, Featured

Priscilla951

Other: Richard or Bailey.
Those are the only two characters Shonda would call “beloved”. Cristina and the rest would be fan favorites or characters the fans like or get a lot of mail about.

Richard is the Dad figure, the Chief figure, the one they respect and subconsciously follow even now that he’s not Chief.

Bailey is the soul of the hospital and the one whose death would hurt the most characters.
Nikky

Mark.
Kim

Hi Adam! I’m wondering who do you think will die?
- Adam
  
  My thoughts on who is going to die literally changes from day to day. I really have no clue who Shonda could be killing off, or what the giant cliffhanger that leads to the end of the season could be (not that I want to have a clue…). I end up feeling more often than not that it’s going to be Derek, yet in my heart I don’t think that’s going to happen. I just can’t decide. I love too many of them.
Merderforever

I think Adele is going to die.
- Adam
  
  I definitely think it is possible that something is going to happen with Adele’s storyline that makes it so that we no longer see her after this season (it’s just beginning to feel like her story is coming to a close). Whether or not that involves her death, I can’t decide, but I feel like the death in the finale is being played up too much to be Adele. Though, who knows, maybe that’s exactly who it is. Then again, I think it’s also quite possible that we won’t even really know who dies in the finale until next season.
http://mommysnotperfect.blogspot.com Kiersten

Either Adele or Richard.
Tassit

I guess Richard will die. Or April.
K.L.

Ask Ausiello said that it will not be one of the Originals (Meredith, Cristina or Alex), Bailey, Mark or Avery.

That leaves Derek, Callie, Arizona, Owen, Teddy, Lexie, April or the Chief. I think it will be Chief Webber since that will also end the Adele storyline.

The episode is named Flight. Could that mean that the plane carrying the 5th years back to Seattle will go down? Who would be on that plane? Meredith, Cristina, Alex, April, Jackson and Richard. If Ask Ausiello is right, that would mean it would either be Richard or April. I think Richard is definitely the more beloved character and would have the greater impact on the rest of the characters.
bree

when i first saw that the title name was “flight” i thought that the residents were going to get into an accident on their way home from the boards..but at the end of last nights episode they were all back at the hospital..i think that april is going to be the one dying and heres why; her storyline seems to be wrapping up rather quicky..she lost her virginity to jackson..then you find out that shes always been in love with him..THEN she FAILS the boards..so how could it not be april dying?
K.L.

This is going to be a loooooong 2 weeks. Last night’s episode shot my theory out the window. *sigh*
K.L.

Well, right scenario just the different people on board. With the recent announcement of contract renewals we know that Meredith, Cristina and Derek are safe. Mark looks fine and I heard he was safe as well. That leaves Arizona and Lexie (who both appear to be pinned under the wreckage) as the most likely to die. I hate that it could be either of them as they are two of my favs and I really hope that Shonda Rhimes wouldn’t kill either of them off.

What if the crash is a red herring? What if they all manage to survive and the person that ends up dying is April Kepner? She is really going through a rough time right now. Maybe she ends up committing suicide. Kind of what I’m hoping right now because I really don’t want it to be Arizona or even Lexie.
Katrine

Having seen (on http://www.spoilersguide.com) that all the originals (Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Derek, Bailey and Dr. Webber) have renewed their contracts and seeing from the end of 8×23 and the promo for 8×24 that Altman, Hunt, April and Jackson weren’t on the plane, we’re left with Lexie, Mark, Arizona and possibly Callie (I’m not actually sure Callie was on the plane, but I can’t see any firm evidence to the contrary, so for now, she’s an option, too). As Mark seems fairly unscathed in the promo and Callie possibly wasn’t on the plane at all, my money is on either Lexie or Arizona.
Jennifer

Can we not forget, “They can renew their contracts, however does not make them save.”!! Shonda has stated this… I feel the one is leaving is Alex, even though he renew his contract, I feel it could very much be him!!