Why Grey’s Anatomy Fans Suspect Chris Carmack’s Link Will Die in Season 22
Grey’s Anatomy enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of who perished in the hospital explosion — and one casualty may have just been confirmed.
As season 22 approaches its premiere on Thursday, October 9, TVLine has reported that original cast members Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. are confirmed to return. Other cast members Kevin McKidd, Kim Raver, Caterina Scorsone, and Camilla Luddington are also signed on — assuming their characters are not written off.
The only significant character missing from the list is Chris Carmack. The season 21 finale culminated with Dr. Atticus Lincoln (Carmack) discovering his wife Jo’s (Luddington) surprise pregnancy, just before a hostage situation at the hospital triggered an explosion, with only Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Warren (Jason George) confirmed to have survived — for now.
“I hope we get to next season, right?” Carmack, 44, shared with Us Weekly in May. “I mean, hey, I’m not gonna spill any secrets.”
Carmack’s onscreen spouse Luddington, 41, expressed her hopes for Link’s fate.
“I just hope he’s alive,” she mentioned to Us in June. “And if there are injuries — what they are and how they present — I have no clue. So that’s definitely on my mind.”
Luddington added: “I just hope my [onscreen] husband is okay. Because [Jo’s] going to need that support, and they rely on each other. I think this situation will complicate things, especially with their two kids and two more on the way.”
At the time, Luddington hinted that she “had no idea” what the future held, stating, “I really don’t know. I have a group text with several cast members asking, ‘What do you think?’ And we’re all in the dark, which is nerve-wracking.”
Having portrayed Dr. Jo Wilson since season 9, Luddington consistently worries about her character’s fate. “We’ve witnessed too much already, and we’re aware of the stakes,” she noted. “There hasn’t been a season when I’m not concerned.”
While showrunner Meg Marinis didn’t disclose who was injured in the explosion, she emphasized that nearly no character is guaranteed to return for season 22.
“In the last two seasons, as you saw this year, we had to trim the cast a bit [due to industry-wide budget constraints], and everyone has strong feelings about their favorite characters,” Marinis conveyed to The Hollywood Reporter in May. “We aim to induce strong emotions when someone departs. It’s not as impactful if audiences aren’t upset, so I expect some heated discussions. But I’ve been swayed before.”
Grey’s Anatomy is set to return to ABC on Thursday, October 9, at 10 p.m. ET, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu.
