While we all wait for updates about Meredith Grey's vitals (seriously, where is Meredith), another Grey's Anatomy character seems to be walking into the bright light. And while he may not be dying, Jackson is definitely moving on... with April. In Thursday's new episode, Jackson decided to leave Grey's Sloan and move to Boston with April and Harriet, closing the chapter on yet another character as the long-running series still hangs in limbo.
So it's real: Jackson, played by Jesse Williams, is officially leaving Grey's. Williams told Deadline just ahead of the broadcast, "The experience and endurance born of creating nearly 300 hours of leading global television is a gift I’ll carry always. I am immensely proud of our work, our impact and to be moving forward with so many tools, opportunities, allies and dear friends.”
He's lucky. His character, Jackson, seems to be getting the sendoff that very few Grey's Anatomy characters get. (Meaning, not a sudden death.) And while the cameos of Grey's ghosts past on Death Beach were iconic, they were nothing compared to April's return, if only because it's very clear what Sarah Drew's character showed up to do — give Jackson a good write-off.
But with Jackson (and Williams) leaving, that leaves us with some questions:
- Is Jackson leaving the beginning of the end for the show? Between Alex leaving last season, DeLuca dying, and Meredith being completely MIA due to COVID, and the rumors the show could be ending, this does not bode well for the arc of the series.
- Will Jackson and April get back together? It seems as if the two of them and Harriet will be joyfully brunching on the South End of Boston from here on out, and Matthew and April are over... can we officially consider Japril reunited?
- Is Meredith like, awake Awake? In the preview for the May 20 episode, Meredith is apparently awake enough to talk to Jackson about his departure. Does this mean she's not going to be killed off after all?
- How are they going to end this season in three episodes? There are three more episodes set for Season 17, with the finale confirmed for June 3. Will that finale be for the season or series? And does the show even know the answer to that?
Images: ABC