Warning: Contains spoilers for Grey's Anatomy season 19, episode 11!
Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 11 was an intense episode that focused on Addison Montgomery, but signaled the potential end of her story due to the shocking ending, but killing her off would be a mistake. Addison initially left Grey’s Anatomy in season 3 for its spinoff Private Practice but has returned for Grey’s Anatomy season 19, much to the delight of longtime viewers. Season 19, episode 11, “Training Day,” was part one of a two-part event that saw a protester intentionally run over Addison and a pregnant doctor in the cliffhanger ending, leaving their lives hanging in the balance.
Dr. Addison Montgomery, a double-board certified OB/GYN and fetal surgeon, first appeared on Grey’s Anatomy in the season 1 finale in what has since become an iconic moment in which she confronted Derek and Meredith. While she initially could have been the villain coming in to ruin Derek and Meredith’s relationship, she quickly became a fan favorite with her own depth and stories beyond romance, eventually earning her own spinoff. Addison’s return in Grey’s Anatomy season 19 has only added more depth to her character through the important storyline surrounding reproductive rights in the United States following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
Without Meredith Grey’s Anatomy Needs Addison As A Recurring Character
Throughout its 19 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy has seen many characters, including Addison, come and go, with only Bailey and Richard remaining as the last two characters remaining from season 1. Meredith’s exit in the Grey’s Anatomy season 19 winter finale, which was slammed by longtime viewers, proved that the show needs to hang on to familiar faces in order to keep running. This is further exacerbated by the recent news that Kelly McReary (Maggie Pierce) will be leaving in April after nine seasons on Grey’s Anatomy. With all the changes, it’s the familiar characters that keep viewers tuning back, and Addison plays a big role in that.
Addison’s original return in Grey’s Anatomy season 18 was highly anticipated and the step up from guest star to recurring in season 19 was even more thrilling. Addison has appeared in three episodes in season 19 thus far and will be returning in episode 12, “Pick Yourself Up,” except this time, she will be a patient rather than the accomplished doctor Grey’s Anatomy viewers have gotten used to seeing. Grey’s Anatomy has been renewed for season 20, and Addison is clearly needed as a recurring character, and her survival is necessary for the series’ survival as well.
Grey’s Anatomy Has A Lot More To Explore With Addison Montgomery
If Addison’s recurring role in Grey’s Anatomy season 19 has proved anything, it’s that there are so many more stories that can be explored and told with her character. Viewers were able to get some satisfaction when Private Practice ended in knowing that Addison finally got the happy ending she’d been wanting for years through creating her own family with her husband Jake and son Henry. However, the recent state of reproductive rights in America has provided an opportunity for important Grey’s Anatomy storylines and Addison, being a renowned OB/GYN, has been placed in the center of the fight for her patients.
Far before the OB/GYNs on Grey’s Anatomy began wearing black scrubs in protest, Addison was addressing abortion rights in Private Practice, with Addison even discussing the recently overturned monumental Roe v. Wade case. Through her work to provide proper care to pregnant people across the nation, regardless of what their state laws allow, Addison became a target, which has put her family and her life in danger. Killing off Addison on Grey’s Anatomy would involve killing off the many unique and important stories she has the chance to tell as an OB/GYN who has faced infertility and passionately fights for abortion rights.
Grey’s Anatomy Likes To Have Shocking Deaths
While Addison should survive this attack, Grey’s Anatomy has a habit of including shocking deaths that kill off beloved main characters. Unlike other Grey’s Anatomy characters like Meredith, who has escaped death numerous times, Addison has been relatively lucky when it comes to avoiding the traumatic experiences other doctors on the show were unable to. Addison was not present for the shooting, the superstorm, the season 13 hospital explosion, nor the plane crash, though she did lose a close friend in Mark Sloan in the latter. To bring Addison back as a recurring character only to kill her would certainly add to Grey’s Anatomy’s shock factor.
If Addison were not to survive, she would be the first major character to die in Grey’s Anatomy since Andrew DeLuca in season 17. As much as Grey’s Anatomy likes to have shocking deaths, they like to have shocking near-death experiences even more, with those occurring far more often than Grey's Anatomy's characters actually being killed off. Addison managed to react quickly enough that the car didn’t strike her as badly as the other victim, which fortunately means her likelihood of survival is higher. Addison’s survival is crucial to the future of Grey’s Anatomy and killing her off would be a major mistake.