Following the Thank God It's Thursday teaser that featured Meredith Grey seemingly in danger, it has now been confirmed that Ellen Pompeo's character will be the victim of a brutal attack.
With the return of Grey's Anatomy season 12 for its midseason premiere, the well-loved character's suffering will only begin, as Kelly McCreary confirms to Entertainment Weekly.
"Meredith gets attacked by someone you would least expect and it is just as terrifying, shocking and harrowing as it appears," McCreary stated.
In the promo, a bloodied Meredith is shown on the ground still sporting her hospital scrubs, which brought on speculations as to what she encountered, such as a stabbing, a shooting and an explosion, to name a few.
In addition, Sarah Drew noted that one of the episodes will be centered on Meredith alone and will not give fans a glimpse of what Jackson (Jesse Williams) wanted to open up to April.
"She's attacked really brutally, really viciously and in a completely surprising, weird way," Drew said.
Such occurrence will be the talk of the hospital, but is expected to have the biggest impact on Amelia, who will be at one of her lowest points when "Grey's Anatomy' season 12 returns, as explained by actress Caterina Scorsone.
"Amelia always holds herself extremely responsible for the misfortunate of others," Scorsone said of her character, who was booted out of the Grey household by Meredith herself in the winter finale. "In this case especially, she feels somehow responsible, even though she's really not. She often takes it all very personally when someone she's close to is hurt."
Fans are now questioning whether Meredith, who only recently lost her husband, Dr. Derek Shephard (Patrick Dempsey) in a car accident, will make it out alive. Other cast members have also shared their sentiments about the unfortunate circumstances, saying that Mer's future will lie on the actions taken by her family at Grey Sloan.
According to actor James Pickens, Jr., who portrays Dr. Weber on the hit medical drama, Meredith's accident will bring the surgeons together and make them appreciate "how much of a family Seattle Grace really is."
The incident is also expected to encourage the doctors to set aside their differences with each other in order to "come together for the common good, which, in this case, it's saving her life basically," the actor shared.
"Grey's Anatomy' season 11 is set to return on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
