Sarah Drew's 'Grey's Anatomy' Exit Has Fans Fearing The Worst For April's Fate

It's the end of an era for a few longtime Grey Sloan colleagues. According to Deadline, actor Sarah Drew will be leaving Grey's Anatomy at the close of Season 14, along with Jessica Capshaw. You're probably wondering whether or not this means Drew's character April will die on Grey's Anatomy. Well, in true Shondaland fashion, it's impossible to know exactly what the attending trauma surgeon's fate will be.

The God-fearing surgeon has been with the Grey Sloan family even before it was known as "Grey Sloan" — for nine seasons to be exact. And it's going to be pretty tough to say goodbye to the complicated, yet beloved character at the end of Season 14. Over the years, fans have watched on as the once-naive resident flourished into a full-on badass — and everything in between.

Fans should know by now that trusting Shonda Rhimes' vision is always best, as she has yet to steer any of her shows wrong. But the news of April departing the iconic series has also raised a ton of questions, like how will Shondaland plan to put an end to the April Kepner storyline, and most importantly, what or who will fill the void after April's exit?

One avid watcher of the series is convinced that the answer to the former could involve death, and honestly, she may be onto something. As Margaret Lyons, the New York Times TV Critic pointed out on Twitter, April's death may be inevitable. And other fans seem to agree.

But, hold tight before you focus too much on April's destiny, because the trauma surgeon won't be the only Grey's character saying goodbye at the end of Season 14. Deadline also reports that in addition to Drew's exit, Grey Sloan's head of fetal surgery Arizona Robbins will be departing, too.

Arizona, played by actor Jessica Capshaw, was first introduced to the Grey's Anatomy fold in Season 5, and throughout the years, she's been a staple at the ever-changing hospital. The military brat turned supreme fetal surgeon has also supported her colleagues through some pretty trying times, too. From plane crashes to mass shootings in the hospital, and even devastating custody battles, the doctor has decided to stick by the side of her friends through better or worse. So, why decide to move on now?

As mentioned prior, you never know what Rhimes has up her wonderfully dramatic sleeve, but when it comes to mapping out Arizona's fate, it's potentially a little less morbid than that of April's. For one, Arizona's reason for leaving Grey Sloan could be to move closer to Callie Torres (Arizona's ex-wife and former head of orthopedic surgery at the hospital), in order to coparent their daughter Sofia in the same state. But, when it comes to discovering what's next for April, the lines are a little more blurred.

Whatever the future holds for both characters, one thing's for sure — Rhimes is just as sad to see them go. In a statement via Deadline, the show creator and executive producer couldn't help but talk about the cultural significance both April and Arizona have brought to Grey's over the years. According to Rhimes', April, being a devout Christian battling with her faith, and Arizona, being part of the LBGTQ community, help bring storylines to the forefront that would otherwise go ignored on television. And along with Rhimes, fans are also extremely sad to see them go.

Rhimes also said in the statement she posted to Twitter:

"I will be forever grateful to both Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life with such vibrant performance and for inspiring women around the globe. They will always be a part of our Shondaland family."

With Rhimes being so passionate about these characters, here's to hoping she lets the both of them exit without succumbing to some extreme, Shondaland-esque tragedy waiting in the wings. After all, it has been quite some time since Grey Sloan Memorial has experienced that sort of attack.