This week on Grey’s Anatomy Amelia is determined prove that she can save Dr. Herman. But does she really think she can do it, or is she reaching too high?
Dr. Herman serves as narrator for this episode which occurs over several weeks, appropriately since it’s her surgery that is the main subject of the episode. With the limited amount of time she has before Amelia performs her surgery, Herman is adamant that every second of her time needs to be planned out. Therefore she must turn down a request to add an additional patient to her plate from Bailey, so that she can focus on walking Arizona through her first solo surgery. She also decides against radiation for the same reason.
Bailey and Arizona see Herman’s control issues as a bit over the top when it interferes with her being able to save Bailey’s patient. Herman counters with the point that she can only take on Bailey’s patient if she dumps one of the ones she has already committed to-a life for a life. That logic goes out the window when one of the babies Herman and Arizona try to save dies, leaving room for Bailey’s patient, and according to Herman, no room for Arizona’s tears as they push ahead.
Since Amelia is about to perform the riskiest procedure of her career, she also has to stand in front of a room full of her peers and walk them through exactly how she will do it. She eloquently equates the tumor to a growing fetus, and actually makes it sound beautiful as opposed to dangerous. As time goes on Amelia’s speech becomes more aggressive, but no less assured. She is even more adamant about the fact that she does not need her brother when she is stuck, and Stephanie pushes her to stop pouting about what she can’t figure out and step up.
Following Amelia and Owen’s first kiss last week, there’s still some residual awkwardness. Amelia needs to stay focused on her surgery, and basically babbles all of this to Owen as a ridiculous attempt to say that they should just leave things well enough alone. But it is Owen who gets Amelia to open up and admit that she is afraid that after this surgery she could be re-labeled “the wrong Dr. Shepard”, instead of “the other Dr. Shepard”. Sure enough, Callie does ask if Derek will be helping her, and at this point I want to slap Callie for her insensitivity.
Because this is Grey’s, it’s good to keep things light. Callie is horrified at the prospect of wishing for a non-complicated, celibate relationship after witnessing how well Arizona and Herman are getting along. Truly Arizona and Herman are now such good best friends they spend almost all of their time together, working, laughing, and burning radiation equipment. Their light friendship can’t stay so though once Herman’s tumor reaches the point where Amelia must operate right away, leaving Arizona completely on her own in the OR with Herman’s patients. Herman stays true to who she is until the last possible moment, coaching Arizona all the way to her own operation, before finally letting go, into Amelia’s hands.
The moment of truth will come next week for Amelia, Herman, and Arizona. Do you think Herman will survive? What will be the repercussions for Amelia and Arizona?
[Photo via ABC]
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The end of this episode was sooooooo powerful – Dr. Herman and Arizona’s interaction was great, and just the facial expressions they made conveyed so much. Geena Davis has really been fantastic in her portrayal of Dr. Herman and this episode was another great example. I also really loved the song they used at the end, “Seasons” by Hollow Wood – it really added to the emotional weight of it all.