‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17 Premiere Just Dropped a Major Bombshell About Meredith’s Future

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

We’ve been looking forward to this week’s season 17 premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, which addressed the coronavirus pandemic. However, we never expected ABC to go there.

Here’s what you need to know: During last night’s episode, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) returns to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, which is on high alert due to COVID-19. The installment concludes with a devastating realization: Meredith might be dying.

Well, that’s what we’re supposed to believe, since she’s now passed out in a parking lot. In her dreams, Meredith is lounging on a beach with her deceased husband, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey).

The scene might trigger some Grey’s Anatomy fans, especially since series creator Shonda Rhimes is famous for bringing back familiar faces when the characters are in near-death experiences. You know, similar to when Izzy (Katherine Heigl) joined George (T. R. Knight) in the elevator.

If you’re thinking, There’s no way they’ll kill off Meredith, think again. Even Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff revealed that the new episodes are supposed to accurately reflect the pandemic’s impact on healthcare workers.

“The most important task we had this season was to honor the reality of this global pandemic and the impact it's having—particularly on healthcare workers,” she said in a statement. “Along with that we had to come up with creative ways to allow our show to still be fun and romantic and provide some escapism. Enter Patrick Dempsey. The beach motif—which will continue beyond the premiere—provided a way for us to live outside the pandemic even for a little while here and there. And Derek’s return provided pure joy for us, for Meredith, and for the fans.”

Grab your person, ladies and gents. Grey’s Anatomy airs on Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Want more entertainment news sent right to your inbox? Click here.