Shonda Rhimes believes in the power of love!
During a press junket on Tuesday, the Grey’s Anatomy creator defended her decision to kill off Patrick Dempsey‘s beloved character Derek Shepherd.
While some fans are still getting over McDreamy’s tragic death, Rhimes revealed she had to kill him off because it was the only way to preserve the love between him and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo)!
[ Related: Martin Henderson Joins Grey’s Anatomy As A Series Regular! ]
Speaking at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, the 45-year-old explained the alternative would go against everything the show set up, saying:
“What were the options? Either Der was going to walk out on Mer and leave her high and dry, and what was that going to mean? That would suggest the love wasn’t true, the thing we had said for 11 years was a lie.”
Rhimes explained that McDreamy’s death was the only way he could leave his wife, continuing:
“Meredith and Derek’s love had to remain Meredith and Derek’s love. As painful as it was for me as a storyteller, the only way to preserve what felt true to me was Derek was going to have to die for that love to remain honest.”
While painful, this great loss will provide new hurdles for Meredith to deal with as a widow in the medical drama’s upcoming season. Rhimes explains the theme of Season 12 is “rebirth”, noting:
“We do have this world in which Meredith is single, and she is living this life that she hadn’t thought she was going to be living again. [She is] surrounded by women who are dating and having a whole life and she’s not interested in any of that. … You start to wonder if there’s a second life … or are those years behind you?”
Grey’s Anatomy returns with a new season September 24 on ABC!
[Image via ABC.]
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