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SPOILER ALERT: This interview accommodates main spoilers from “How Do I Stay,” the Season 21 finale of ABC’s “Gray’s Anatomy.”

“Gray’s Anatomy” isn’t any stranger to stunning season finales. However for the Season 21 finale of the venerable ABC medical drama, showrunner Meg Marinis wished to pay homage to a few of “Gray’s” biggest hits — a perpetrator holding docs hostage in an OR throughout a life-saving process; {couples} falling out and in of affection in the course of a medical emergency; a superior sleeping with an intern earlier than realizing they have been an intern; and, after all, a probably catastrophic explosion on the surgical ground of Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital.

“Prior to now, we’ve had individuals threaten the hospital — we’ve seen Gary Clark within the shooter episode [at the end of Season 6],” Marinis tells Selection. “However we have been like, ‘What does it appear to be when a destroyed mother does it?’ So we did a twist on this story and wished to do a nostalgic ‘Gray’s’ finale the place you don’t know who lives and who dies.”

Thursday’s finale revolved round Dr. Amelia Shepherd’s (Caterina Scorsone) newest “unattainable case”: Dylan Gatlin (Sophia Kopera), a 9-year-old affected person who, following problems from surgical procedure to deal with a cavernous angioma, was recognized with locked-in syndrome. After changing into fed up with Amelia and Dr. Beltran’s (Natalie Morales) repeated insistence on ready to see whether or not Dylan’s intracranial bleeding would resolve by itself, Dylan’s mom, Jenna (Piper Perabo), determined to take issues into her personal fingers, stealing a tank stuffed with acetylene from her husband’s truck and threatening to explode the hospital if Amelia didn’t save her daughter.

With an help from her nephew, Dr. Lucas Adams (Niko Terho) — who may solely watch helplessly as Jenna held an explosive to his ex-girlfriend Dr. Simone Griffith’s (Alexi Floyd) chest — Amelia is ready to cease Dylan’s bleeding. (Ellen Pompeo’s Dr. Meredith Gray, who isn’t any stranger to hostage conditions or potential explosions within the OR, even jumps in to ship some contemporary frozen plasma to assist save Dylan.) In a state of equal components aid and disbelief, Jenna fell to her knees and let go of the tank, and she or he was promptly arrested.

The police verified Jenna’s assertion that the tank had been empty all alongside, however for some cause, nobody had thought to verify whether or not the valve had been opened. Within the closing two episodes of Season 13, Meredith witnessed an explosion that brought about a fireplace on an higher ground of the hospital from the car parking zone. The ultimate moments of Season 21 parallel that second, with Meredith once more wanting up in horror from the car parking zone after one other explosion wipes out a part of the surgical ground.

Beneath, Marinis breaks down all of the developments in that jam-packed finale, together with what Meredith’s new take care of Catherine (Debbie Allen) will imply for Pompeo’s future involvement with the collection. Having joined “Gray’s” in 2006 as a author’s PA who has risen by way of the ranks to grow to be the present showrunner, Marinis additionally opens up about her working relationship with Pompeo, in addition to how she is approaching probably bringing again extra beloved characters for the present’s record-extending twenty second season, premiering this fall.

Piper Perabo delivers a heartbreaking portrayal of a mom whose desperation leads her to carry hostage the docs who’re liable for her youngster’s care. The character may have simply been characterised as a pure villain, however viewers will inevitably really feel these fleeting moments of sympathy for this girl who has clearly spiraled uncontrolled. How did you concentrate on crafting Jenna’s multi-episode arc, and what stands out to you about Piper’s efficiency?

It gave me the chills each time they arrested her, which is a tribute to Piper’s efficiency. Clearly, after we have been in discussions of casting her, we crammed her in on all the story and let her know that it will be the deterioration of a personality that you just see in her eyes. After we see her in that first episode, she is put collectively and she or he’s obtained make-up on. Her child is having surgical procedure, so she’s anxious. After which within the second episode — and Piper was very concerned on this — she had them take curls out of her hair, and she or he had darkish circles and fewer make-up.

However we couldn’t go too far together with her efficiency till the final episode the place in Act I, when she turns and also you see that look on her face, you’re like, “Oh, that’s the second she makes the choice that she’s going to take this hospital down.” Piper was an amazing collaborative accomplice, and I’m so grateful that she joined our present for 3 episodes as a result of she’s so gifted. She is somebody who seems to be just like the woman subsequent door, however then in a second may simply flip. She gave that efficiency that you just see within the minimize, even when the digicam was on the opposite individuals. She did it 35 instances in a row.

