As the show prepares to release its 21st season, it’s clear that Grey’s Anatomy has perfected the medical drama format. Yet, alongside its complex plotlines, the show places a great focus on the relationships between the staff. Whether it’s a hot and heavy romance or a bitter feud, Grey’s Anatomy manages to grip audiences every single time. As such, even when dealing with a critical emergency, it seems that these accomplished doctors just can’t let go of their personal baggage.
Despite the multitude of relationships found on the show, there are very few that are as significant as the bond between Adele and Richard Webber. Fans quickly fell in love with Adele due to her infectious charm and gentle demeanor. But, her legacy on the show was cut short, even though Richard remains one of the longest-running cast members. But it was the character’s exit that left the largest impact due to how heartbreaking it was.
Adele Webber Highlights the Stressors of Marrying a Grey Sloan Surgeon
Although many Grey’s Anatomy fans have dreamed of running away with a Grey Sloan surgeon like Derek Shepard or Alex Karev, Adele Webber showcases the reality of loving such a dedicated man. Even after building a very admirable career at the hospital, Richard wasn’t keen on slowing down, which placed a great deal of strain on his wife. In Season 3, Episode 1, “Time Has Come Today,” Adele desperately tries to convince her husband to retire so that the pair can finally settle down and enjoy their golden years. However, Richard decides to continue his work at Grey Sloan despite pushing his marriage even closer to breaking point. Not to mention, in order to have this conversation, Adele was forced to book an appointment so that her husband would actually take the time to talk to her. Alongside showing Adele’s frustration, this episode successfully offers the audience more insight into what it’s like working at the ever-reputable Grey Sloan. The show often presents these surgeons as medical geniuses who don’t require any rest or personal time. Yet, this example highlights that it’s not just the doctors who suffer from all the pressure, it’s their families also. Thus, Adele is forced to come to the horrible realization that Richard’s job at the hospital is for life, and he doesn’t consider his marriage as important as his work.
One of Adele’s best qualities is that she’ll always care for her husband, even if he doesn’t realize how sick he really is. In Season 2, Episode 17, “As We Know It,” Richard suffers symptoms similar to a heart attack, but it turns out that he actually experienced a major anxiety attack. Though an anxiety attack is nowhere as life-threatening as a cardiac event, the fact that Richard was in so much pain and distress exemplifies that his job is quickly deteriorating his mind and body. In addition, anxiety attacks are also a common symptom of PTSD, suggesting that Richard is yet to come to terms with some of the horrifying things he has seen throughout his long career at the hospital. Yet, Adele remains by his side throughout the whole experience. But, she had to encourage him to rest and make him promise that he wouldn’t return to work straight away. This is a devastating example of how Adele struggles to reign in her husband and keep him safe from the stressors of work. Plus, it suggests that every time Richard pushes himself to his limit, he’ll continue to keep pushing forward, which only harms his relationship with Adele even more.
Her Infertility Issues Gave Her Character a Relatable Struggle
Aside from struggling to keep her marriage intact, Adele and Richard also found it difficult to conceive. Though it was a very distressing time during her character arc, all of these issues made her a lot more relatable than her counterpart, Richard. For example, in Season 3, Episode 25, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” Adele suffers a miscarriage after being involved in a minor car crash. This situation may not be as intense as some of the other cases that traveled into the OR that day, but there’s no denying that it’s absolutely heartbreaking. Not only did Adele lose her baby, something she believed would bring her and Richard closer together, but her loss is just another issue in the mountain of struggles she is forced to climb. Yet again, the audience is forced to question whether Adele will ever receive a break from her constant influx of hardships.
Though the couple didn’t have any living children together, they shared a niece called Camille Travis. The pair were especially close to their niece, as many other members of the Webber family denounced Richard early on, as they believed that his career made him pretentious. However, in Season 4, Episode 4, “The Heart of the Matter,” the Webbers suffer another devastating loss. Camille was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at just 14 and underwent a series of harsh treatments to help keep the disease under control. In this episode, Travis arrives in the OR unable to breathe and learns that her cancer has spread to her vital organs, including her lungs and throat. As such, Camille makes the brave decision to stop receiving treatment and prepares to die. Obviously, this situation was incredibly hard for Richard because he had to find an adequate balance between being a doctor and an uncle. Yet, Adele was also forced to relive the trauma of losing a child all over again in one of the show’s sadder deaths. Thus, the loss of both her unborn baby and her niece was incredibly taxing on Adele and highlighted that even when she has one of the world’s best surgeons by her side, she cannot escape the all-consuming nature of grief.
Adele’s Slow Decline Was a Tough Watch for Viewers
Some Grey’s Anatomy characters leave as quickly as they arrive, but Adele Webber played the long game when it came to her departure. In Season 7, Adele was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s after experiencing multiple falls. Although her husband begged Derek to find her a spot on his trial, she wasn’t eligible, so she was forced to slowly lose her memory. In Season 9, Episode 9, “Run, Baby Run,” Adele was rushed into the OR after vomiting copious amounts of blood. Despite Richard’s best attempts to save her, in the following episode, he informs his peers at Grey Sloan that Adele passed away after suffering a heart attack on the operating table. Though Adele had been heading downhill for many seasons, her death was still a shock for many fans. Longtime viewers saw her as a staple of the show as she helped to resolve many conflicts and keep her husband in his most optimal condition. But, Adele was forced to experience another tragedy at the end of her life: dying in pain, surrounded by people she once loved but now can no longer remember.
The actress who played Adele Webber, Loretta Devine, was initially quite upset to leave such a substantial role behind but understood that Webber’s condition would eventually kill her. Plus, she also received a ton of accolades for her work on the medical drama. In an interview with PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing, she jokes:
I got an Emmy for this show for best guest spot and then they fired me right after that. They killed me with that damn Alzheimer’s.
Although Adele Webber’s character arc is undeniably tragic, she does a fantastic job of showcasing how a minor character can have such a rich backstory. Despite remaining on the show for nine seasons, Devine only appeared in 22 episodes in total. So, across just a handful of episodes, Adele managed to express a rich story that some characters struggle to achieve even after a long run and enduring its many changes. As Richard Webber continues to expand his tenure at Grey Sloan, it seems that fans will just have to reminisce about Adele through him.