Grey’s Anatomy: Amelia Shepherd’s 10 Best Quotes

Amelia Shepherd entered Grey’s Anatomy with flourish – after appearing regularly in the series’s spin-off, Private Practice, she was introduced to the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial as Derek’s energetic, but troubled sister who harbored a dark past.

However, since her introduction to the show, Amelia has proved her strength, and managed to exhibit a lovable and quirky side to her personality, despite the many challenges she has faced. Along the way, she has thus uttered many iconic, and oftentimes inspirational, lines.

10 “Life Will Always Find A Way To Continue. Always. Life Will Out.”

Amelia is preparing for her toughest case yet – trying to remove a seemingly inoperable tumor from her colleague, Dr. Herman, and has to give a lecture as to how she will actually go about the surgery. However, this quote is particularly memorable, considering that the whole time Amelia is trying to ready herself for such a high-stakes surgery, she is constantly being doubted over her surgical skills, and questioned on whether she is right for the task over her brother.

The fact that Amelia goes onto to complete the surgery and save Herman’s life cements the significance of this quote, and proves the truth in Amelia’s words.

9 “If You Aren’t Willing To Keep Looking For Light In The Darkest Of Places Without Stopping, Even When It Seems Impossible, You Will Never Succeed.”

In a particularly heartbreaking episode, Amelia makes this declaration regarding an upcoming surgery. However, the implications of this quote do not go amiss – tragically, April and Jackson have just lost their newborn son to an incurable disease, and many people don’t know to comfort them.

In an act of unbridled courage, Amelia tells her friends that she too lost a child, and that there is nothing you can say to help, but suggests everyone light a candle in the hospital’s chapel in memory. Amelia’s recognition of her own loss in tandem with April and Jackson’s, makes this quote an emotional, but ultimately hopeful reminder that things will get easier.

8 “I Like Her. She Makes Me Not The Crazy Sister.”

Said about Maggie, Amelia knows how to make light out of a situation and turn it back on herself in a funny way. Whilst this isn’t a particularly groundbreaking moment, it’s sweet to see Maggie opening up to Meredith and Amelia and being more vulnerable.

Amelia’s reaction is fitting for the conservation, as she jokes about her reputation of always being the crazy sister, simultaneously acknowledging her own tumultuous past whilst also creating an air of ease for a tense Maggie to see the more funny side to her problems.

7 “My Love For You, The Affection, That Was Not A Symptom. And I Know That Because The Affection Is Still There.”

Owen and Amelia had a notoriously complicated relationship, which ultimately ended when Amelia discovered she had a brain tumor. Upon this discovery, Amelia doubted whether her feelings for Owen had ever been true or were merely a result of the tumor affecting her judgement.

However, once the dust had settled between the pair, Amelia makes this sweet gesture towards Owen as she realizes that her feelings were not a result of her tumor. She says this to him in an attempt to reconcile some sort of friendship, and it’s a lovely moment where fans can see Amelia and Owen get a fresh start as friends and leave behind the complications of their past.

6 “Until You’ve Had To Walk In My Shoes, I Need You To Cut Me Some Slack And Back The Hell Off.”

Amelia finds herself having to defend her and Owen’s relationship to Meredith, after Meredith disapproves of the two. This moment is emotional in itself, as Amelia recounts all the hardships she has faced to get where she is now, and shows Amelia finally standing up for herself, after overcoming so much heartbreak.

For fans, it was important to see Amelia defend herself to Meredith, who constantly judged her decisions, especially when it came to Owen. To see Amelia acknowledge all that she has come through and use it show how strong she truly is was particularly significant.

5 “Never Let Go. Never Give Up. Never Surrender. Fight The Good Fight. You Fight Even When It Seems Inevitable You’re About To Go Down Swinging.”

Again, Amelia proves to be an inspiration with her words, reminding the people around her, and fans too, that perseverance is key in the path to success. This quote is particularly empowering in the way Amelia recognizes that even if you are trying your best, you still may fail, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try anyway.

In true Amelia form, she manages to encompass this feeling of futility in a sweeping metaphor that perfectly embodies what it means to have strength in the face of adversity, and to never give up, despite what you’re up against.

4 “No One Remembers Easy. They Remember The Blood And The Bones And The Long Agonizing Fight To The Top. And That Is How You Become Legendary.”

Amelia talks of legendary status here, and applies it to herself, rightfully so. This quote comes after Amelia has operated on Dr. Herman successfully, despite the odds of the surgery and the ongoing doubts of her colleagues that she wouldn’t be able to do it.

After overcoming this hurdle, it feels as if Amelia is finally stepping out of Derek’s shadow, and is no longer the “Other Dr. Shepherd.” She is now the Dr. Shepherd. The episodes that follow this storyline show Amelia constantly doubting her own skills and fretting that she is not good enough to do the surgery – yet she proves that she is, and she shows her peers that although the journey was tough, it was more than worth it.

3 “I Gave A Surgeon Her Hands Back Today. I Gave A Husband His Wife, A Son His Mother …”

Full quote: “…And I am so incredibly grateful to be sober, to be present enough to have felt every terrifying, exhilarating, imperfect moment.”

Amelia made a huge transformation since her introduction on Grey’s Anatomy, and this quote is one that perfectly sums this growth up. Fans have long seen Amelia battle with addiction, and how it hampered her, both personally and professionally. Yet, with this exclamation, it feels as if she has finally discovered how to bask in her sobriety and experience life in all of its painful, triumphant ways. It’s a truly emotional moment for Amelia and fans alike.

2 “My God, You Are Chiseled – Like A Statue. It’s Like Your Chin Has Muscles.”

One of Amelia’s funnier quotes is uttered to Link at the start of their romance. Amelia wants to keep avoiding him in fear of opening up anymore than she has, but seems to keep bumping into him.

Whilst the quote itself is light and funny, it comes off the back of Amelia accepting Link’s companionship and telling him about Betty and how she misses her. Amelia perfectly rounds up the emotional conversation in a playful way by realizing that perhaps, Link might be the one for her.

1 “You Defeated Death. Mere Mortals Cannot Do That. Only We Can. Only Freaking Superheroes.”

Possibly the most iconic quote Amelia has said, thus far, is this one. The line is said to Stephanie, who up until this point has struggled to completely trust Amelia as her mentor. But after a risky and ultimately successful operation, Amelia proves herself to be more than a mentor – she’s a role model.

Amelia finally realizes her own talent, and does so enough as to impart this wisdom to Stephanie, that they are in fact superheroes. Amelia’s acknowledgement of this not only cements her friendship with Stephanie, but it also cements herself as a force to be reckoned with.