The 20 Best Grey's Anatomy speeches

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The major monologues of Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy gallery opener — ABC; Illustration by EW

Grey's Anatomy may be a medical drama, but the series' biggest moments will be remembered for the monologues Shonda Rhimes and her writers have woven throughout. Here are our favorites.

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"Pick me, choose me, love me"

Meredith to Derek in "Bring the Pain" on Grey's Anatomy — ABC

With Derek (Patrick Dempsey) deciding whether or not to sign Addison's (Kate Walsh) divorce papers, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) finally puts her foot down to profess her love for Derek.

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"I could see the leaves"

After sleeping with Callie (Sara Ramirez) for the first time, Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) compared realizing she's gay to wearing glasses for the first time.

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"You don't get to quit"

With Izzie (Katherine Heigl) heading into surgery for her cancer, Alex (Justin Chambers) begged her to tear up the DNR she signed, but her response was even more heartbreaking.

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"Good man in a storm"

After Callie's father (Héctor Elizondo) all but disowned his daughter for being gay, Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) stood up for her love, delivering a rousing speech about how she got her name.

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"You don't get to call me a whore"

In the midst of the "off" period of their on-again-off-again relationship, Meredith stood up to Derek after he chastised her choices in men.

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"I'm not Meredith Grey"

Addison finally snapped over being the other woman in her own marriage.

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"I'm in the middle of a divorce"

When a fellow doctor asks Bailey (Chandra Wilson) out, she lays the intricacies of her life out, plain and simple.

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"You're my person"

When Cristina (Sandra Oh) scheduled her appointment for an abortion, she told new friend Meredith that she put her name down as the emergency contact, birthing the saying, "You are my person."

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"My dreams are coming true"

Ahead of her wedding to Callie, Arizona lamented the loss of her brother and his absence at her impending nuptials.

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"The three words"

Frustrated over how Owen (Kevin McKidd) is treating her during their break, Cristina confronts him, leading to his reveal that he loved her.

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"Today's the day my life begins"

During their impromptu wedding, Alex's vows detailed his journey into becoming a man.

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"I don't build houses"

With Derek dating Nurse Rose (Lauren Stamile), Meredith made a move for his heart, building a house of candles.

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"Give me my dad"

Lexie (Chyler Leigh) pleaded with Meredith to help save Thatcher (Jeff Perry) when their father needed a liver transplant.

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"My hands felt his heart stop beating"

When Owen accused Cristina of going into medicine for the wrong reasons, she shared the story of how her father died, showing a rare vulnerability.

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"What about me?"

With Denny (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) possibly losing the heart transplant to another patient, Izzie begged him to let her cut his LVAD.

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The elevator proposal

Derek detailed every memorable case he worked on with Meredith inside the famed elevator that served as a focal point of their relationship.

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"I love you"

Lexie professed her love for Mark (Eric Dane), but it came too little too late as both died shortly after this.

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"He's not the sun"

Before Cristina left the hospital (and the show), she reminded Meredith not to let Derek eclipse her.

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"I'm out of debt"

After Alex plastered the locker room with Izzie's modeling photos, she was able to shut him up pretty quickly, stripping down and revealing that the modeling gig paid for med school.

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