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Ellis Shepherd is the younger daughter, and youngest child, of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd. She has an older brother, Bailey, and an older sister, Zola.

History[]

Conception and Birth[]

Ellis was likely conceived the day before her father died, as her parents decided to have another baby on that day and then tried and did have one.

After her father's funeral, her mother took her siblings and left Seattle for the duration of her pregnancy, leaving only a note that said, "The kids and I are safe." for friends and family. Despite a placental abruption, which caused Meredith to bleed severely when her water broke, Ellis was delivered successfully in San Diego. ("She's Leaving Home")

Return to Seattle[]

Shortly after her birth, her mother and siblings returned to Seattle. ("She's Leaving Home")

Meredith's Attack[]

A few weeks after Meredith was attacked by a patient, Arizona and Alex brought Zola, Bailey, and Ellis in to see her. However, the three of them were too scared by her appearance and the visit was brief. After she had recovered, the family was happily reunited at home. ("The Sound of Silence")

Thatcher's Death[]

When Thatcher died, he left presents for Ellis, Bailey, and Zola in his closet. Meredith took those present to her kids and told them about their grandpa. ("The Winner Takes It All")

Halloween[]

For Halloween, she was a ballerina. Her mother got out of jail that day too late to go trick or treating with them, but in time to help them sort candy. ("Whistlin' Past the Graveyard")

COVID-19 Pandemic[]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she stayed home with her brother and sister, Amelia, Link, and her new cousin, Scout while her Mom treated COVID patients at the hospital.

Early in the pandemic, Ellis attended her brother's birthday party that year where he stuck his face right in the cake and then licked the icing off his fingers and made a big production of it. This made Ellis, Zola, Meredith, Amelia, Link, and Maggie laugh, something no one had been doing for a while because of the pandemic and the new baby keeping everyone up all night. ("Breathe")

When Amelia realized she'd missed Link's birthday, she convinced the kids to watch a movie by saying it was Link's birthday wish, giving them some free time. ("The Center Won't Hold")

When Meredith was hospitalized with COVID-19, Ellis was eager to talk to her. They were able to talk over Amelia's phone on video chat. ("My Happy Ending")

Shortly after Andrew died, Zola, Bailey, and Ellis had a dance party in the backyard while the grieving adults supervised and tried to figure out how to tell the kids, who had loved Andrew. ("It's All Too Much")

Play Date[]

Zola, Bailey, Ellis, Leo, Allison, and Scout all had a play date together with Teddy and Amelia supervising. They spent most of the day outside, playing on their play set. At the end of the day, Owen came over and told Zola that they'd taken Meredith off the ventilator and she was breathing on her own. Zola happily spread the information to the other kids. ("Breathe")

Visiting Mt. Rainier[]

Later, Eric and Maureen bought an RV, packed it with supplies, and drove it from Colorado to Seattle. For two weeks, they had no contact with anyone but each other. When they arrived in Seattle, they were excited to meet Scout and offered to take all four kids to see Mt. Rainier so Amelia and Link could have some time to themselves. ("Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right")

Meredith Waking Up[]

Bailey and Ellis stayed home with Maureen while Maggie took Zola to the hospital to see Meredith in the hopes it would help encourage her to wake up. While they were gone, Bailey and Ellis made a fort. When Link and Amelia returned, they asked to be let into the fort. Bailey and Ellis denied them entry without the password. ("Good as Hell")

After her pulmonary studies showed a remarkable improvement in her lung capacity and her labs came out clear, Meredith was discharged from the hospital. Instead of leaving to a fanfare, she had Jackson slip her out the back and drop her off at home, where her kids greeted her happily. Because she hadn't told anyone she was coming, the kids' welcome home poster was unfinished, but she appreciated it anyway and asked her kids to tell her everything that had happened while she was gone. ("Tradition")

As Meredith tried to regain her strength after spending so much time in the hospital, she and Ellis tossed a ball back and forth in the backyard. ("I'm Still Standing")

Christmas[]

Meredith, Amelia, Link, Owen, and Teddy spent Christmas together with all their children. At this celebration, Owen proposed to Teddy for the second time and she accepted. ("Someone Saved My Life Tonight")

