Shonda Rhimes had always planned on Richard Webber and Ellis Grey having a love child on Grey's Anatomy. 

According to Rhimes, they've known a Maggie storyline was coming (officially) since Grey's Anatomy Season 4. Finally, we got Maggie Pierce in the Grey's Anatomy Season 10 finale.

We've loved her since.

Maggie is a core part of Grey's Anatomy and is essentially the last family Meredith has left (because seriously, when was the last time anyone saw Molly?). She deserves the world. Here is our wish list for her in the upcoming season.

More (On-Screen) Ground-Breaking Surgeries

Maggie Pierce is a genius. She graduated medical school at 19 and became head of cardio at 27 years old. 

We need to see more of that genius on-screen.

On Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 5, Maggie had one of those ground-breaking surgeries. 

I just finished a quadruple valve replacement. Only two other people in the U.S. have ever done that.

Maggie

• Permalink: Only 2 people ever done that

Maggie performed a quadruple valve replacement, a surgery which only two other people have ever done in the U.S., and we only heard about it.

Fans of Maggie deserve to see moments like this on-screen. It's not enough to hear Maggie is a child prodigy. Sometimes it's nice to remind people by seeing it (like when she saved Bailey's life on Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 11).

Rechargeable Hearts

Jackson anonymously funded the Grey-Sloan Surgical Innovation Contest. For her contribution, Maggie came up with the Transcutaneously rechargeable ventricular assist device (otherwise known as, "rechargeable hearts").

This was a ground-breaking idea and would have been so life-changing for so many people.

Unfortunately, the competition was canceled by Bailey in the midst of the Harper Avery scandal, so we didn't get to see our girl shine.

It doesn't stop us from wishing, though, that they'd bring this back. The rechargeable hearts can be as iconic as the 3D-printed hearts. Let's give Maggie that shine!

Friendships Outside of the Sisterhood

Maggie's sisters have not been the best sisters to her lately (more on that later).

That said, she needs more friendships outside of Meredith and Amelia.

Despite their bumping heads a few times in the past, it seems the show is leaning towards making Teddy and Maggie friends.

Maggie: Dr. Altman.
Teddy: You're Dr. Pierce? Head of Cardio? What are you 19?
Maggie: No, I was 19 when I graduated medical school. I was 27 when they made me Head of Cardio. Are we both sharing our ages, or is it just me?

• Permalink: You're Dr. Pierce? Head of Cardio? What are you 19?

When Teddy first arrived, she questioned Maggie's competency by commenting on her age. She then constantly put Maggie in the middle of her drama with Owen and Amelia, knowing where Maggie's loyalties lie. 

While some fans (wrongly) blame Maggie for Teddy's infidelity, Maggie was honest with Teddy about the question of Amelia's baby's paternity. She didn't have to, but Maggie despises lies, and she might even consider Teddy a friend, also.

The two even seemed to confide in one another when they went away to the medical conference. Truthfully, Teddy needs friends, too, now that Arizona and Callie are gone.

Maggie and Bailey, too, are a friendship that would be great to explore. We saw Maggie fiercely advocate for Bailey when she had her heart attack. It would be great to have more scenes with these two.

Sisters Supporting Maggie for Once

Time and time again, we have seen Maggie fight for and defend her sisters.

When Teddy was keeping her pregnancy a secret from Owen, Maggie stayed on Teddy and Owen's necks. She even suggested Amelia take Deluca for a ride.

When Meredith was off being a health insurance crusader and going back to jail, Maggie stepped up and took care of Meredith's children with no question.

When Jackson and Maggie broke up, we saw no mention of it from her sisters.

Initially, it seemed they were just being mature and professional about it, and there was nothing to say. And yet, when Deluca and Meredith broke up, Amelia said "He dumped my sister and you put him on your service?" Interesting.

Then, Maggie finally meets some of her paternal family members. She vibed with her cousin, Sebi - someone who looked like her - and she lost her on her own table.

In dealing with that loss and subsequent lawsuit, she spiraled and quit her job. Not once did we see her sisters check on her. All we heard was Meredith saying they sent Zola up with some food.

Honestly, this behavior is slightly expected from Meredith. She's always been somewhat hands-off in that department. She usually likes to deal with things alone. Amelia, however, we expected to show more sympathy.

In contrast, there was an entire episode of Maggie comforting Amelia after her baby daddy drama. Luckily, that episode ended with Amelia realizing they were wrong in how they handled Maggie's crisis.

It seems Amelia and Meredith are only semi-good sisters to Maggie off-screen. Hopefully, that changes soon.

Bill Pierce Return

Speaking of family, it would be nice to more of Maggie's family, beginning with Bill Pierce.

We haven't seen Maggie's parents since Grey's Anatomy Season 13 when her mom died. 

Yes, Richard Webber is Maggie's biological father, but he's more a sperm donor. They've finally started to develop a familial relationship recently, but she does not consider him her father.

As Maggie stated in her podcast interview on Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 16, Bill Pierce is her father (and Richard's reaction to her telling the truth about her biological paternity was unbecoming). 

Given what she's gone through lately, it would be nice for her to have a reunion (even if a brief one) with her father, Bill.

Jaggie Angst

Jackson and Maggie broke up in Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 1. And a lot of fans of the couple still don't understand why.

For some people, it would have made more sense if the couple had ended things after Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 7, when Maggie found out Jackson was texting Kate and they had a long conversation about their relationship.

Jackson moved on with Vic from Station 19 just a few weeks later. Vic and Jackson were both rebounds (her fiance - Maggie's patient - only just died) for each other and have already broken up by the time the season ended.

Maggie's moved on now, too, having kindled a romance with one of her residents from Tufts, Winston Ndugu. We also now know that Anthony Hill has been promoted to a series regular for season 17. So what does that mean for Jaggie?

One of two things will happen. Either Winston comes to Grey-Sloan, and he and Maggie will have a happy romance, or we're headed for a love triangle.

We already saw Jackson a bit jealous when he found out Dean asked out Maggie while they were still together. Imagine a jealous Jackson if he had to work with and see Winston at the hospital all the time.

There was an almost kiss when Jackson was supposedly comforting Maggie on Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 8 and then that apology on Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 14, where Jackson admitted he shouldn't have left her alone in the woods and he'd just been too proud to apologize. That apology was either closure for the relationship, or a sign there was more coming.

At times it feels like Jaggie will reunite and others it feels completely over. But if there's one thing Grey's likes, it's a love triangle.

Great Love

Whether it be Jackson, Winston, or someone else, Maggie deserves love.

Maggie has gone on record as saying she wants a great love. She should not be reduced to the strong black woman trope who doesn't need anything other than her job. Her claim that surgery is her truest love was obviously her coming off a surgery high. 

We can only hope that the addition of Winston to the main cast will give Maggie what she deserves. Whether he's the endgame or just an obstacle to her reunion with Jackson is to be determined. Either way, Maggie involved in a love story is something we want.

Over to you, Fanatics! What hopes do you have for Maggie Pierce in season 17?

Sound off in the comments and let us know!

Remember you can watch Grey's Anatomy online right here via TV Fanatic. 

Berea Orange was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in November, 2020..