Cristina Yang’s Ghost Still Shadows Owen — 11 Years After Her Exit

11 years after her exit, Sandra Oh’s Dr. Cristina Yang still has a thematic presence in Grey’s Anatomy; this iconic character had a huge impact on pop culture and the show that not even a decade of absence can erase. Cristina helped characterize the best seasons of Grey’s Anatomy through her friendship with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), and the two are always there for each other as they pursue careers as cutthroat surgeons. Additionally, Cristina’s tumultuous romantic relationship with Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) is a large part of her storyline from the time he is introduced in season 5.

Cristina eventually leaves Grey Sloan Memorial for the career opportunity of a lifetime in Switzerland, while Owen is still a regular on the show. After a romance with Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) that lasted a few seasons, Owen married Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), who was once Cristina’s cardiovascular mentor and the source of some drama when she also had feelings for Owen. Owen’s romantic history throughout Grey’s Anatomy is difficult when it seems like he can never be on the same page with a partner, but the dissolution of his and Teddy’s marriage, more than anything, suggests that he has never escaped Cristina’s legacy.

Cristina Yang’s Best Grey’s Anatomy Legacy Has Been Her Ability To Always Choose Herself

Cristina Put Herself & Her Dreams Before A Failing Relationship

Cristina and Owen’s relationship falls apart because he wants children and she doesn’t. There are a lot of other problems between them, but this is the core disagreement that they could never get past. They made the mistake of not discussing this before getting married — admittedly, their marriage was somewhat rushed in the aftermath of the shooting at the hospital — and it came back to haunt them later. However, even before this, Cristina asserts that she will never let a relationship compromise who she is, over a small instance of her missing a surgery because she was in bed with Owen.

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When it comes up that Cristina doesn’t want kids, Owen starts trying to push the idea on her and sees her unwillingness to consider it as a rejection of what he wants, making it all about him. This comes to a head when Cristina accidentally gets pregnant and stands her ground on getting an abortion. Owen throws her out of the house, then seemingly accepts her choice, then is angry with her about it again months later — and cheats on her out of anger. But throughout all of this, Cristina, as she promised, refuses to compromise her own goals.

Cristina honestly does consider what life would be like if she did this for Owen, but knows the truth is that she would be miserable. Grey’s Anatomy shows many women, particularly Meredith and Bailey (Chandra Wilson), struggling to have a work-life balance when they have children. They are independent characters who are good mothers but also maintain that their careers are important. However, Cristina is a thematic anchor point when she always puts her career first, even when she is in a relationship she desperately wants to work, because she knows what she needs more to be happy.

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Cristina then leaves the show for a huge opportunity, despite it taking her away from Meredith and Owen. Her legacy can be summed up by her final words to Meredith: “He is not the sun. You are.” Cristina is an incredibly powerful character because she always chooses herself in a world where there is constant pressure for women to choose otherwise. She honestly respects that sometimes Meredith does have to make sacrifices for her family, but doesn’t let her forget who she is on her own, something which is important for Meredith to internalize also because of the example she sets for her daughters.

Teddy Chooses Herself & Ends Her Marriage With Owen In Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Finale

It’s Something Cristina Would Have Done

Years later, after a messy saga of hook-ups, break-ups, infidelity, reunions, multiple kids, and deal-breaker secrets, Teddy finally calls it quits with her marriage to Owen in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s ending. Honestly, the fact that they made it through Teddy accidentally dialing Owen while cheating on him the day of their wedding, and Owen hiding that he was providing illegal assisted death to veterans from Teddy, is astounding. Yet because of their history together, which makes it seem like their relationship was meant to be, as well as the kids, pushed them to keep trying to figure it out.

However, after Owen admits that he does have feelings for Nora (Floriana Lima) but won’t leave Teddy because of it, Teddy leaves him. In the season finale, she accomplishes an impossible operation and saves Nora’s life, and afterward likens thinking this was impossible to thinking living without Owen was impossible. Having always made choices based on what it would take to be with Owen, Teddy asserts that she is finally choosing herself, thus opening up her world to other romantic and professional possibilities. Owen, once again, sees his partner as “giving up,” when she is carrying on the legacy of other female characters.

Cristina’s History With Owen In Grey’s Anatomy Makes Teddy’s Relationship Better

Can Owen Learn From His Relationship History?

Owen and Teddy’s breakup is long overdue and highlights problems with Owen’s character. Namely, when he is with a woman whom he is in love with, but she doesn’t want what he wants (usually kids), he veers into abusive behavior, trying to convince her to change her mind. When he is with a woman who does want a family, he is still focused on the one who didn’t or finds another way to screw it up. He never prioritizes the woman who is what he thinks he wants or her aspirations, only making things harder for her.

And so, when Teddy decides she’s finally done with Owen and puts herself first, history is poignantly repeating itself with how Cristina ultimately had to choose herself over the relationship. Again, how women manage careers and families is a throughline throughout Grey’s Anatomy, and the show does depict women achieving successful careers while also being in happy relationships and having children. Those who are invested in the relationships might be sad to see them end but should consider the social context of how women are traditionally expected to be homemakers and support their husbands.

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It sends an important message that characters like Teddy, Cristina, and even Maggie (Kelly McCreary) choose their mental health and ambition over saving a relationship. On Owen’s side, after essentially the same thing happened with Cristina, Amelia, and now Teddy, he might be prompted to take a look at himself and consider what he needs to put into a relationship if he actually wants it to last. But Grey’s Anatomy season 21 comes to a foregone conclusion with Teddy following in her former student’s footsteps, so she can now find her own happiness.