The arrival and departure of countless characters have shaped the ever-evolving Grey’s Anatomy storyline. With the medical drama’s long-running history, it was inevitable to have several main cast members depart at some point. Therefore, when Patrick Dampsey’s Derek Shepherd was tragically killed off in Season 11, it devastated the fans.
The events leading up to Derek’s accident and then his mistreatment at Dillard Medical Center were heartbreaking, but they also put the limelight on a seemingly small character. Samantha Sloyan’s Penelope Blake briefly appeared during Derek’s treatment and was never seen again until she was reintroduced as Callie’s girlfriend. Since then, Penny has had a rather controversial character arc that lasted only a single season.
Samantha Sloyan Played Penny Blake In Grey’s Anatomy
She Was the Resident On Call During Derek’s Emergency Arrival at Dillard
Understandably, it was difficult for Grey’s Anatomy fans to pay attention to anything, or anyone else for that matter when McDreamy was in the OR fighting for his life. After experiencing a rocky patch, Meredith and Derek were finally ready to make their relationship work again, with the latter deciding to return to his family for good. However, on his way to Washington, DC, Derek got into a horrible car accident, and he was immediately driven to the closest hospital, Dillard Medical Center, along with other victims. Unfortunately, it seemed quite early on that the hospital was ill-equipped and under-skilled to treat trauma cases of such caliber.
Nonetheless, when Derek was brought in, a young surgical resident named Penny Blake repeatedly showed her concern for getting Derek an immediate CT scan. However, she was undermined by her superior, Paul Castello, who insisted that they didn’t have time for it. Even when they had temporarily stabilized him, Penny wanted to use the opportunity to rule out head injuries, which were again shut down by her attending. It wasn’t until during the surgery that Derek went down a spiral from which he never recovered. After discovering his pupil had blown, the neurosurgeon on call was told to come down, but he failed to do so. When Penny kept pushing her attending for the CT, she was ultimately kicked out of the OR for claiming that they could have avoided Derek’s death.
Ultimately, she and Dr. Cohn had to be the ones to deliver the bad news to Meredith, but the entire event had already significantly impacted Penny. She felt responsible and devastated by what happened, and even Meredith was quick to remind her of that. She patronized Penny into remembering that it was because of her that her husband died and that she should use this opportunity to either quit or become better. Although it was harsh, Penny took Meredith’s advice, and it wasn’t until later that the fans figured that the young resident had wanted nothing more than to rectify her mistake and become a doctor who saved lives.
Sloyan Was Reintroduced as Callie’s Partner
The Dinner at Meredith’s Was One Of the Season’s Most Iconic Moments
Grey’s Anatomy fans never thought that they’d see a familiar face at a chaotic dinner party arranged by Meredith. Just when both Meredith and the audience thought they had gotten past the painful memories of Derek’s death, they resurfaced when a familiar face showed up at the house as Callie’s girlfriend. It surprised everyone, especially Meredith when she opened the door to find Penny as Callie’s plus-one. Although she could have made a scene at that instance, Meredith decided to handle things sensibly and greeted Penny like it never happened. Of course, she instantly recognized Meredith and felt uncomfortable being in the vicinity of Derek’s closest friends; Callie pushed her to stay, claiming that everyone would love her. Unfortunately, the cat got out of the bag when everyone started asking questions about where Penny used to work, and the perilous detail of Penny’s involvement with Derek’s death stunned the entire party.
“Perfect Penny killed my husband.” – Meredith to everyone in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
It’s a terrible moment for everyone, especially Meredith and Amelia, who waste no time putting the world’s weight on Penny’s shoulders. It’s safe to say that despite how much the fans love Meredith Grey, she was sometimes unreasonable when it came to people. She blamed Penny since that fateful night they met, knowing full well that it was not her fault. Even if Meredith’s reaction was subtle and controlled, it was Amelia who ambushed Penny, labeling her as some patient killer. Ultimately, it’s Penny who shines in all the commotion by showcasing immense self-control and respect for Derek’s family. She could have easily put everyone in their place by logically explaining what happened to Derek, but her restraint proved how much she valued Callie. She didn’t want to jeopardize her relationship, cementing her as an endearing yet strong character.
