Chyler Leigh’s Lexie Grey Will Return in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Next Week

Grey’s Anatomy‘s limbo beach is the gift that keeps on giving. As revealed in the Grey’s Anatomy preview that aired after last night’s episode, Chyler Leigh’s Lexie Grey will make an appearance on next week’s episode of the beloved medical drama. Fans last saw Lexie in 2012, when she died in the tragic plane crash that also took the life of Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), Grey’s Anatomy‘s famed McSteamy.

But before we get to Lexie, a quick Grey’s Anatomy recap of Season 17, Episode 9, “In My Life.” For the past few weeks, Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey has been fighting for her life after contracting COVID-19, and during last night’s episode, she remained unconscious as her colleagues engaged in their usual tomfoolery. As a result, Meredith wasn’t featured much in Grey’s Anatomy last night, but at the end of the episode, ABC teased her return — as well as a surprise guest — in a short preview for Season 17, Episode 10.

With her vital signs finally stabilizing, Meredith’s colleagues think that this could finally be the day she wakes up. But of course, the renowned internal surgeon isn’t sure that she wants to go on living, at all. As Meredith wades into the water, a “surprise beach guest” hands her a towel, and her identity is quickly revealed to be Lexie Grey, Meredith’s half-sister who died in the Season 8 finale.

“I like it here,” Meredith tells Lexie, after the initial shock wears off. Like many of the other beachgoers we’ve seen this season, Lexie has one question for her half-sister: “Are you going to stay?”

Cue the dramatic music, a fade to white, and the Grey’s Anatomy logo!

While Lexie isn’t an original Grey’s Anatomy cast member, she quickly became an integral part of the show after joining the ensemble in Season 3. She and Meredith butted heads at first, but they soon put aside their differences and developed a close relationship. In the Season 8 finale in 2012, Lexie was critically injured in a plane crash, and she later succumbed to her injuries, despite Mark and Christina’s (Sandra Oh) rescue attempts.

Will Meredith remain on the beach with Lexie and previous surprise guests Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and George (T.R. Knight), or will she return to the land of the living? Tune in next Thursday at 9/8c on ABC to find out!

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