Who Dies In The Plane Crash In Grey's Anatomy

Okay, let's talk about that plane crash in Grey's Anatomy. You know the one. The one that basically redefined drama and heartbreak in Shondaland.

The Flight of Doom: Who Was Onboard?

Picture this: A small, rickety plane carrying some of our favorite Seattle Grace (Mercy West...Grey Sloan Memorial... whatever!) doctors to Boise, Idaho. They were headed there for a surgery, a simple case of separation of conjoined twins. (Because, of course, everything's "simple" in Grey's world, right?)

So, who drew the short straw and ended up on this ill-fated flight? We're talking about Meredith Grey, of course. She never misses a good crisis. Then there's Derek Shepherd, aka McDreamy, because even neurosurgeons need field trips. Cristina Yang, our cardio queen, also joined the party. Alongside her are Arizona Robbins, with her signature sunny optimism and Lexie Grey, Little Grey, Meredith's younger sister.

And let's not forget Mark Sloan, McSteamy himself. Because what's a plane crash without a little bit of, ahem, "eye candy?" He was there to win back Lexie. The pilot also was flying the plane. I mean someone had to fly that death trap!

The Unthinkable Happens

Spoiler alert: Things didn't exactly go according to plan. Instead of a triumphant return with separated twins, the plane crashed in the middle of the woods. Cue the chaos, the injuries, and the general sense of "Oh my god, what now?"

So, Who Bites the Dust?

This is where the tears start flowing, people. Are you ready? Grab your tissues.

First, we lose Lexie Grey. Little Grey, crushed by a piece of the plane, uttering her final words to Mark in one of the most heartbreaking scenes in television history.

Then, things go from bad to worse. Although he survives the initial crash, we lose Mark Sloan in the hospital after being rescued. Despite initially appearing to be stable, his injuries were far more severe than imagined. McSteamy was gone.

"That was the big one, wasn't it? The one that made everyone question their life choices and possibly consider a career change outside of medicine."

It’s a testament to the show's writing that even though we knew someone would die, it still felt like a punch to the gut. Losing both Lexie and Mark felt like a double whammy of sadness.

The Aftermath

The remaining survivors are, understandably, traumatized. Meredith struggles with survivor's guilt, Cristina is pretty traumatized, and Arizona ends up losing her leg due to an infection after the crash. And Derek is just... Derek. Being dreamy and supportive.

The plane crash was a turning point in the show. It forever altered the dynamics of the relationships, forced characters to confront their mortality, and provided enough emotional baggage to fuel several more seasons of drama.

The Takeaway?

Never get on a small plane in the Grey's Anatomy universe. Just trust me on this one.

And always, always have tissues handy when watching Grey's. You never know when Shonda Rhimes will decide to rip your heart out. But you still tune in every week, don’t you?