In a primary for “Gray’s,” this season, Teddy (Kim Raver) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) determined to experiment with an open marriage with a purpose to save their marriage. Teddy tried exploring her attraction to Dr. Cass Beckman (Sophia Bush) however in the end known as off their fling. Owen, nonetheless, connected along with his childhood good friend, Nora (Floriana Lima), who later turns into Teddy’s affected person. The place did the inspiration for the storyline come from? Did you all the time know that you just have been going to finish with Teddy wanting to separate from Owen?

No, we really thought it was going to finish otherwise. And with the performances that Kim and Kevin have been giving, they blew me away all season lengthy with these tough marriage conversations that that they had. Our design initially of the season was that this marriage hasn’t been traditionally comfortable, so let’s really see it play out in actual time and see what usually occurs, which is individuals use band-aid options to repair one thing that’s damaged in itself. I believe that open marriage has labored for some individuals, however on tv we regularly see that it’s a mistake.

It additionally was a enjoyable approach to get different fascinating visitor solid to focus on and illuminate what Teddy wasn’t getting from Owen and what Owen wasn’t getting from Teddy. A number of it’s that Teddy now has the job that he used to have. That energy dynamic has been tough for them. They’re two full-time, high-stress working mother and father with two young children. They don’t prioritize their marriage, and that is the consequence of that. And when different individuals have been prioritizing them, they noticed, “Oh, there’s something incorrect right here. It’s not essentially that we need to be with these individuals, however we’re taking a look at one another not the way in which we ought to be taking a look at one another.”

Teddy has spent years and years selecting Owen — typically on the expense of her personal job and her personal happiness. What epiphany did she have in these previous couple of episodes that has allowed her to succeed in the conclusion that she has to decide on herself over Owen for as soon as? Did seeing Owen and Nora collectively within the hospital mattress give Teddy any form of readability?

I believe when she sees the 2 of them collectively on the finish of the [penultimate] episode, after which she had the surgical procedure to carry out, it’s this second of, “Can I do that?” I believe the second that she realized that she may do the surgical procedure and that she may do something, she realized, “OK, I may stroll away. I got here up with this superb surgical procedure. I saved the lady that slept with my husband. I’m robust sufficient.” I believe earlier than this second, there was concern that she wasn’t robust sufficient to do it. And on this episode, she realizes that she can do it. It’s very arduous and painful, however that speech is so robust. I hope girls watch it all over the place and make the precise choice for themselves. She’s such a powerful character, and I believe that typically she places herself second for him.

Owen was clearly blindsided by this dialog, however to be honest, he had it coming. The place do you see them going from right here?

I don’t assume they know but. Clearly, the dynamic could shift, understanding what occurs within the hospital on the finish of the finale. Clearly, [what takes priority is] who’s injured, who’s taking good care of whom, and the way Teddy navigates that as chief. I believe it’s going to be tough, however I do assume that as writers we’re inquisitive about seeing what it seems to be like when the 2 are aside for a second. It doesn’t imply that they received’t finally discover their approach again to one another, as a result of that is “Gray’s.” We may go on for an additional decade!

Within the penultimate episode, shortly after Lucas had simply dumped her, Simone connected with a good-looking stranger (Trevor Jackson) at Joe’s Bar — and, naturally, that man is now one of many new surgical interns at Gray Sloan. What new problems will that new intern create for Simone and Lucas going ahead?

Effectively, Lucas has to seek out out first, proper? And the final time we noticed Lucas, he was working down a hallway attempting to stop an explosion. So we’ve got to seek out out what occurs there, however I believe that is actually, actually messy for Simone. That is Meredith Gray messy. I believe that it’s even messier, as a result of from the little that we’ve seen of this new character, he does have a conceit that can rival different docs within the hospital. He is probably not the best, most agreeable, most obedient intern, so that can throw one other wrench into the sport.

Have you ever named this new intern already, or are we going to seek out out his title subsequent season?

You’ll discover out his title subsequent season.

Following the top of “Station 19,” Ben Warren (Jason Winston George) returned to Gray Sloan to work as a probationary surgeon, however Bailey (Chandra Wilson) reveals that Teddy is just not recommending him to proceed his residency on the hospital as a consequence of his tendency to interrupt protocols. What problems did you need to create for Ben in his return to the medical discipline? And provided that cliffhanger, will he actually be leaving Gray Sloan?

