While I can’t say that the whole Jolex-DeLuca drama was resolved in any huge way on this week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, I will say it was a powerful episode. To be honest, I felt like I was being punched in the guts through most of it — it was that emotional.

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After more than a decade of getting invested in this character, watching Alex fall apart before our eyes was brutal. First, we find out that he is being charged with felony assault instead of a misdemeanor. Jo shows up at the hearing, but she stands in the back and expresses no solidarity for Alex.

Then, back at the hospital, he gets distracted and dismisses Ben’s warnings that their young patient is showing signs of infection. Ultimately, it leads to the patient nearly losing the kidney he’d only recently received via transplant.

When Alex’s ride-or-die, Meredith, comes to his defense, he tells her to open her eyes. “You’re betting on the wrong horse, Mer.” No, I’m not crying… fine, whatever, I totally am a little. But can you blame me?

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We’ve all watched Alex evolve over the years into this great man. He’s a great doctor — a pediatric surgeon, for goodness sake — and a great friend, to boot. Just as he has become Meredith’s person in Cristina’s absence, he’s kind of become that person for every Grey’s fan.

He’s our guy.

So it was a bit of a bummer tonight when Bailey relegated him to the clinic. Or, wait… was it? For starters, did we know that the Denny Duquette Clinic was still in existence? I think not. They’ve referenced it a few times over the years, but little has been made of it the last few seasons.

When it has come up in conversation, it has generally been referred to as “the clinic.” During this week’s episode when Bailey tells Alex his penance, he very specifically says the full name. Obviously part of the reason is to underscore him going to work in a clinic named after the dead fiancé of his ex-wife. But could there be more to it than that?

Hear me out. We’ve all heard the rumors over the last year or so that Katherine Heigl’s character, Izzie, could possibly be coming back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. For the most part, these rumors have been debunked. However, until Shonda Rhimes herself says it will never, ever in a million years happen… there’s still hope.

Alex being sent to work in the clinic is kind of taking the show back to basics, which is an intriguing move. Grey’s has been around for a while, and it needs to find ways to keep viewers on their toes. And didn’t Rhimes say at some point last year that this season would mark a return to its roots?

I’ve already speculated that Alex could be leaving the series soon, considering this latest storyline. After all, where would he go from here? Jo seems done with a capital D. He won’t be able to work in the hospital until after the whole DeLuca drama dies down.

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I’m not saying this is definitely going to happen, but isn’t it possible they are setting his character up for a spinoff? You might be thinking a secondary medical series based off the Grey’s franchise would be overkill, to which I would remind you that it worked for Addison’s character with Private Practice.

She left Seattle for sunnier climes in Southern California at Seaside Wellness Center, and that show ran a respectful six seasons.

If Rhimes somehow spins a secondary series out of Alex and the clinic, it would — just like Private Practice — leave plenty of room for crossover episodes. It would also open the proverbial door for Izzie to come back. I mean, c’mon. She did pay for the clinic in the first place.

What are your thoughts? Would you tune into an Alex spinoff?

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