Warning! SPOILERS about Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 1 ahead.
Many eventful moments from Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere were disclosed in the trailer, but a momentous one turned out to be a massive lie in season 21, episode 1’s first minutes – marking a wasted opportunity for one character. After Grey’s Anatomy season 20’s ending shook up Grey Sloan Memorial’s balance with Catherine’s mass firings and Meredith’s extreme reaction resulting in the publication of her Alzheimer’s study’s findings to evade the impasse created by Catherine’s ultimatum, season 21’s premiere showed things going relatively back to normal. However, that wasn’t the case for the key character standing up for the interns.
Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere indeed revealed how Miranda Bailey had lost her job for standing up to defend the interns, joining the crowded ranks of the Grey’s Anatomy doctors not working at Grey Sloan in season 21. The pivotal events of Grey’s Anatomy season 20’s finale thus brought forth key changes for Bailey, who ended up working exclusively at the Elena Bailey Clinic in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere. However, the big twist invalidating the most shocking moment of Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s trailer made things worse, backtracking on a reaction that could have meant great changes for Bailey.
Bailey's Fake Catherine Slap Twist In Grey's Anatomy Season 21 Explained
Bailey Only Dreamt Of Slapping Catherine, Which Never Happened
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Miranda Bailey could be seen slapping Catherine Fox in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s trailer after a heated debate over the interns. The first minute and a half of Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere had the two facing off, with Catherine accusing Bailey and the interns of wasting the Fox Foundation’s money and Bailey telling Catherine off for operating “on spite and greed,” refusing to see the patients’ faces and only seeing dollars. Bailey’s speech was powerful and it ended with Bailey slapping Catherine, but it was revealed to be fake shortly after. Indeed, Miranda only slapped Catherine in her nightmare.
Bailey slapping Catherine in the trailer added shock value ahead of Grey’s Anatomy’s return. However, Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere revealing how that had never happened felt like a cop-out, as the exchange looked like a powerful moment in both the trailer and the episode, one that vindicated Bailey. Bailey using her voice to defend herself after Catherine first relied on her as chief and then discarded her the moment she wasn’t profitable anymore would have marked a positive change for the general surgeon, and repeatedly having that nightmare proved how Bailey wished she had stood up to Catherine.
Grey's Anatomy Season 21 Wastes Its Chance To Evolve Bailey After 2 Decades
Bailey Always Followed Rules & Rarely Challenged Authority Figures
Bailey has gone through plenty of changes in Grey’s Anatomy, growing as a teacher and a leader. However, Bailey always followed rules so strictly to the point of hurting her health, which eventually got her to resign at the end of Grey’s Anatomy season 19. Bailey slapping Catherine in Grey's Anatomy season 21 would have had an immediate downside, but had she done so, at least she would have made her frustrations evident for Catherine to see. However, the drama chose to place Bailey in her usual position, one authority figures often relegated her to, not letting her fight back.
Bailey having as a recurring nightmare the moment of her firing could also hint that the time for her rebellion will come sooner rather than later. Indeed, Simone’s questions about why Bailey didn’t fight to remain the interns’ teacher, Bailey’s nightmares and Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 2’s trailer showing Catherine continuing to blow her off made the issue of Bailey’s passiveness unavoidable. Hopefully, one of these developments will finally let Bailey realize that enough is enough, kickstarting her rebellion in Grey’s Anatomy season 21.
Grey’s Anatomy season 21 releases new episodes every Thursday at 10 pm ET on ABC.
