Alex Karev’s Shocking Fate On ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Leaves Loyal Fans Devastated

It's time to say goodbye to another beloved Grey's Anatomy character.

On Thursday (March 5), Alex Karev—played by Justin Chambers—was written off of the long running medical drama. Though Chamber's exit was announced weeks ago alongside the devastating reveal that fans had already seen his final episode, Karev's story didn't conclude until the most recent episode.

Fans have been wondering why Karev would just disappear from his life in Seattle, including his job at Grey Sloan Memorial, his wife Jo and BFF Meredith Grey. Well, fans finally got their answer and some were pretty upset by Karev's farewell. In four letters received by Meredith, Jo, Bailey and Richard Webber, Karev explained he moved to Kansas to reunite with his ex-wife (and former main character on the show), Izzie Stevens, and their 5-year-old twins, which Karev only recently found out about.

In his letter to Meredith, Karev thanked his close friend for everything and shared why he decided to remain in Kansas. “Mer, this is not the way I wanted to do this, but you know me,” Karev's letter read. “Any chance to take the easy way out. You know as well as I do, you’d yell or give me guilt or crap or whatever you do that seems to always set me straight. You were always the one to set me straight. When that didn’t work you’d flop in my bed and say the one perfect thing that would make sense."

"The thing is, I can’t come back. I can’t face you. I deserve the guilt and to be called an ass. I don’t want to be set straight. I don’t want you to say the right thing," the letter continues. "Because the one perfect thing isn’t in Seattle. Not anymore. I swear it’s not about you or work or Jo, it’s about me. I left and I’m with Izzie.”

Karev revealed that when he called Izzie during Meredith's insurance fraud trial, his ex-wife made some shocking, life-changing revelations. “She said, ‘Yeah I have kids. Twins.’ It turns out they’re my kids, Mer. Izzie and my kids," Karev wrote. Izzie apparently used the embryos she and Karev created during her cancer battle in season 5 in order to have children.

Chambers released a statement confirming his departure last month. “There’s no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that’s defined so much of my life for the past 15 years. For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time," he said. “As I move on from Grey’s Anatomy, I want to thank the ABC family, Shonda Rimes, original cast members Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens, and the rest of the amazing cast and crew, both past and present, and, of course, the fans for an extraordinary ride.”

Even though fans knew Karev would be leaving the show, they were unhappy with how he was written off. Mostly, they were disappointed Chambers didn't appear in Karev's final episode.

What did you think of Karev's farewell episode?

Photo: Getty