After a long winter break, Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 9 is here. It’s time to understand what happened at the convenience store.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 9.
We got a long break from Grey’s Anatomy, but it’s time to revisit the drama and the surgeries. Of course, the big question has always been who was shot at the convenience store, with concerns that it would be Lucas. It didn’t take long to get answers as the episode opened.
Meanwhile, we got to see the rest of the drama going on in the hospital. And there is a lot!
Who was shot at the convenience store in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 9?
We got answers about the convenience store situation quickly. Lucas wasn’t the victim. It was the robber, and Lucas quickly got to work on saving his life. With the ambulances turning up, it meant that both the robber and Jo could get the medical help they needed.
It’s now that we find out just how few people knew about Jo’s pregnancy. Everyone is shocked to find out that she’s bleeding. Considering how much of a big deal this was for Jo and Link, I’m still surprised by how few people realized something was going on.
This episode is certainly going to bring up a lot of discussion about whether someone who robbed a store or inflicted harm should be treated the same way in a hospital. This is something that came up before when there was the high school shooting and everyone ended up at Grey Sloan Memorial. However, in that case, nobody was directly connected to a potential patient. Simone loves Lucas, and she's struggling to disconnect from the patient.
Lucas wants to make sure the convenience store robber is treated. He was there for the situation, and he saw what the kid was like throughout the whole situation. This is a man who shouldn't have empathy considering the stories he would have heard about his grandfather, and yet, he is full of it. I just love Lucas all the more because of this. With the way the world is right now and the high costs of living, people are turning to desperation. No, it doesn't make any of this right, but that doesn't take away from the fact that desperate people do desperate things.
Things take a turn when the robber falls off the table. Jules has spent all episode so annoyed at the situation with Yasuda that she's not been able to focus on her work.
What happened to Jo and the babies?
There was some initial good news for Jo. There are two heartbeats, but then she suffers pain. It’s clear that the ultrasound looks fine but something else is going on. Bailey needs to get Jo up to OB right away to check on what’s really going on. I love Bailey immediately stepping in, knowing what it’s like for women’s issues to be ignored by so many others. She is not ignoring this, but she even remembers to call for Link as she’s getting Jo where she needs to be.
This would have been a great time to bring Carina back into Grey's Anatomy, but that doesn't happen. Instead, it's a guy called Marcus, who is like a baby! I'm not surprised Jo doesn't really want him treating her. There's no choice, though, and at least he's not completely ignoring Jo's pain.
It turns out that Jo is at high risk of preterm labor, and she's only at 16 weeks. The best option is for a stitch to prevent it, and Jo runs through the risks with Link, but it's clear that she's going through with it. The only other "safe" option is termination, and it's clear that she isn't interested in that. It's just another situation where Jo and Link can't agree, but Link needs to understand that this is Jo's choice. Her body, her choice. I can see this from Link's point of view as well, as he just wants to make sure Jo is safe. What's the lesser of two evils?
Bailey has to step in as Jo's blood pressure goes up. Link is the one causing problems as he argues with Jo, refusing to listen to her expertise. Sometimes, Link can end up so far up his own behind that he fails to accept that he doesn't know everything. Fear takes over too much, and Jo is the one who is able to think calmly. To be honest, Link is so many men who refuse to actually listen to the women in their lives when the time really matters. This has been a problem in the past, and he needs to learn from his mistakes.
Bailey is ever the fountain of wisdom. She's able to see through everything that's happening, and makes it clear that Link needs to pull himself together. He needs to be there for Jo, because she should get to fall apart. It's terrible how this happens a lot, though. The women going through the traumatic experience and the surgery are the ones who still need to keep it all together because their partners can't.
In the end, Bailey's words help Link get his head back in gear. He apologizes to Jo for everything and admits that she knew best all along. This is a chance for the two of them to get back on track with their relationship. There's hope for them yet in Grey's Anatomy!
Everyone learns that Yasuda has left in Grey’s Anatomy
The fall finale saw Yasuda make the decision to leave the hospital. Only Bailey was the one to learn that, and that was clear as this episode got started. Webber started off with questions about where she was, and then Blue was just blasé about the weather (thanks to making up with Molly!) until Jules told him what had happened.
It’s surprising that so few people really put it all together. Everyone was shocked to find out she had left, rather than thinking about what Yasuda had to face every time she was at the hospital.
Jules acts out throughout the episode. She's defensive with Yasuda leaving, considering all the loss Jules has had in her life. This is a woman with abandonment issues, and she has no idea how to act after everything that's happened. She can't take it out on others or drop the ball at work, though.
Amelia and Winston disagree over next steps with a patient
The fall finale ended with questions about whether Jackie would survive her surgery. While she did, there were some complications and she did have a heart attack. As Jackie wakes up, there are other concerns. She can't feel her feet or legs, and a scan shows that there is an issue on her spine.
I can't tell with whether Amelia is right in calling out Winston in this episode. I think he is overcompensating for how he ghosted Jackie's mother, but he is still a doctor, and he would still put his patient first. Amelia decides to take over and goes straight to Jackie's mom to get permission to do the next surgery, taking Winston completely out of the equation.
In the end, the two doctors come to some sort of understanding. Winston is happy for miracles, but he's not happy to be reckless, and Amelia was reckless in this case. Next time, Winston wants all the information upfront, and I think there is hope for the two of them to work together. They are both excellent at their jobs, and they need to stop allowing personal situations get between them.
What's going on between Teddy and Owen in Grey's Anatomy?
Owen decided take Nora home at the end of the fall finale, but he soon has to turn the car around. Nora is getting pain from her surgery site, and he's not happy about that. So, he decides to get her back to the hospital to get her treated. Owen does take a step in the right direction to make his marriage work by admitting he has feelings for Nora, which is why he needs to step away from her medical team. Part of me expects to see more of this, though, with Owen realizing he doesn't want to be with Teddy after all. This man just can't commit for too long at all!
Teddy is too focused on work to think about her marriage, but in this instance, I don't blame her. She has an emergency surgery to save the robber and there's an ER to get a handle over. Interns and residents have made some terrible choices, and Teddy is just trying to deal with all the emergencies and fallout. Her focus has to be on the task at hand, and she even points that out to Simone and Jules in the OR when mistakes happen. The OR is not the space for personal problems.
The problem is when Teddy has a chance to talk to Owen, she chooses paperwork. She can see things, but not see things clearly. Neither of them ask how their days actually went. This isn't a marriage that can work out.
Lucas shows us how delayed trauma can be
Lucas is sure that he's fine all episode, but suddenly, there's a crash of a pan. This sounds like a gunshot, and Lucas is caught completely off guard. It's hard to think about how trauma can affect people. Some are affected right away, and others are triggered later on as they think they're fine.
Ben steps in, realizing everything that's going on. It's a beautiful moment, because so many others would try to pretend nothing was happening. Ben steps in to offer Lucas the support he needs, and you just know that he won't think any less of Lucas after this. By seeing so much as a firefighter, Ben knows all about trauma and what it can do to people. Mental health is no joke, and I hope to see this strengthen the bond between these two men.
The big question at the very end of this is what will happen between Molly and Blue. Molly is sure things are too messy, but Blue wants a chance. He wants to do it right, though. He won't be the other man, so she needs to go home and break off the proposal with her current boyfriend. I can respect him for this, but now Molly will need to go through with it. I'm watching, because I don't want to be pulled into this relationship and then end up despising Molly.
Grey’s Anatomy airs on Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC. Catch up the following day on Hulu.
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