She Was Given a Hard Time Because of Derek’s Death
Meredith Berated Penny While She Was On Her Service
Penny’s reintroduction in the Grey’s Anatomy storyline is iconic because of the sheer amount of tension and intensity surrounding her connection to Meredith Grey. However, the thing that didn’t make sense was Penny not knowing where she was going for dinner. It’s weird that Callie never mentioned that they were going to Meredith’s house, and even if she did, it’s surprising that Penny didn’t remember her, considering she’s always saying that the night Derek died was her worst. Moreover, she was being transferred to a hospital that literally had the name “Grey” on its door, so it should have occurred or made sense to Penny at some point. Having said that, there’s no rule saying she couldn’t have joined the hospital where her former patient’s wife worked.
| First Appearance | Last Appearance | Appeared in Total Number of Episodes |
| Season 11, Episode 21, “How to Save a Life” | Season 12, Episode 23, “At Last” | 20 |
It was a matter of opportunity for Penny, considering her old hospital closed down, and she was between gigs. Penny’s addition to the roster was actually clever because it helped elaborate the experience and repercussions of Derek’s death for several characters. However, once on the scene, it was quite distasteful to see the treatment Penny got from the GSM gang, especially from Meredith. Penny was at her service, and she left no stone unturned in humiliating and critiquing her every step of the way. Fortunately, this time, Penny decided to stand up for herself and gave a reality check to Meredith that she couldn’t continue to bully her and have the satisfaction of Penny working under her.
If she didn’t want to teach her, she should just fire her and be done with it. The confrontation made Meredith realize her mistake, and she finally decided to move on, giving Penny the opportunity to work on an amazing case. Working things out with Meredith was a crucial aspect of Penny’s character arc because it ushered her into the limelight, making her a prime candidate to be a part of the “Grey Posse.” The surgical resident made more headway when she supported Meredith during her recovery from the attack, sympathizing and understanding her need to feel free.
Penny’s Half-Baked Departure Disappointed Fans
Dr. Blake Deserved to Thrive In Grey Sloan Memorial
It’s safe to say that Penny Blake was a wonderful addition to the storyline. She was an outsider, but she quickly found her place in the hospital’s palatable atmosphere. She may have come with a disadvantage, but her reaction to the situation only proved her character’s strength. Unfortunately, fans were quite confused with the setup of the character’s eventual departure at the end of Season 12. It seemed like a waste of potential because Penny could have been integral to several storylines like she already was to Callie and Arizona’s. She enjoyed a good relationship with Callie, but became tumultuous during Sofia’s custody battle. It seemed quite unfair to Penny how she was pretty much forced into the situation despite making it clear that she didn’t want to be a part of it. Penny reassured Callie that she loved her and respected her wishes, but she couldn’t handle being involved in something as sensitive as Sofia’s custody, but would support Callie all the way. Despite her reluctance, Callie forced Penny to take the stand where she crumbled under pressure, leading Callie to be enraged with her after she lost the custody battle.
By this time, it only seemed that Penny’s character was being used as a scapegoat because she did not deserve the blame she was getting. Penny did not deserve the hostile treatment from Meredith and Amelia for Derek’s death because it was not her fault. For what it was worth, she might have been the only one trying to save Derek’s life. Fortunately, unlike many Grey’s Anatomy characters who either end up dying or leaving their careers for good, Blake got the opportunity to thrive by being accepted for the Preminger Grant. Even then, she did not impose her desires or wishes on Callie. Penny encouraged Callie to think about Sofia first and that she was welcome to join her in New York if she decided to go with her. Compared to how emotionally challenging Grey’s Anatomy characters can be when it comes to relationships, Penny Blake was a gem. She was a walking green flag despite how poorly everyone treated her.
It was unnecessary to have her and Callie break up when the latter was set to leave the show anyway. The whole ordeal seemed to be deliberately designed to uplift Arizona’s character arc as she felt bad for Callie and let her go with Sofia to New York. All in all, Penny Blake was an interesting character who got the short end of the stick when it came to Grey Sloan Memorial. She had incredible potential, and fans deserved to see more of her. Not only did the show underplay her, but it was later revealed in an ambiguous manner that she and Callie had broken up and that Arizona was moving to New York to be with Callie. It seemed that Perfect Penny indeed got dealt a difficult hand the moment she decided to extend herself in the Grey’s Anatomy universe and its dysfunctional characters.
