<P> Poptimal's Tanya Lane wrote, "Wow...just wow . Grey's Anatomy has once again managed to shock with its season finale ." While she appreciated the "realism and authenticity that Grey's is known for", she found the episode was "almost too much" as it was "extremely gory and difficult to watch, initially because of the grisly wounds" but later because of the "heavy and emotional things that transpired". She thought Pompeo gave one of her best performances when her character learned that her sister was dead . Digital Spy's Ben Lee found Leigh's and Dane's performances "phenomenal" and added that he had probably never seen a better performance from Dane . He described the moment the two actors shared as "truly poignant". To him, Lexie's death felt like a finale, which was thus too early . As for what was happening in Seattle Grace, he thought it was "a bit pointless" and "uninteresting" except Altman's departure, which he deemed "the most significant moment at the hospital". Entertainment Weekly's Tanner Stransky commented of Lexie's death: "It was an intense death . I mean, how awful was it to watch one of Grey's longest - running characters pass away so quickly--and rather unceremoniously? I get that Ms. Rhimes had to do what she had to do--and every show needs to be shaken up once in a while--but I don't love that Lexie was the one to die . Could it have been someone less important somehow? I guess it would have been too obvious to do Kepner . And you probably just don't kill off a hottie like Mark Sloan, right?" Stransky also complained about Robbins' screams at the beginning of the episode, but enjoyed Bailey's story . </P> <P> In an Entertainment Weekly poll that judged all the television season finales of the year, Lexie's death was voted the "Top Tissue Moment", while Robbins' injured leg and Shepherd's mangled hand were voted the "Most Disturbing Image". The ending of the episode was also considered as the "Best Ending to an Otherwise So - So Season". Lexie's death was also nominated under the "Best (Presumed) Death" category, while the plane crash's aftermath was nominated as the "Best Non-romantic Cliffhanger", and the episode in entirety was nominated for the special award for "Biggest Regret That I Didn't See It, I Just Heard or Read About It". Entertainment Weekly later named the scene where Meredith is crying one of the best crying scenes of 2012 . In TVLine's review of 2012, Lexie's death was runner - up for "Biggest Tearjerker". The episode is nominated at the NAACP Image Awards under the Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series category for Rhimes . </P>

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