‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Was April Just as ‘Toxic’ as Jackson? Some Fans Say She Was Just Grieving
Most people agree that Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) was not a man they would want to date. He, at times, came off as a little spoiled and sometimes a know-it-all. However, during his time with April Kepner (Sarah Drew), some fans feel that she was just as ‘toxic‘ as he was. Other fans feel that she was grieving and therefore wasn’t to blame for her toxicity. Either way, for Grey’s Anatomy fans, most will never forget Japril.
Japril: how it all began
When we first get to know April and Jackson, who join the Grey’s Anatomy cast in season six after the merger with Mercy West Hospital. She is the innocent girl with a small crush on Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), raised on a farm, and kind of shy. He is the boy that everyone discovers is an Avery, part of the Avery Foundation, and whose grandfather created the coveted Harper Avery Award, a man with money.
The two are friendly, but a somewhat unlikely couple until the night before they take their boards. Boosted courage combined with a confrontation in which April punches a man, the two hook up for the first time.
Amid her worry over disappointing God and her faith, Japril somehow falls in love with one another. However, the two split because Jackson doesn’t like her ranting after each time that they are intimate with one another. They both move on and find new partners.
In season 10, episode 13, on April’s wedding day to Matthew Taylor (Justin Bruening), Jackson stands up and says that he is in love with her. The happy couple runs away together and elope.
What happened to separate the idyllic couple?
For a while, Japril has a perfect romance, but all too soon it comes to an end. Questions about how faith will play into their children’s lives show a difference of opinion. After this conversation, April tells Jackson that she is pregnant.
It is revealed during an ultrasound that the baby has severe osteogenesis imperfecta and that it meant his bones were breaking while in the womb. April and Jackson decide to be induced at 24-weeks pregnant and sadly, in season 11, episode 11, April gives birth to Samuel Norbert Avery. The baby dies in her arms and April starts going through the grieving process.
Her way of dealing with tragedy is to leave with Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) to go serve in the Army as a trauma surgeon. She is only supposed to be gone a short time but extends her stay leaving Jackson to grieve alone, even after he tells her that if she leaves again, they are done.
After she finally returns to stay, Jackson wants a divorce. She acts out a lot, showing anger that he would walk away after she was the first to walk out. The two have a timid relationship that ends up in a few hookups, but ultimately divorce papers.
Some Reddit users feel that all this means “April can be toxic.” Others disagree. As one Reddit user said, “I don’t see any toxicity in her actions. When she was at her worst it was due to grief of the loss of their son. Many things describe a grieving mother, but toxic is not one of them.”
Was the end really the end for Japril?
In one of their hookups before getting divorced, April again conceives a baby. She finds out the morning of their divorce paper signing. In season 12, episode 24, Harriet Kepner-Avery was born via a c-section that was performed by Ben Warren (Jason Winston George).
After some initial issues, Jackson and April decide on an amicable custody solution. They share parental responsibility without any major hurdles. This arrangement is implied even after April leaves the show in the final episode of season 14 after a nearly fatal car accident with Matthew and choosing to leave surgery to provide medical care to the homeless.
April returns to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and reunites with Jackson. At the end of season 17, Jackson announces that he will be leaving Seattle to head up the Catherine Fox Foundation in Boston. April also has an announcement that she and Matthew, are separated, and soon it is revealed that for Harriet’s sake, April will move to Boston with Jackson, which leaves many fans hopeful that Japril will end up together despite all the bad that they have gone through.
