Count on Shonda Rhimes to kick you when you down. With only one week to process Mark Sloan’s (Eric Dane) death and Arizona Robin’s (Jessica Capshaw) leg amputation, Rhimes pulled fans through the whole ordeal of the plane crash’s aftermath during the second episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season nine.
Fans witnessed as Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) resume life with their little girl Zola, gave up on Boston and prepare for a life that had Derek teaching, rather than performing surgeries. Although there were a couple of bumps on the road, Meredith and Derek seem like the most put together couple following the plane crash.
The same couldn't be said of Meredith’s best friend and “person” Christina (Sandra Oh), who spends the majority of the episode in shocking silence. The tough-as-nails doctor finally brakes down as her estranged husband Owen (Kevin McKidd) bathes her and tells her everything will be alright. Given the trauma she experienced in the woods (including hearing as animals ravaged Lexi Grey’s body), Christina is clearly suffering from PTSD and might be a while before she gets back to her old self.
Although fans already know that Christina leaves Seattle Grace-Mercy West, McKidd, seemed to still hold out hope for their relationship. “It's complicated. They went through a lot last season and all the issues that they have are still very much in the air and unresolved. It's hard for them to find a path back. However, I think they might,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
As Christina dealt with her PTSD, two crucial characters transitioned through roller coasters of their own. At the beginning of the episode, fans see how Mark comes in and out of a coma, putting everyone on edge. Baby momma Callie (Sara Ramirez), best friend Derek and protégé Jackson (Jesse Williams) look after him tirelessly and are finally given some relief when he wakes up and appears to be better than ever.
As fans saw in last week’s episode, this momentary relief and joy doesn't last long. As former chief-of-staff Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) proves, Mark is going through “the surge,” a momentary surge of energy before succumbing to his terminal illness. Despite everyone’s best efforts, Mark falls into a coma, eventually leading to his death.
Mark’s fellow co-parent and bubbly pediatrics surgeon Arizona doesn't have it easy either. In spite of her wife’s promise to keep her leg, Arizona is forced to go through an amputation when her leg’s infection threatens her life. Although the amputation saves her life, it won’t be easy for her to comes to term with her loss limb.
Thankfully, the promo for upcoming episode “Love the One You’re With” appears to give fans a bit of reprieve from the traumatic events of the first two episodes. Airing in two weeks, “Love the One You’re With” teases a possible marriage between two former Mercy West docs.
CHECK OUT THE EPISODE 9X03 PROMO OF ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’