Mark Sloan, Lexie Deaths on 'Grey's Anatomy': How Did They Die (and Return)? [Recap+ Spoiler]
Meredith Grey's dead sister, Lexie Grey, stars in Meredith's COVID fever beach dream on tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy. However, Lexie isn't the only one who turns up. Mark Sloan also showed up, shocking audiences who had assumed Lexie was the only COVID dream guest for tonight.
Mark Sloan Death: How Did He and Lexie and Die?
Between Seasons 8 and 9, Lexie and Mark died together, which is why the hospital (Grey Sloan) was named after them.
All is injured in a plane crash in the Season 8 finale. We discover almost instantly that Lexie has been crushed by a piece of rubble, and against Mark's best efforts, Lexie succumbs to her tragic injury. Though Mark seems to be in great health at first, we later discover that he suffered serious chest trauma in the accident, and he is hospitalized and in a coma for a month.
In the Season 9 opener, the staff at Seattle Grace Mercy West takes him off his ventilator, and he dies.
almost nine years later and he’s still holding her hand #greysanatomy pic.twitter.com/Kdw2TfiAUu
— b. (@90skarev) April 2, 2021
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Why did Eric Dane Leave 'Grey's Anatomy'
There was more to Mark's exit than super sad storytelling, as it turned out. Eric Dane, who played Mark on Grey's Anatomy, has quit the show due to a new job on The Last Ship.
Eric also seemed to be dissatisfied with the show's current direction. He told Entertainment Weekly, "Grey's Anatomy is a world - it's not about any one individual actor and the storylines were sort of... you know, heading in different directions"It was an opportunity for me to go and I was interested in something different, [...] I loved doing Grey's Anatomy. I would have done it until the final episode, but this was something I couldn't pass up" he further said.
Eric and the Grey's show writers seemed to share the same sentiment. Shonda Rhimes wrote in a now-deleted blog post that the authors didn't want to discuss the pain Eric would face after losing Lexie.
Tonight's episode was particularly bittersweet since it was revealed that Mark and Lexie ending up together. In a way. Mark told Meredith that she was too early to join them on the beach after Lexie made a joke about how there are no laws on the beach.
READ MORE: 'Grey's Anatomy' Major Character Death Explained; Is DeLuca Returning On the Show?
