Martin Henderson (Nathan Riggs) Is Leaving Grey's Anatomy And We're SHOCKED
Nathan Riggs just made his exit, but is Martin Henderson making his exit from Grey's Anatomy Season 14?
Is Martin Henderson (Nathan Riggs) Leaving Grey's Anatomy Season 14?
We're only five episodes into Grey's Anatomy Season 14 and another major character has already made their exit. On Thursday night's episode of Grey's Anatomy Season 14, "Danger Zone," Nathan Riggs (Martin Henderson) and Megan Hunt (Abigail Spencer) moved to Los Angeles. But, fans everywhere are wondering if actor Martin Henderson is leaving Grey's Anatomy for good, especially considering his blooming relationship with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). Unfortunately, it is confirmed that Martin Henderson is leaving Grey's Anatomy as a series regular, but this might not necessarily be the last we see of Riggs.
Why Is Martin Henderson Leaving Grey's Anatomy?
Since Henderson's departure comes as a shock to every Grey's fan, we're left wondering why Martin Henderson is leaving Grey's Anatomy in the first place. However, it seems like Riggs' last moments were planned.
"I only had a short-term contract with the show. This is my final year so I was expecting Nathan's storyline to be wrapped up," Henderson said in an interview with Deadline. "Bringing in Megan and tying up loose ends, provided a reason. That was always intended when they brought Megan back with a twist. The triangle played out nicely, the way they gave perspective leading up to her disappearance, the mutual infidelity; the way it was handled was interesting. It's been a couple of fun years on the show."
How Did Nathan Riggs Leave Grey's Anatomy Season 14?
On Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 5, "Danger Zone," fans got to see flashbacks that showed us how Megan was kidnapped in 2007, but we also saw what happened to Megan and Riggs' relationship before she was presumed dead in a helicopter crash. Well, Riggs cheated on Megan and proposed to her with his side piece's necklace. Not a good look, Riggs, But, turns out, Megan also cheated on Riggs. So, clearly, it made sense that the two got together and moved to Los Angeles. They were clearly made for each other.
Showrunner Shonda Rhimes was also pleased with how Riggs' storyline ended.
"I loved that we were able to give Riggs a happy ending worthy of his character and talent," showrunner Rhimes said to Entertainment Weekly. "As for Martin, this is not an ending for our relationship. He has been part of the Shondaland family since the pilot of Inside the Box and he will always be family. I can't wait to find a new project to work with him on in the future."
Will Martin Henderson Return To Grey's Anatomy?
While we're happy for Riggs and Megan, we still feel like this isn't the end, and apparently, so does Henderson.
"I would never close the door. In my mind it's been left open-ended enough," Henderson said. "This is the third time that Shonda and I have worked together. I think providing an exit for the character where there's a possibility for him to return is always nice. It was always a short-term thing and I was happy to spend a few years doing the show. For now, it's about exploring some other areas and I think that suits me. I'm not use to do doing long-term things creatively, so for me it's a nice amount of time. If the opportunity came in the future with an interesting storyline, I'd be happy to explore. I definitely feel connected to Shonda and am grateful for the opportunity she has given me."
What About Meredith Grey?
After tonight's episode, we definitely feel a tiny bit betrayed, especially considering we want our girl, Mer to be happy. Why toy with us if they were never meant to be together? What about Meredith, damnit!? Well, that's just the life of a Grey's Anatomy fan. I guess.
"I think there was clearly something for Nathan in those relationships. Feelings like that, I don't think they go away," Henderson said. "The nature of his previous commitment to Megan and his feelings around that put him in a horrible state of having to choose between two people he cares about, but honoring his commitment to Megan and following through on that is the right thing to do. It doesn't negate his feelings for Meredith. The complications of Meredith's emotions, the loss of Derek and moving on from that still plagues her. And there's as much ambiguity around all those feelings. The two of them found each other and that provided good drama. I feel bad for fans who were keen on Meredith and Nathan making it, and not being privy to where each character would go. It's hard to hear those outpourings from those who didn't know it was going to end up like this. But it makes for nice drama and it's something that Shonda does brilliantly: Dashing people's hopes and expectations. That's why the show continues to be successful. You can't predict what will happen to people at any time."
Are you satisfied by Riggs' departure? Are you excited for the rest of Grey's Anatomy Season 14 without him??
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