April Is Returning to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and We Have 4 Theories Why She’s About to Show Up

Meredith Jacobs March 15, 2021, 2:30 pm

Sarah Drew Grey's Anatomy Season 11 April Kepner — Kelsey McNeal/©ABC/courtesy Everett Collection

Grey’s Anatomy, which just said goodbye to one of its own (Giacomo Gianniotti‘s Andrew DeLuca was killed during his pursuit of human traffickers), gets a doctor back when it welcomes a familiar face in Season 17.

Sarah Drew returns as Dr. April Kepner, Deadline reports. Viewers last saw April in Season 14, where she had married Matthew (Justin Bruening) — while her ex, Jackson (Jesse Williams), with whom she has a daughter, watched — and decided to move on to helping the homeless.

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No details have been revealed yet about when we’ll see her again or what brings her back for what could be the final season. But don’t worry, we have some theories.

The Hospital Needs Help

Grey Sloan already has two of its doctors battling COVID (Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey, on a vent, and Greg Germann’s Tom Koracick), and just lost DeLuca. So it could be that one of the doctors makes a call to someone they know and trust to come help them out.

As a Patient or Knowing a Patient

The doctors have treated one another time and time again. Could April be the next one to end up in the ER or the OR (and hopefully make it)? It’s also possible. that she knows someone who requires treatment, perhaps connected to her helping the homeless. Or could Matthew be the patient?

Jesse Williams Sarah Drew Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Jackson April

Ron Tom / ©ABC / courtesy Everett Collection

On the Beach

It’s getting a little crowded there, but as we don’t know if she’s even still alive (anything can happen), perhaps April’s return will take place on the beach with Meredith. (While battling COVID, Pompeo’s character has imagined herself on a beach with dead loved ones.)

Jackson- and/or Harriet-related

We hope that nothing bad has happened to Harriet, the daughter April had with Jackson. But it’s very possible that some plot line regarding Harriet is what puts April back on our screens. And with the series potentially wrapping up this season and some fans hoping for an April-Jackson reunion, the show’s writers might be planning just that. We shouldn’t rule out those two getting back together because on Grey’s, again, anything can happen.

Grey’s Anatomy, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC