Meredith Finally Woke Up On 'Grey's Anatomy'... But Her Fate Is Still Uncertain

It might be time to leave the beach for good. After Meredith Grey spent most of Grey's Anatomy Season 17 unresponsive due to a serious case of the coronavirus, she briefly gained consciousness again in Episode 11. It was a hopeful moment that left fans wondering: Is Meredith actually recovering on Grey's Anatomy? She finally woke up, but definitely isn't out of the woods yet.

Warning: Spoilers for Grey's Anatomy Season 17, Episode 11 follow. After the Grey Sloan Memorial doctors were forced to put Mere on a ventilator in the Season 17, things took a turn for the better when she regained the ability to breathe on her own again. And in Episode 11, she finally woke up for a few minutes to tell Webber she was happy she chose him to oversee her health and told him to talk to her mentee Jo (presumably about convincing her to switch her specialties to OB). However, Meredith's body was still weak, and after a few moments, she fell back asleep again. Plus, the promo for Season 17, Episode 12 shows a nervous Levi wheeling Mere in for a CT scan, so it's looking like her health journey is far from over.

It was nice to finally (briefly) see the longtime Grey's lead outside of her COVID dream beach for the first time in a while, but will fans actually see her get better once and for all? It's unclear whether Season 17 will be the show's last, and showrunner Krista Vernoff recently told The Hollywood Reporter that she wrote the Season 17 finale as an episode that could function as either a season finale or a series finale. Meredith has always been a key part of Grey's Anatomy, so it would make sense for the show to finish as her life (and time at Grey Sloan Memorial) came to an end.

Alternatively, Season 17 could end with Mere beating COVID and becoming more determined to make the hospital the best it can be, leaving her in a better place than ever. Plus, all the guests on her dream beach have encouraged her to keep fighting and live out her life on Earth. Lexie and Mark reminded Meredith about the importance of not wasting precious time with loved ones, George told her he would've stayed alive if he could've, and Derek said he'd be waiting whenever she's ready to pass on... whether that's now or far in the future.

Grey's Anatomy continues on Thursday, April 15, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.