One character’s confirmed return to Grey’s Anatomy after Station 19 ended with season 7 promises thrilling developments, especially in light of Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Meg Marinis’ comments at D23. The cliffhanger ending of season 20 already guaranteed that Grey Sloan Memorial would have been a different place in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, because of Catherine mass firing many of her doctors and Meredith’s choice to publish her findings and resign from her position at the Fox Foundation. The upcoming exit of Jake Borelli and Midori Francis from the medical drama also adds to the unexpectedness with Levi and Mika’s departure.
While the chaos Grey Sloan Memorial was left in after Grey’s Anatomy season 20’s finale can by itself make things interesting, a consequence of Station 19’s ending also hints at good news. Station 19 started with a backdoor pilot in Grey’s Anatomy season 14 that introduced its season 1, and had many crossover episodes with the medical drama through the years, thanks to Miranda Bailey and Ben Warren appearing in both shows. Station 19’s series finale nonetheless confirmed Warren’s return to medicine, and the little information available about his career switch hints at great developments for him in Grey’s Anatomy.
Ben Warren's Return To Grey's Anatomy Won't Be Easy – And That's Good
The Challenges To Readjust To Life As A Resident Add More Depth To Ben's Story
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Station 19 season 7 gradually introduced Ben Warren’s consistent dissatisfaction with just being a firefighter, first letting an injury stop him from contributing like his fellow firefighters and then drawing him to the triage areas instead of the fires. Marinis guaranteeing Ben Warren’s return to Grey’s Anatomy won’t be a “super easy journey for him” at the 20th Celebration for the show at D23 reveals a non-straightforward path ahead of Ben. Grey’s Anatomy season 21 thus promising challenges that can make Ben’s resolve to complete his surgical residency waver all-in-all enriches his storyline driven by his choice to go back.
Ben’s initial career switch to the Seattle Fire Department was motivated by his wish to run toward people in danger instead of just helping them in the OR. Acclimatizing to life at the firehouse was challenging for Warren, with his training as a surgeon clashing with his training as a firefighter, but his peculiar background eventually bettered the firehouse at the center of Station 19. The innate danger of being a firefighter also impacted Miranda’s anxiety, making her and Ben’s subsequent problems another interesting challenge for the couple to handle which only enhanced their story in both TV shows.
Why Ben's Return To Medicine Is Exciting After Station 19's Cancellation
Ben Returning To Medicine After Firefighting Can Truly Challenge Him In Season 21
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Ben’s path as a firefighter in Station 19 was all but uncomplicated, with his wish to become a first responder trumping both the challenges he faced daily at work and those at home, as Miranda being negatively affected by his dangerous career threatened their relationship. Still, Ben wanted to do more for his Station 19 family, earning their respect as a firefighter, and eventually truly becoming a part of them. The obstacles Warren had to overcome only proved he made the right choice by switching careers because he was willing to face them if that meant becoming a firefighter.
Station 19 ending with season 7 made Ben’s possible return to surgery more likely. Indeed, Ben remaining a firefighter would have forced him only to appear occasionally on Grey’s Anatomy, but his wish to complete his surgical residency put him in a unique situation where Ben could once again find himself behind compared to his coworkers. Such a development could promise similar challenges to what Ben already faced when he chose firefighting, giving his return much more meaning rather than just happening in Grey’s Anatomy because of Station 19’s cancellation.
Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC on Thursday, September 26 at 10 pm.
