Grey’s Anatomy’s 450th Episode Featured Classic Callbacks And A Gnarly Injury, But I Can’t Get Over One Twist’s Real-Life Connection

Warning: This article reveals key plot points from the first two episodes of Grey’s Anatomy Season 22. If you haven’t watched them yet, you can stream them with a Hulu subscription to avoid spoilers.

The medical drama *Grey’s Anatomy* celebrated a major achievement on Thursday night, reaching its 450th episode. Titled “We Built This City,” the episode looked back at the show’s history with nods to previous seasons and a complex medical case, as fans have come to expect. The episode also featured the return of Kelly McCreary, and her character Maggie was part of a storyline with personal connections to both writer Zoanne Clack and the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes.

The latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy, the second of season 22, begins shortly after the hospital explosion that tragically killed Monica Beltran. Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) is deeply affected by the loss, prompting her sister, Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary), to return to Seattle. Maggie intends to support Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and share some joyful news.

Longtime Grey’s Anatomy Writer Reveals Personal Connection To Maggie’s Pregnancy Reveal

As a longtime fan of *Grey’s Anatomy*, I’ve always loved how much the show focuses on the bonds between women. It really started with Meredith and Cristina Yang – they were such a dynamic, complicated pair. And honestly, looking back, I think Lexie Grey never quite got the appreciation she deserved. Even Shonda Rhimes has said she regrets how Lexie’s story ended – it was truly heartbreaking.

After the departures of Cristina and Lexie, Meredith grew closer to her half-sister Maggie and sister-in-law Amelia, and it was great to see them together in this special episode, especially following Kelly McCreary’s exit after Season 19. Plus, Maggie shared some exciting news: she’s decided to have a baby with the help of a donor.

As a longtime fan of *Grey’s Anatomy*, I was really curious about a recent storyline, and Zoanne Clack – who’s been with the show as a writer and producer for almost the whole time it’s been on the air – actually explained the thinking behind it to The Wrap. It was interesting to hear her perspective on why they went in that direction with Maggie’s character.

When Maggie returned, we wanted to demonstrate her progress and show she was building a positive future. Pregnancy is always a compelling storyline on Grey’s Anatomy, and we explored several possibilities for how it could happen for her. We considered whether she was in a relationship or getting married, but ultimately decided on this approach because it felt true to a strong, independent woman determined to move forward with her life.

The storyline of Maggie becoming a single mother seems inspired by Shonda Rhimes, who has three daughters through adoption and surrogacy, and by writer Zoanne Clack, who mirrored her own experience in the show. In a personal touch, when Meredith asks about Maggie’s baby’s father, Maggie reveals a donor number – a detail Clack later confirmed was based on her own life.

Her donor number is my donor number.

It’s wonderful that Zoanne Clack was able to share some insights! While it’s still unclear if Maggie will return for Season 22, we’ll definitely hear about her pregnancy. We’ll also see how Richard Webber (played by James Pickens Jr.) reacts to becoming a grandfather, and what Maggie’s ex-husband, Winston Ndugu (Anthony Hill), thinks about the news.

Maggie’s Pregnancy Announcement Also Led To That Big Carousel Callback And Another Character Return

The recent episode featured several nods to classic *Grey’s Anatomy* moments. For example, did you notice Lucas Adams’ reaction – saying “Seriously?” – when he found out Simone Griffith had slept with a new intern? It seems he wasn’t thrilled that Simone was following in his uncle’s footsteps!

Okay, let me tell you, the highlight of the recent episodes for me was absolutely Kate Burton reprising her role as Ellis Grey. Seeing Meredith’s mother back on screen was fantastic, but it was *how* they brought her back that really got to me. They revisited her iconic ‘grey matter’ analogy about life being messy and complicated, and honestly, it landed with so much more emotional weight this time around. It wasn’t just a callback; it felt genuinely powerful and really resonated with Meredith’s current struggles. It was a beautiful moment, and a reminder of just how great Burton is at bringing that complex character to life.

The carousel never stops turning, you can’t get off.

The carousel holds painful memories for Meredith and her mother, established right at the start of the episode. Meredith has a nightmare where she’s trying to fix the carousel while her children plead with her, and her mother pressures her to hurry. This scene brings back familiar, haunting words from Season 3 that continue to affect Meredith.

I raised you to be extraordinary.

Later in the episode, Meredith gives new meaning to that earlier mention of the carousel. We see her children happily riding it while she and Maggie chat. When Maggie compliments her parenting, Meredith responds by saying:

They have their moments, but overall they’re pretty extraordinary.

This scene highlighted how both Meredith and Maggie are healing from past trauma. Maggie shared that she’s sad to be pregnant after the loss of her adoptive mother, Diane Pierce, in Season 13. Meredith reassured her she’d be there for support, and the conversation then turned to remembering Diane.

She’ll come up in ways you don’t expect.

That’s typical Ellis, and I appreciate how this episode cleverly references past events from *Grey’s Anatomy* to move the current storylines forward. It wasn’t limited to just the carousel scene, either.

Richard Is Chief Again, And Owen Finds A (Familiar) New Home

Owen Hunt and Teddy Altman have always faced challenges, but their recent split in the Season 21 finale feels justified. After Richard helped with some administrative tasks, a stressed Teddy realized she prefers performing surgery to managing the hospital. This led to a surprisingly smooth transition of power, with Richard agreeing to step in as Chief of Surgery.

It’s wonderful to see him back there, as that’s where he was when the show first began in 2005, and it feels like where he truly belongs. Zoanne Clack agreed, stating:

Richard will never not be the chief. Even when he isn’t chief he is the chief.

It’s so true.

Owen has been going through a rough patch with housing. He initially moved into the on-call room after leaving his house with Teddy, but by the end of the episode, he’s living in Derek Shepherd’s old trailer – it’s been a long time since anyone’s seen that trailer!

You Can’t Have A Grey’s Anatomy Milestone Without A Major Medical Emergency

The October 16th episode also brought back memories of early *Grey’s Anatomy* seasons with its unusual medical case. The situation—a man impaled by a forklift—felt similar to a Season 2 episode called “Into You Like a Train,” which featured two people impaled by a pole. It seemed the show drew inspiration from that past storyline for its 450th episode.

The episode concluded on a more positive note, and also advanced the storyline. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) recognized her husband, Ben Warren (Jason George)’s, bravery and skill by promoting him to Chief Resident, even though he’d acted independently to save a patient’s life.

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Season 22 of *Grey’s Anatomy* is starting off well, particularly with this recent landmark episode. Zoanne Clack, who wrote “We Built This City,” did a fantastic job of blending beloved past scenes with what’s happening now, and it was thoughtful of her to include elements of her own life in Maggie’s storyline about being pregnant.

Don’t miss the latest episodes, airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

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2025-10-17 22:58