Through the history of Grey’s Anatomy, there have been all kinds of relationships and friendships among the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. One of the biggest ones from recent seasons has been that between Meredith Grey, Maggie Pierce, and Amelia Shepherd.
Though they are not entirely related by blood, their bond is so strong that they are automatically referred to as sisters by fans and characters alike. There are many different reasons why this particular sisterhood is so profound.
Sisterly Banter
The topics of conversation that the three women have together range from medical procedures to dates to child-rearing antics. The way they talk to each other would make anyone who doesn’t know them think that they have grown up and lived together all their lives. Viewers can even see the sibling role each lady takes in their chats; Meredith offers advice like an older sister, Amelia inputs in inappropriate comments like the youngest, and Maggie mediates like the middle child.
Their Shared Bonding Experiences
The sisters go through a lot together; there are times where they find themselves doing things that are out of the ordinary. One such instance is taking a sledgehammer to one of the walls in Meredith’s family home. Another is making a getaway from Amelia’s own wedding when she starts getting cold feet.
Then there are the many extreme emergencies at the hospital that they face, such as fires, windstorms, and pandemics. Through all these moments, the sisters’ bond has gone from strength to strength, with them becoming even closer.
They Fight Like Sisters
People who have sisters know they can become the number one enemy when they want to be, which has also rung true with Meredith, Amelia, and Maggie’s relationship. These three have moments where they are at each other’s throats. When they first meet, Meredith and Maggie do not get along; they butt heads over procedures and Meredith refuses to believe Maggie when she reveals that she is her half-sister. Meredith and Amelia have even more tension, especially after Derek’s death; it gets so bad that Meredith kicks Amelia out of the house. But like all sisters, they all make up and come back together stronger than before.
Heads of Their Departments
One common link the sisters have is the fact that they are all highly successful in their careers. Meredith is the Head of General Surgery, a member of the hospital board, and a Catherine Fox Award winner. Maggie is the Co-Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery, while Amelia is the Head of Neurosurgery. With Amelia affectionately referring to them as the “Lady Chief Trifecta,” it is obvious that these three are rooting for each other as they each strive towards their goals.
They Are All Extremely Intelligent
While all three of the sisters are beautiful, each of them is more than just a pretty face. Each one of them is incredibly smart and innovative in their field. Maggie may be the smartest since she finishes her medical education early and becomes a head surgeon before she is even thirty.
That doesn’t make Meredith and Amelia any less brilliant; Amelia successfully removes a fellow doctor’s seemingly inoperable brain tumor while Meredith comes up with several surgical innovations, one which led her to become a Catherine Fox Award winner. This intelligence is another link between the three women.
Looking After the Kids
After Derek died in season 11, Maggie and Amelia step up to help Meredith take care of her three children, Zola, Bailey, and Ellis. Viewers can often see scenes of early morning chaos at the Grey household where all three women are running around to get the kids ready for the day before they head to the hospital. Maggie and Amelia become full-time caretakers while Meredith is sick with COVID-19. This illustrates the amount of trust that Meredith has in her two sisters.
Dishing the Romantic Dirt
These women have had their fair share of romances, and they have no problem talking to each other about it. While Amelia tends to discuss the physical aspects of relationships, Maggie will go over whether or not she is making good choices in her love life. They are also both there for Meredith when she starts dating after Derek. If a new man walks into one of these women’s lives, he better be prepared to face the “Lady Chief Trifecta” because Meredith, Amelia, and Maggie all want the best for each other and will make sure that’s what they get.
They Support Each Other
Each of the female doctors has gone through some tough stuff during their time together. Maggie’s mother sadly died, while Amelia discovered she had a brain tumor of her own. Meredith has also had a heap of hardships come her way, from being attacked by a patient to facing jail time for committing insurance fraud. Through each of these difficulties, the sisters have been there to comfort and support each other.
Found Family
Neither Meredith, Maggie, or Amelia come from normal family life. Either they are never close with the family they grow up with or they lose touch with them along the way. Once they join up in Seattle, they each make the choice to have each other in their lives. Different circumstances have brought them together, and by choosing to stay close and build their relationship, their bond is one of the strongest on the show today. As Amelia has said herself, “biology doesn’t matter; love matters.”
