The following contains major spoilers for Greys Anatomy Season 20, Episode 10, Burn It Down, which debuted Thursday, May 20 on ABC.

Greys Anatomy Season 20 is already at its end. The latest Greys saga only spanned ten episodes -- the second-shortest season in the show's long history, second only to Season 1. Yet even though it was brief, Season 20 both teased the ABC series' future and embraced its intensely beloved legacy. That's particularly felt in the Season 20 finale, "Burn It Down," which perfectly combines the two.

Season 20 proved the show could still work with star Ellen Pompeo appearing in a slightly limited capacity. Even after two decades, the core premise of Shondaland's first TV show remains the same: it blends aspects of medicine like surgery and medical research with aspects of human nature like love, loss, and trauma. Season 20s final episode, Burn It Down, brings the season full circle, playing on classic Greys tropes while keeping the door open wide for Season 21.

Here's why these fan-favorite Grey's Anatomy characters left the show and what they have been up to in the time since leaving Grey Sloan Memorial.

Season 20s finale Burn It Down unfolds against a backdrop of disaster; a raging wildfire creeps toward Seattles city limits. With the town covered in smoke, the staff at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital prepare for a flood of patients, for not the first time. Theyre also reeling from a dramatic staff change: Catherine Fox has fired Teddy Altman, and Teddys husband and head of trauma Owen Hunt somewhat steps into the role of Interim Chief of Surgery despite managing a hectic Emergency Room. Catherine also gives Meredith and Amelia an ultimatum, demanding they hand over all their research and project findings to her right-hand man Dr. Tom Koracick, who left Grey's Anatomy at the end of Season 17. In exchange for their compliance, Catherine assures Meredith and Amelia that their jobs will remain safe, and Teddy will be reinstated as Chief. But she also makes it clear that their project is technically hers as the head of the Catherine Fox Foundation -- no surprise to fans, as Catherine has a history of throwing her power around when her authority is threatened.

Outside the conference room, Lucas Adams bonds with a patient suffering from intense memory loss before Blue recognizes the woman as his former fiance, who doesn't recall their relationship. Greys Anatomy is also no stranger to secret former partners, but this reveal is still surprising following the sexual and romantic tension between Blue and Jules throughout Seasons 19 and 20. Adams gets the highest score out of the intern class, but Catherine informs him that she wants to force him to restart his residency. Adams' fellow interns interrupt their meeting, with everyone threatening to quit if Catherine holds him back. Catherine isnt fazed by the camaraderie until Dr. Miranda Bailey threatens to leave along with them. All of these developments feel fairly familiar to anyone who's watched the show before.

Burn It Down further features the personal subplots that are a staple of Grey's Anatomy. Winston Ndugu and Monica Beltran have a surprising fling, having bonded over their recent divorces. Jules and Yasuda also nearly share a kiss in the episode, though they get interrupted by Simone. The most significant romantic scene in the episode lies with Meredith, who takes an important step with her boyfriend Nick Marsh. Meredith understandably shuts Nick's offer of marriage down as her last marriage made her a widow and a single mother, but she tells him about her new home in Boston, and he agrees to be her life partner. The romantic subplots are sweet, but theyre wildly overshadowed by the chaos unfolding at Grey Sloan, as Meredith, Teddy, Owen, Amelia and possibly more lose their jobs throughout the episode.

Almost immediately after Greys Anatomys first episode, fans were hooked on its non-stop drama and hospital action, including iconic cliffhangers.

By the end of the Grey's Anatomy Season 20 finale, a majority of the characters face job insecurity -- either having being fired, threatening to quit, or considering a career change. Several characters may get fired from the hospital in Season 21, with Midori Francis leaving as Yasuda and Jake Borelli also departing. Borelli's character Levi Schmitt gives Jo Wilson the surprising news that she's pregnant. This doesnt live up to the cliffhangers from many memorable Greys Anatomy finales, but there are still unresolved problems surrounding her pregnancy, notably Jo's ongoing conflict with her partner Link, whom Jo leaves in the dark in Burn It Down. The pregnancy could strengthen their relationship or tear it apart, especially given their experiences raising two small children.

Fans would definitely enjoy seeing Catherines downfall in Season 21, especially given her stance against Merediths Alzheimers project. It doesnt make sense that Catherines marriage to Webber would be secure if she damaged Meredith's work, given Richards father-like relationship with Meredith and Amelia, and his having lost two people he loves to the disease. Because of these plot points, "Burn It Down" is effective, even if it's not a mind-blowing finale like viewers have come to expect.

It doesnt feel like a Greys Anatomy finale episode, and a lot happens without proper execution. Some of the disjointed aspects could stem from the overall setup season, as ten episodes didnt properly pace the storylines. But Greys fans will likely tune in for Season 21 despite there being a relative lack of jaw-dropping moments compared to the conclusions of earlier seasons. The show needs to change if it's going to make it to Season 22, and this finale seems to be laying the seeds for that to happen -- even if it does so in a very predictable way.

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Grey's Anatomy Season 20 Finale Review: No Shortage of Drama - CBR