Any long-term couple on Grey’s Anatomy is going to have their ups and downs — it’s practically a mandate in the Grey’s Anatomy writers’ room. But at times, Callie Torres (played by Sara Ramirez) and Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) — or Calzona, if you will — really seemed to have more than their fair share of drama. Breakups and makeups. Car accidents and plane crashes. That time when they were both singing inside Callie’s head. These two go through a lot during their tenure on Grey’s, and while they don’t exactly get a happy ending, they get the hope of one. And honestly, after everything, that’s not too shabby. Below, we take a look at all those ups and downs, the good and the bad, the romantic and the heartbreaking, and all the things in between that made Calzona so unforgettable.
The first meeting and the first kiss
Season 5, episode 14: “Beat Your Heart Out”
Who says crying in the bathroom is unproductive? For Callie, her tear-stained alone time in the Joe’s Bar bathroom, as she laments being single and alone post-Erica Hahn’s disappearing act, leads her to one of the most fateful moments of her life: meeting Arizona Robbins. Arizona, a new peds surgeon at Seattle Grace, just popped in the restroom to tell Callie that “people really like [her]” over at the hospital, and when she’s processed the whole Erica thing, “there will be people lining up” for her. At the moment, it is an absurd statement for Callie to take in, but when she jokingly asks for names, Arizona pulls a real baller move: She kisses her. That’s a heck of a first meeting right there.
The inevitable first date
Season 5, episode 17: “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”
Okay, so things don’t go as smoothly for Callie and Arizona as their first kiss would indicate, mostly because Arizona is worried Callie isn’t ready to really date another woman and Callie is a walking ball of anxiety. But when Arizona realizes she’s being silly and decides to ask Callie out on a date — in a Seattle Grace elevator, no less — Callie cannot be even a little bit cool about it. She says yes. Obviously. As soon as possible.
Callie comes out to her dad
Season 5, episode 20: “Sweet Surrender”
When Callie’s conservative dad arrives in Seattle for a visit, she doesn’t waste much time before introducing him to the new person she’s dating — she’s really happy and wants to include him in that. Of course, the new person she’s dating is Arizona, which means this introduction is basically Callie coming out to her father. He, uh, does not take it well. In fact, he makes her an ultimatum: Either she leaves Seattle and Arizona, or he cuts her off financially. Callie isn’t giving up the things and people who make her happy, and she tells her father he can leave. She cuts him off instead.
We’re officially using the g-word now
Season 6, episode 3: “I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watchin’ Me”
As rumors about the big Seattle Grace/Mercy West merger float around, Callie contemplates a job in Portland, and Arizona doesn’t know how to react because she doesn’t really know where they stand. It’s Callie who calls Arizona her girlfriend first, and the smile that the peds surgeon beams is all you really need to see to know that these two are for real. If only they were always this happy!
Arizona defends Callie to Mr. Torres
Season 6, episode 5: “Invasion”
This is Arizona’s big “good man in a storm” speech that she gives to Callie’s father, who arrives back in town, this time with a priest, to once again try to convince Callie that she couldn’t possibly be gay. Arizona talks about her own coming-out story and reminds Mr. Torres that Callie is still his daughter — nothing has changed. It’s a moving moment in Callie and her father’s relationship, and it also speaks to how much Arizona cares for Callie even in the beginning of their romance.
Callie and Arizona arrive at an impasse over babies
Season 6, episode 21: “How Insensitive”
In the early days of Calzona, their biggest obstacle was the fact that more than anything, Callie wants to have kids, but Arizona is adamant that she does not want to be a mother. They try to ignore it, Callie tries to pretend like she can give up her dream of having children, but that obstacle quickly becomes one that is insurmountable. In a heart-wrenching moment, Callie and Arizona admit that they love each other, but neither can change who they are or what they want. This relationship just won’t work. Has the phrase “we’ll see each other at work” ever been as devastating?
Nothing like a little trauma bonding to mend a relationship, right?
Season 6, episode 24: “Death and All His Friends”
Callie starts her day annoyed that she’ll have to bump into her ex on the peds floor — she has no idea that her day, and everyone else’s, is about to get much worse: nightmare-level worse. When Gary Clark wreaks havoc on Seattle Grace, Callie and Arizona are in lockdown together, and when he arrives on the pediatric floor, it’s Callie’s cool demeanor that keeps her, Arizona, and their young patient safe until he leaves. If a life-and-death experience doesn’t give you perspective, what does? Outside the hospital after they’ve been evacuated, Callie declares that she doesn’t need to have kids, not if it means she can’t be with Arizona. But Arizona won’t hear it: They’ll have kids. They’ll be together, and they’ll have a ton of kids because even if Arizona is unsure about being a mother, she knows Callie will be a great one. “I love you so much, and I can’t live without you and our 10 kids,” she says as the two find their way into each other’s arms and reconcile.
Callie and Arizona “pop the bubble” and move in together
Season 7, episode 1: “With You I’m Born Again”
Arizona is sweating over the fact that she believes Callie is about to propose when Arizona simply is not ready for that just yet. But all the worry is for naught: The big question Callie has for Arizona? She just wants her to officially move in. Arizona’s relief is palpable! (Perhaps this was a sign of things to come, but that debate is for another day, people!)