He was exterior the hospital when that explosion went off, so we all know he’s alive. However he doesn’t have a job, so he’s going by way of an emotional explosion. What we wished to see for him coming again was that it wasn’t going to be as straightforward as he assumed, and likewise the problem of getting to work side-by-side together with your spouse who’s ready of authority over you. I believe they have been in a position to navigate that pretty effectively. There have been just a few bumps within the highway, however we wished to inform a narrative the place Ben didn’t need to ask for particular therapy from Bailey.

And since he did it his approach, the renegade approach, it brought about him to finish up in a load of hassle. However the one that made that call was Teddy, and Teddy has had an emotional yr. So I believe there’s one thing to be stated, now that she’s lastly ready to decide on herself and put that a part of her life apart: Did she make the precise choice? And the way useful will Ben be on this chaotic second when the hospital is actually on fireplace?

Winston (Anthony Hill) and Jules (Adelaide Kane) was a brand new, probably romantic pairing that appeared to return straight out of left discipline this season. What did you need to accomplish by pairing the 2 of them collectively?

Since Meredith and [Patrick Dempsey’s] Derek and the early years of the present, we’ve got not likely had that energy dynamic in a romantic relationship. [Camilla Luddington’s] Jo and [Justin Chambers’] Alex had that a little bit bit, and that’s clearly frowned upon in in the present day’s world. Winston is a youthful attending, so it’s not like there’s an enormous age distinction, however there is a distinction in that he’s an attending and she or he’s an intern. So we have been actually inquisitive about exploring that in in the present day’s world and calling out that it’s incorrect.

Winston is aware of that it’s incorrect and he tries to do the precise factor, however what he thinks is doing the precise factor is definitely on the expense of her schooling. We have been like, “Effectively, she has to name him out on that.” For those who look intently, there’s debate on whether or not we predict that is one-sided. Jules pauses very intentionally earlier than she says, “The strains have been very clear for me.” For those who watch that episode the place she takes him to the rooftop, I really feel like she was crossing the road there for him. So there have been some moments the place I’m undecided it was simply one-sided, however Winston was actually attempting to remain behind the road as a result of he’s a standup man.

Jo and Hyperlink (Chris Carmack) additionally obtained married within the penultimate episode, and we be taught after their little hospital honeymoon that they’re anticipating twin women — however, after all, Hyperlink is working on a affected person proper earlier than the explosion occurs.

With Jo and Hyperlink, that they had identified one another for 20 years, however their relationship fast-forwarded actually shortly. It went from, “Oh my gosh, we do need to be collectively” to a month or two later, “We’re pregnant?!” And unexpectedly, it was twins and so they have been combating the way in which they checked out having youngsters otherwise, after which she had a complication. And eventually, they obtained on the identical web page and determined to get married. So I really feel prefer it’s the calm earlier than the storm once more for them. We’re “Gray’s,” we’re imply! It’s a cliffhanger, however we discover out they’re having women, which is such a pleasant second. That they had an exquisite marriage ceremony, and she or he was an exquisite pregnant bride.

Meredith decides in opposition to promoting her shares within the hospital and as a substitute makes a brand new take care of Catherine that can permit her to spend extra time in Seattle and again at Gray Sloan — all whereas persevering with her Alzheimer’s analysis. Does Meredith’s new take care of Catherine imply that we’ll be seeing a little bit extra of her subsequent season, or is Ellen nonetheless set to seem in seven episodes?

We’ll see her as a lot as we are able to get her. She’s all the time welcome to return with us. She’s household. We liked watching her get a star on Hollywood Blvd. — very, very deserved. I wished to see Meredith not solely persevering with her analysis on Alzheimer’s, which is tremendous vital and related proper now, however I additionally miss seeing her within the OR — and never essentially doing essentially the most groundbreaking surgical procedure of all time. I missed simply seeing her within the OR and educating, and particularly with this class of residents that she selected, it was additionally a approach to get her again into Seattle with a purpose to see that facet of her. Clearly, we’ll get to see Scott Speedman, as a result of Meredith and Nick are nonetheless collectively.

You’ve deliberately chosen to write down multi-episode arcs for Meredith, relatively than giving her a bunch of one-off appearances. How do you navigate these conversations with Ellen about her future on-screen involvement with the present?

