The Shocking Fate of Teddy, Shocking Storylines Await in Grey's Anatomy Season 20!

With the ongoing strikes by WGA and SAG-AFTRA, fans of Grey's Anatomy will have to wait a while before their theories about season 20's story are addressed. The absence of Shonda Rhimes' enduring medical drama from ABC's fall schedule suggests that a mid-season premiere is more likely, resulting in a shorter season 20. However, at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, fewer episodes do not mean less drama, as the season 19 finale set up compelling storylines. Despite Ellen Pompeo's departure from the series, it appears that Dr. Meredith Grey, the long-time protagonist, will have a reason to make an appearance in season 20. Additionally, Dr. Teddy Altman, the current Chief of Surgery, may be incapacitated or facing a worse fate. Season 20 of Grey's Anatomy promises to explore a variety of new relationships and messy endings, both within and outside the hospital's operating rooms.

7 Richard Didn’t Take A Drink

In the season 19 finale of Grey's Anatomy, Richard Webber attends the Catherine Fox Awards with his wife, along with Amelia Shepherd and several other nominees and winners. During a turbulent plane ride, Richard, who has been sober for years, becomes panicked and reaches for his wife's drink. Fortunately, Bailey intervenes and prevents him from taking a sip. Later, Amelia, who is also sober, suggests they attend a meeting together. After she leaves, a waiter brings Richard a drink, and although it is unclear whether he breaks his sobriety or not, it seems unlikely that Grey's Anatomy would discard Richard's long-standing commitment to sobriety for the sake of a familiar storyline.

6 Meredith’s Alzheimer's Research Will Be A Recurring Storyline

In Grey's Anatomy season 19, Meredith Grey decides to leave Grey Sloan Memorial. However, she is not completely written out of the show. Concerned about her eldest daughter, Zola, who suffers from chronic panic attacks, Meredith realizes that Zola fears a future where her mother develops Alzheimer's disease, like her grandmother. Zola, who is passionate about medicine, knows that there is currently no cure for the disease.

During a trip to explore schools for Zola, Jackson Avery suggests to Meredith that she move her family to the East Coast. Jackson, who leads a Boston-based branch of the Catherine Fox Foundation founded by his mother, offers to fund Meredith's research on Alzheimer's. Believing that she can ease Zola's worries and make significant contributions in the field, Meredith agrees to the idea. As the Catherine Fox Awards approach, Meredith announces that her research has disproven the leading theories about Alzheimer's disease. With her groundbreaking work, Meredith finds a reason to return to Grey's Anatomy for season 20.

5 Sam Dying Will Put A Strain On Jo & Link’s New Relationship

Jo Wilson and Atticus Lincoln, also known as Link, have been close friends for many years. Before reuniting at Grey Sloan, they had worked together as teenagers. It is revealed that Link had always harbored strong feelings for Jo. When Link's relationship with Amelia, the mother of his son, falls apart, he moves in with Jo and her adopted daughter, Luna. Initially, their living arrangement starts off as a found family/roommate situation, but it becomes much more complex.

After sleeping together, Jo distances herself from Link out of fear of ruining their friendship. However, things become even more complicated when a patient named Sam Sutton enters the picture. Sam is a thrill-seeker who ends up breaking all of his limbs, requiring Link to perform a challenging surgery. As a result, Sam becomes a love interest of sorts for Jo, which deeply upsets Link. Eventually, Jo and Link confess their love for each other during a rainy encounter. Unfortunately, complications arise when Sam passes away, adding further complications to the couple's attempt at a fresh start.

4 Teddy Will Survive Her Season 19 Fate

In the recent episodes of Grey's Anatomy season 19, Teddy experiences a toothache but refuses to seek dental assistance. Balancing her new responsibilities as Chief of Surgery and the absence of several doctors for important events, Teddy neglects her own well-being despite warnings from her colleagues. In the finale, Teddy collapses unexpectedly, indicating a connection between her toothache and her current condition. It is quite ironic that as a cardiothoracic surgeon and former department head, Teddy fails to recognize her own heart issues. This situation presents an opportunity for Winston, the newly appointed Head of Cardio, to perform a life-saving procedure on Teddy.

3 Amelia's Sister Will (Somehow) Blame Her For Lucas' ADHD Diagnosis

Amelia's relationship with her brother Derek Shepherd was close, but her connection with the other doctors in her family is much more complicated. Her sisters did not even attend her ill-fated wedding to Owen Hunt. In season 19, it is revealed that one of the new surgical interns, Lucas Adams, is Amelia's nephew. The identity of Lucas' mother, who is one of the Shepherd sisters, remains unclear, but there are indications that it could be Nancy Shepherd, an OBGYN based in Connecticut.

During Grey's Anatomy season 19, Nick has a heart-to-heart conversation with Lucas and realizes that Lucas is neurodivergent and shows signs of undiagnosed ADHD. Being someone with ADHD himself, Nick is able to recognize these signs, but Lucas is shocked that his family, who are doctors, never noticed and instead blamed him for not being "good enough." Amelia's sister Kathleen, who is a psychiatrist, would find it especially ironic if she missed diagnosing her own son. Ultimately, all of these family dynamics would have consequences for Amelia.

2 Winston & Maggie Will Divorce

Winston and Maggie had a tumultuous season 19, filled with challenges. Their marital issues spilled over into their work in the operating room as they discovered significant differences in their approach to work and love. In an attempt to save their marriage, Winston contemplates leaving cardio, believing that working in a separate department from Maggie would help. However, Maggie, driven as ever, expresses her disapproval, stating that she cannot respect his decision.

Despite their differences, the couple manages to put their issues aside and successfully collaborate on a complex surgery. Initially, Maggie receives all the recognition for their achievement, much to Winston's frustration, as he feels overshadowed. Eventually, Maggie decides to pursue other opportunities outside the hospital, but the couple reunites in Boston before the Catherine Fox Awards. Realizing their strong bond in the operating room and perhaps romantically as well, they come to the realization that marriage may not be right for them. As a result, season 20 is likely to depict a mature divorce for them.

1 Trey's Life-Threatening Crash Will Complicate Lucas & Simone's "Happy Ending"

In the second-to-last episode of season 19, Simone Griffith (played by Alexis Floyd) appears to be moving forward with her plans to marry her long-term partner and fellow surgeon Trey (played by William Martinez). However, on the day of her wedding, Simone visits Grey Sloan to see Lucas. Though she claims it's for a work-related favor, their strong romantic connection is evident. Despite encountering several signs before her nuptials, Simone ultimately decides not to marry Trey.

But the most dramatic twist in this episode is yet to come. After leaving the wedding, Simone hurries to the hospital to confess her feelings to Lucas and they find solace in an on-call room, in typical Grey's Anatomy fashion. Later, Lucas is called to assist in a trauma case, only to discover that Trey has been in a car accident while chasing after Simone. Trey's ability to perform surgery hangs in the balance. While Lucas and Simone's relationship mirrors that of a beloved couple from the show's history, this development will undoubtedly complicate their seemingly joyful conclusion.