Arizona goes to Africa, dumps Callie in an airport
Season 7, episode 6: “These Arms of Mine”; and episode 7: “That’s Me Trying”
We hit another free fall in the Calzona ride when Arizona gets a prestigious grant to practice pediatrics in Malawi for three years. Callie doesn’t want to leave her career in Seattle, but she also doesn’t want to lose Arizona, so she agrees to move to Malawi with her. Callie doesn’t have much skill in the way of bluffing, and her whining about the move hurts Arizona, who is trying to enjoy this huge career milestone. It all comes to a head at the airport when Arizona is fed up enough to tell Callie she doesn’t want her to come with her. Calzona is over.
Arizona returns, and Callie has some news!
Season 7, episode 10: “Adrift and at Peace”; episode 11: “Disarm”; and episode 12: “Start Me Up”
Arizona appears at Callie’s door with a big speech about how Malawi meant nothing without her, but Callie slams the door in her face, literally and metaphorically speaking. She wants nothing to do with Arizona. When Arizona makes her big pitch about never bailing on her and never running away from commitment and love, Callie has one wrench to toss into Arizona’s request for a second chance: She’s pregnant with Mark’s baby. Does Arizona want to stick around for that?
Callie and Arizona get engaged … Well, first they get into a car accident, and then they get engaged
Season 7, episode 17: “This Is How We Do It”; and episode 18: “Song Beneath the Song”
Riding on the high of the impending arrival of their baby, Arizona asks Callie to marry her while they’re driving to a little weekend getaway … and they proceed to get into a horrific accident. Callie spends the next episode fighting and singing for her and her baby’s life. Everyone winds up okay, but it does seem dicey — though not quite pitchy (sorry, had to) — for a hot second.
The plane crash and the emotional disaster that follows
Season 8, episode 24: “Flight.” Season 9, episode 1: “Going, Going, Gone”; and episode 2: “Remember the Time”
Even if you wanted to forget this stretch of episodes, you simply couldn’t. The plane crash and Arizona’s screams in pain are forever etched into our collective memory. The moment when Callie makes the decision to amputate Arizona’s leg in order to save her life, even after she promised not to, turns out to have major consequences for, well, the entirety of their relationship.
Arizona gets busy in an on-call room … with Dr. Not Her Wife
Season 9, episode 23: “Readiness Is All”; and episode 24: “Perfect Storm”
In the middle of a storm and a power outage, Arizona jumps into bed with Lauren Boswell (played by Hilarie Burton), a visiting doctor who, Arizona tries to explain when Callie discovers the infidelity not long after, only knew her after the crash, without her leg — Lauren saw her as a full person instead of a version of her former self. It’s no excuse for cheating on your wife, but you can see where Arizona is coming from. A little bit.
Callie puts Arizona’s wheels back on
Season 10, episode 15: “Throwing It All Away”
Whew, baby — Callie and Arizona go through a lot with the cheating. Callie throws Arizona out. Arizona has a fling with Leah Murphy. After things get tense and a surgery almost goes awry when Callie can’t deal with her anger over Arizona sleeping with Leah, Leah files an HR complaint against Callie. All of this comes to a head in this episode, in which Arizona has a realization that she finally feels like herself again after the crash, that she knows she’s been difficult to deal with, and that all she wants is a life with Callie and Sofia. It ends with Callie placing Arizona’s wheels on her and helping her skate around on their sidewalk. They aren’t their old selves, but they are happy with who they are at this moment.
The attempt for a second baby doesn’t go so well
Season 11, episode 3: “Got to Be Real”
When Callie is unable to carry the second baby, she and Arizona look to surrogacy, but as they attempt to figure out that situation, it becomes abundantly clear that Arizona, who has just begun her fellowship with Dr. Nicole Herman (played by Geena Davis), doesn’t actually want another kid. It’s the beginning of the (almost) end for these two.
Callie and Arizona go to therapy
Season 11, episode 5: “Bend & Break”
This is a big one. The episode follows the couple as they try out a 30-day trial separation, as suggested by their therapist after all the issues they’ve been trying to cover up and move past for years come to the surface. In the end, Callie realizes she is much happier without having to constantly apologize for herself to Arizona — she wants a divorce.
The custody battle
Season 12, episode 22: “Mama Tried”; episode 23: “At Last”; and episode 24: “Family Affair”
Post-divorce, Arizona is busy with her Herman fellowship, and Callie’s busy with, lest we forget, dating the woman who basically killed Derek Shepherd. Things, for the most part, run pretty smoothly. That is, until Penny Blake gets a job in New York and Callie wants to go with her — and take Sofia too. A nasty custody battle ensues in which the judge decides it’s best to keep Sofia in Seattle with Arizona. Callie is bereft about losing either Sofia full-time or Penny, but eventually Arizona realizes that Sofia “deserves two happy moms” and agrees to a shared-custody schedule. Callie takes off to New York City for good.
The Big Apple comes calling for Arizona too
Season 14, episode 23: “Cold as Ice”; and episode 24: “All of Me”
Eventually, Arizona decides she needs to move to New York for Sofia’s sake, and it just so happens that Dr. Herman has an incredible job opportunity for her there too. And as a bonus, a sweet little text from a now-single Callie — about how she can’t wait to see Arizona when she arrives — points to, perhaps, an off-screen romantic reunion. After everything they’ve been through, Calzona is maybe, possibly back on for good? I choose to believe the answer to that is yes.
