<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> List of Grey's Anatomy episodes </Td> </Tr> <P> The ninth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy began airing in the United States on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 27, 2012, with the season premiere Going, Going, Gone and consists of 24 episodes with the finale Perfect Storm airing on May 16, 2013 . The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with Shondaland Production Company and The Mark Gordon Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes . The season was officially released on DVD as a six - disc boxset under the title of Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Ninth Season - Everything Changes on August 27, 2013 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment . </P> <P> The season follows the characters dealing with the aftermath of the season eight plane crash that claimed the life of Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) and upon rescue Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), who dies after sustaining injuries from the crash . Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) finds his surgical career in doubt after badly damaging his hand but Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) ultimately manages to save his hand . The show's protagonist Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) deals with the loss of her half - sister Lexie and later discovers that she is pregnant . Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) who is severely traumatized upon rescue and later decides to take up her fellowship in Minnesota . Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) another survivor of the plane crash upon return realizes that her leg has to be amputated to save her life, reacts badly to this, becoming bitter and blaming her wife Callie and her former friend Alex Karev (Justin Chambers). To prevent the doctors' court case from being thrown out, Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) decides to divorce Yang, but the two agree to start again . The hospital itself becomes liable for the crash, putting its future in extreme doubt prompting the four crash survivors and Torres to purchase the hospital . Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) marries her partner Ben Warren (Jason George), April Kepner (Sarah Drew) returns home to Ohio, but is brought back by Hunt to rejoin the hospital and she restarts her relationship with Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams). </P> <P> The season ended with an average of 12.51 million viewers and ranked no . 26 which was higher than the previous two seasons and in the 18 - 49 key demographic ranked at no . 10 . Ellen Pompeo won the Favorite TV Drama Actress at the 39th People's Choice Awards and the show itself won the Favorite Network TV Drama . It was announced by ABC on May 10, 2013 that the tenth season of Grey's Anatomy would begin in the fall of 2013 . </P>

Where does christina yang go in season 9