BWW Recap: GREY'S ANATOMY Brings the Tears in 'Roar'

The latest episode of GREY'S ANATOMY, entitled "Roar" was a strong one, but man, was it devastating! I'm lucky I'm even able to write this recap because my keyboard absolutely could have short-circuited from all the tears. Episode 6 of season 13 explored the lengths people would want to go to for the ones they love...and the limitations that they are often faced with in the attempt.

The episode opens with Alex preparing to go to court to set his trial date. Meredith sees that he is anxious she offers to go with him, fusses with his tie, and clearly wants to try to take away some of his pain...but all she can really do is sit with him for a minute to help calm his nerves. As has been established in past episodes this season, no matter how much she cares about him and is willing to do anything for him, she cannot change his current circumstances, and neither can he.

While in the security line at the Court House, Alex meets a woman named Veronica, who is there to fight a traffic ticket. She chats him up and mentions she is 16 weeks pregnant. Alex notices a rash on her hand and implores her to get it checked out at the clinic. Sure enough she shows up later in the day, and the worst is confirmed. She has Pancreatic Cancer. Alex has consulted with Bailey (with Jo in tow---awkward), and Bailey wants to start aggressive treatment right away to give Veronica as much time as possible. This would mean that Veronica would lose her baby-a baby that she and her best friend Jeremy decided to have together. Alex pushes for another option and Bailey is on her last nerve with him, because unbeknownst to Alex, Catherine Avery has been telling Bailey to fire him (due to that pesky felony assault charge). In a monologue that left me dehydrated from tears, Veronica tells Bailey that she can "see it"-he baby's future with Jeremy. She even has a "Star Wars" viewing plan for the baby (Episode IV first...duh) and Jeremy will make such a great dad. She doesn't want her story to just end in death. If her imminent death is inevitable, she wants to do everything she can for her baby to live. Bailey agrees to the surgery that Alex had recommended in order to give the baby a chance. Meanwhile, Alex reassures Jeremy that all he has to do to be a good dad is to "show up" and that he is already doing it. Oh Alex Karev. I was so on board with you going to jail to face consequences for (a horrific) assault on Deluca...and you have made me love you again!

In other news, no one's favourite Resident, Leah Murphy returns...and that's awkward. She has excelled elsewhere and fought tooth and nail to come back and get a second chance. Specifically, she has returned in order to study under Maggie because after reading some of her medical articles, she has realized that she wants to be a Cardiothoracic Surgeon. This version of Leah is self-assured and on the ball. I like her so much more already. Other characters (like ex fling, Arizona) and her FRENEMIES Jo and Steph are less than enthused about her return. This should be interesting.

Speaking of Jo, she and Deluca's blossoming friendship comes to a halt when he sees her talking to Alex (about a patient). He just can't stomach it and he tells her that she chooses "the bad guy" who hurts her and others and that maybe she can't see it, but he can. This is so interesting, because, on one hand, it is important for Deluca to say this to Jo, but on the other, it is so fascinating how Alex is the bad guy in Deluca's story (and rightfully so) but is literally the good guy (the hero, almost) in everyone else's story this week. This feels very true to life. Oh Shonda.

Speaking of Alex being awesome (to everyone but Deluca). He has a very powerful scene with Amelia this episode. After the negative pregnancy test, Owen is trying to get Amelia to talk about it, but she just keeps telling him she is fine. She then even tells him that she wants to wait a while to have kids, which throws him off. She is also keeping a bit of a distance from him, and it is clear that some old trauma has been drudged up. That old trauma isn't going anywhere with Amelia's patient of the week. A boy named Robbie Reeves comes in with his dad. They were in a car accident that his dad caused after getting cut off by another driver and experiencing a bought of extreme road rage. Robbie tries to act cool and excited about the experience, but Amelia sees right through it and in a sweet nurturing moment, tells him it is ok to be scared and to tell people he is scared. This is good advice and perhaps Amelia would have taken it to heart re: her own situation, had things not immediately gone horribly wrong. Robbie had an incidental brain abnormality that would typically be harmless (aside from some pretty rough headaches-according to Wikipedia) but the accident must have caused it to rupture. He has a brain bleed and dies on the operating table. This, as well as his mother's devastated reaction in which she tells Road Rage dad that it "should have been [him]" who died, sends Amelia into a tailspin. She rushes into the lounge to release the emotions about her own lost baby that she has been carrying around all day, only to discover that Karev is sitting in there. He offers to listen, and after a brief hesitation, she finally tells someone in Seattle all the details about the "Unicorn Baby" that she lost years ago when she was a regular on PRIVATE PRACTICE. This storyline was brutal then, and it is equally as devastating to hear about it again. Amelia confirms that she never told Derek or Meredith about her son and that she hasn't told Owen "all of it". She is irrationally concerned that Owen will look at her differently if he knows about her baby...and perhaps rationally concerned that he will be heartbroken if he finds out that she felt overwhelming relief when her recent pregnancy test was negative. Amelia seems genuinely shocked that she herself was relieved to not be pregnant, and it is clear that she is sick with guilt about it, considering how much Owen wants kids. This is going to get ugly...but at least she had someone to confide in.

As the episode wraps up, Catherine tells Bailey that she doesn't have to fire Karev, but that the situation with Karev, and Leah coming back, led her to review employee files. She is wondering why so many of the doctors have needed "second chances" and concludes that perhaps the educational program at the hospital is failing them. She plans to investigate this further...and considering her husband runs the educational program...this should also get ugly.

The episode ends back at Meredith's house. Alex returns home and plops down in bed (totally platonically) with Meredith. He tells her that he wants "Waffle Sundays" where he, Mer, the kids (what kids?) and Maggie eat together like a family. He says he wants to do this as long as possible, before he "goes away" (to jail). He then adds that Amelia should come too and that Meredith should be nicer to her. Did I mention I love Alex Karev? Meredith doesn't love the idea of including Amelia, but Alex tells her that he will not always be around and she needs her sisters. Meredith begrudgingly agrees...as long as she doesn't need to make the waffles.

This episode brought the #TearsOfGreys (that is a real hashtag) in full force. It had some great character exploration-both for main and guest characters and it is setting the show up well for the last few episodes before the midseason finale.

Photo Credit: ABC/Jennifer Clasen

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