Grey’s Anatomy is one of the greatest success stories in modern television. Conceived by the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, as a feminist series with a diverse cast, Grey’s was originally a mid-season replacement for the mostly forgotten comedy-drama Boston Legal. ABC was surprised by the show’s popularity and it was kept on the air for the remainder of the season. Since then, the show has become a massive critical ratings phenomenon, not to mention a cultural juggernaut.

It has remained one of the most widely seen shows on television since its premiere and inspired four hit spinoffs – so far. Now that is has entered its fifteenth season, it has become the longest scripted primetime show in ABC’s history, as well as the second longest running primetime medical drama - it only has to run for seven more episodes to beat out ER.

With such a large and dedicated fanbase, it’s inevitable that the show would be the subject of some interesting fan theories – some fun, some believable, and some outlandish. Considering that the show has occasionally reveled in the fact that it’s a soap opera and has had storylines that border on the ridiculous (how many calamities can befall one group of doctors? How many people who are attractive enough to be TV stars can work at one hospital?), it’s understandable that fans would imagine the show going in bizarre directions.

From Alzheimer’s diagnoses to ghosts to purgatory, the show’s fans have thought of numerous sharp left turns that the Grey’s Anatomy could take.

These are 20 Wild Fan Theories About Grey’s Anatomy That Change Everything.

Meredith Has Alzheimer’s

Let’s face it: Meredith Grey has lived a ridiculously melodramatic life. The hospital she works at has been flooded, hit by an earthquake, and has been the site of two mass shootings. Meredith’s co-workers have been hit by trucks, electrocuted, and perished in airplane crashes - one even broke through the windshield of her car and managed to live. There is one simple explanation for why Meredith’s life is so bizarre - she’s a character in a soap opera.

However, some fans want a more grounded explanation – she has Alzheimer’s. This would mean that her crazy experiences are the result of her mis-ing her life and would tie into the various references to Alzheimer’s on the show.

Owen Isn’t The Father Of Teddy’s Baby

Owen and Teddy got together last season while they were in . Teddy got pregnant shortly afterward, but it’s never been confirmed that he is the father of Teddy’s baby. For all we know, Teddy might have indulged in more than just schnitzel during her German vacation; after all, the show kept the details of her time in the country a touch fuzzy.

Owen’s paternity is also a touch suspicious given Teddy’s age, which is around fifty. Most women who try to get pregnant at that age need multiple tries (not to mention fertility treatments) to do so, so her getting pregnant with Owen’s child seems a little unlikely. These storytelling choices leave lots of room for more drama and new revelations!

Dylan Minnette Plays The Same Character On Grey’s Anatomy And 13 Reasons Why

One of the most common varieties of fan theory is the sort that postulates that two characters portrayed by the same actor are, in fact, the same character who just changed their name for no explained reason. One of the most famous is the one which claims that Jennifer Connelly played the same character in the beloved children’s film Labyrinth and the harrowing drama Requiem for A Dream. A similar theory proposes that Clay Jensen from 13 Reasons and Ryan, a one-episode character from Grey’s, are the same person.

Oddly, there is a focus on both characters’ ears – Jensen has to listen to the tapes left for him while Ryan got his ears fixed on Grey’s Anatomy.

The Show Is Part Of The MCU

Here’s a hypothesis that’s a little far-fetched, even by the standards of fan theories. The reasoning behind this is that Grey’s takes place in a world of extremes, and advanced technology, much like the Marvel Universe, and that the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital are awfully, well, heroic. Supposedly, the holographic software shown in one episode of the show bears more than a ing resemblance to holograms used by Tony Stark.

This theory also likes to note that Grey’s Anatomy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe are both owned by Disney. We can only hope this means a Grey’s/Avengers/Frozen crossover is on the way.

Lexie Is Not Real

Here’s an example of fans noticing a writing error and taking it more seriously than the show’s creators ever would. Lexie was born in 1984 and is a surgical intern in 2006; having that job is an extremely unlikely accomplishment for a 22 year old. That caused one fan to theorize that Lexie simply cannot have existed.

This is an example of explaining one contrivance with an even larger controversy. If this were revealed to be the case, it would be a pretty tired twist considering how many other shows and movies have done it, but stranger things have happened.

Alex Will Fall In Love With Meredith

Alex wants to settle down. Meredith has been there for him since they’ve known each other and vice versa. Maybe the two wouldn’t make the most romantic pairing imaginable, but they would definitely make sense together in the sort of way that would work for a long-term, committed relationship.

Some fans like this pairing because of what the two have been through together, while others feel that Alex makes far more sense as a quasi-brother figure in Meredith’s life than a lover. In that way, this pairing resembles the Katniss/Peeta pairing from The Hunger Games franchise, and we all know how that turned out.

Most Characters Are Embodiments Of Meredith’s Emotions

Similar to that once-popular theory that all of the Winnie the Pooh characters represent mental disorders, this Inside Out-inspired theory hypothesizes that all major characters besides Meredith represent her own emotions. Derek is her ability to love, Cristina is her desire for friendship, Mark Sloan is her desire, and Owen is her bravery. This theory is very exhaustive and mentions nearly every significant character in the show.

Purely from a character perspective, this is an interesting idea, and adds another dimension to the characters we all know and love. However, this theory also includes speculation that all of the characters besides Meredith are only hallucinations, which would be a bit of a difficult pill for most fans of the series to follow.

The Series Finale Will Feature Ghosts

Here’s a theory that isn’t about decoding what we’ve seen from the show so far, but more about conjecturing what curveballs Shonda Rhimes could throw at us. Some fans like the idea that the Grey’s Anatomy’s finale will feature Meredith walking around Grey Sloan Memorial and seeing the ghosts of all of those who lost their lives throughout the series.

An ending to the show that pays homage to its past would be nice. However, it would be asking a lot from fans to accept that a show, which has been on for over a decade and never had any supernatural element, would introduce ghosts in its last episode. The episodes where a character hallucinated seeing ghosts was poorly received, so Rhimes and company might not want to add actual ghosts to the show anytime soon.

The Finale Will feature a Hurricane

Ending the series with a hurricane would be an obvious throwback to the well-liked season in finale “Perfect Storm”. Nostalgia is usually a part of the last episode of a series and this theory is rooted in some fans’ expectations that Grey’s Anatomy might want to recapture some of the magic of an earlier episode. However, there’s a line between homage and stealing and ending the series with another hurricane would probably make the showrunners look like they were completely out of ideas.

No one wants a series finale that’s too rooted in a series’ past – we’re looking at you Seinfeld!