The multi-episode arcs are additionally a lot better for her schedule, so she is aware of when she’s going to be there and when she’s not. We converse initially of the season, and I share together with her what the present is doing as a complete. If I’ve shared it with Shonda [Rhimes] and Debbie [Allen], our producing director, I’ll share what I can with Ellen — she’s an govt producer — and we’ll have an amazing dialog about it. We verify in with one another all through the season on the cellphone, by way of textual content. She does the voiceover. She’ll name me and be like, “Is that this the precise tense within the voiceover?” And I’m like, “It’s the precise tense.” Now we have a really shut relationship and we converse usually, so once I know {that a} block of episodes is coming down the highway for her, I’ll name her whereas I’m writing them and I’ll stroll her by way of the story.

Ellen spoke with me just lately forward of her Hollywood Stroll of Fame ceremony, and she or he was very candid about how she has discovered herself pushing again in opposition to among the new writing on “Gray’s” that appears at odds with the Meredith character that she and Shonda had created collectively. She was particularly referring to a latest storyline involving Lena Waithe’s character, which she vehemently disagreed with. How have you ever, as a showrunner, navigated these sorts of disagreements together with her? And the way tough is it to include Meredith into the present when she comes out and in as a lot as she does?

I wouldn’t say that it’s tough to include her coming out and in. Clearly, it’s the choice of whether or not to indicate her in Boston or present her in Seattle that’s arduous to typically get organized and work out. However for years, she has all the time wished to be part of the storytelling — and she or he has been. A number of superb tales which have aired have come from a collaboration between us and Ellen, and that’s why she’s been part of the present for thus lengthy. She cares a lot. She’s performed this character for 21 years, so she has a historical past with this character greater than I’ve a historical past with this character. I’ve watched her for 21 years and I’ve written for her for a number of years, however I might hope that she would converse up if one thing didn’t really feel natural.

And I used to be there that day for that exact story. I knew it was tough, and I knew it was not fairly what Meredith would do, however that’s what me in it. She and I walked by way of it and made some line adjustments, and I really feel like you’ll be able to see on display the emotion that went into the story, and it was an exquisite efficiency. For me, it was wrapped up in the truth that she has a a lot totally different relationship with Alzheimer’s illness than any of our characters, and now she has Nick in her life and a unique relationship with organ recipients and that a part of medication as effectively, in order that’s the place [the story] got here from. I do know it was a protracted dialogue on set, however we obtained to an exquisite place, and I admire when she does that. These individuals have performed these characters for thus lengthy. In the event that they didn’t converse up, it will be bizarre.

Will you be casting a brand new class of interns between seasons?

We could meet them, however we’re nonetheless invested on this now-second yr class of residents. As a lot as I might like to have a solid of 30 collection regulars, I don’t assume that’s doable for the story and funds. However hopefully, we’ll see some in possibly a recurring position or one thing like that.

Ever since she left the present in 2014, Sandra Oh has maintained that she doesn’t have any need to return again to “Gray’s.” However in a latest interview, she admitted that, as a result of individuals nonetheless have a lot love for Cristina Yang, she has at the very least been moved to barely soften her stance. What did you make of her saying that? And whereas I’m not saying that you’ll deliver Cristina again per se, how are you approaching any conversations with former solid members about probably returning to the present in the future?

Oh my gosh, I hope she does — and I hope I get to write down the episode! She and I’ve run into one another a few instances at social occasions, and she or he has a lot love for the present; she has a lot love for the followers. I might hope that in the future she’d return, however I believe it’s additionally arduous to return to one thing the place you assume you’ve closed that door.

What’s so nice a couple of 21-season present is we are able to shock the viewers [by] bringing again a fan-favorite. There are such a lot of fan-favorite characters that may nonetheless come again, even when they die, and the writers’ room is all the time pitching totally different individuals. We strive to not do it an excessive amount of, as a result of then it wouldn’t be as particular. They’re all very busy, however I believe one of many joys of with the ability to work on this present is that there’s this pool of very gifted, beloved characters and actors that, if the timing is true, would come again, particularly now that we’ve got this new class of interns. We will play off them as, “Oh my gosh, Addison’s [Kate Walsh] coming to show us,” or “Jackson’s [Jesse Williams] coming.” It’s additionally enjoyable to have them work together with the brand new solid members. We nonetheless have nice relationships with everyone, and if we are able to afford it and in the event that they’re out there, we’ll deliver them again!

This interview has been edited and condensed.