Maggie and Winston's Wedding[]

In August 2020, Ellis attended Maggie and Winston's backyard wedding. However, at the wedding, Maggie's father and Winston's grandmother opposed the wedding, wanting to wait until more people could attend, so the wedding was postponed. Ellis immediately asked if she could get cake and was delighted when Maggie said she could. In April 2021, a new wedding was planned and they all attended. Ellis walked down the aisle with her mother and siblings to spread flower petals at the start of the ceremony. During the reception Ellis, along with both of her siblings, held engagement rings for Link as he proposed to Amelia on the beach after the ceremony. ("Someone Saved My Life Tonight")

Thanksgiving[]

When Meredith got stuck in Minnesota when snow caused her flight to be canceled, Amelia was left to cook the meal alone as well as care for all four children by herself. When Link came to drop off Scout and learned this, he decided to stay and help. When he discovered that the oven wasn't on and the turkey was not cooking, he helped her change the meal plan. The kids happily ate the replacement meal when Link said he'd pardoned the turkey. While they ate, Zola asked what an AVM was and Amelia explained. Bailey then asked what sex was, shocking the adults.

After dinner, Link and all four kids had a dance party. ("Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)")

Decorating for Christmas[]

As Christmas approached, Zola, Bailey, and Ellis helped their mother decorate a Christmas tree at their house. ("It Came Upon a Midnight Clear")

Weekend with Maggie and Winston[]

When Meredith traveled to Minnesota to finish up the report on Hamilton's surgery and then spend the weekend with Nick, Zola, Bailey, and Ellis spent the weekend with Maggie and Winston. While fighting with Ellis over a stuffed animal, Bailey ended up cutting his knee. Winston told the kids they were going to play Emergency Room and Zola helped him clean and bandage Bailey's knee. ("The Makings of You")

Meeting Nick[]

When Meredith returned home from her trip to Minnesota to present Hamilton's case to the staff at The Clinic, Nick came with her. They brought pizza to her house and he met her three children. She offered him chocolate pudding surprise, which she had made, telling him the surprise was gummy worms. ("Put the Squeeze On Me")

Meredith's Party[]

When Meredith held a dinner party at her house so that everyone could get to know Nick better, Zola, Bailey, and Ellis attended the party. While they waited for dinner to be ready, they played in the backyard with Amelia and Kai and then played hide and seek. ("Stronger Than Hate")

Halloween[]

Ellis went trick or treating with her siblings and cousin, Scout, on Halloween. She dressed as a chef ("Haunted")

Fire and Move to Boston[]

With the move incoming, the whole family started preparing for the move. When a lightning storm hit, Maggie and Winston stayed at the house with the kids packing things while Meredith worked. They told the kids to stay inside, despite Zola noting the low odds of them being struck by lightning. Later, the kids were scared when lightning struck the house, starting a fire. They quickly evacuated and were reunited with Meredith outside as they watched the firefighters of Station 19 try to put out the fire. Meredith assured them that what was most important was that they were all safe. ("Thunderstruck")

The morning after the fire, Meredith brought all three kids to the station with cookies. Andy let them play in the fire truck while they were there. ("We Build Then We Break")

Two weeks after the fire, Meredith took her kids to the hospital on her last day of work in Seattle. Ellis and Bailey brought gifts for their old daycare teachers and she sent them to distribute them. At the end of the day, they went to the airport and boarded their flight to Boston. Meredith read them Tessa Hobbes' final book during the flight. ("I'll Follow the Sun")

Relationships[]

Familial[]

Ellis lives in Boston with her mother and her two siblings. Her father died before she was born, likely the very day after she was conceived.

Notes and Trivia[]

  • She was named after her grandmother, Ellis Grey.
  • According to her mother, she looks like her father, Derek Shepherd,[1] though others have said she looks like Meredith[2] and Teddy commented that she looks like her Aunt Amelia.[3]
  • She's obsessed with hip hop.[4]
  • She is quick to laughter and anger; is smart, pensive, and stubborn; hates pink and purple, but loves brown and green; and gets enraged at the idea of someone cutting down a tree.[5]

Gallery[]

Episodic[]

Episode Stills[]

Appearances[]

References[]

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