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Grey’s Anatomy has seen some epic love stories over its 17 seasons. Meredith and Derek come to mind as the most loved couple, but Callie and Arizona aren’t far behind. But like most relationships on Grey’s Anatomy, they couldn’t last.

Fans still see them as one of the best couples on the show. Interestingly, the writers may have never intended for the pair to break up. It’s possible that Jessica Capshaw’s pregnancy ended Callie and Arizona. 

‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Arizona and Callie seemed like the perfect couple

Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw
Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw | Scott Garfield/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)

Arizona and Callie weren’t the first on-screen lesbian couple on television, and they weren’t even the first on-screen lesbian couple on Grey’s. But their relationship still experienced a few hiccups due to their sexuality, especially in the beginning. Arizona didn’t even want to go out with Callie at first, because Callie hadn’t been out for very long. 

But Callie won Arizona over. Arizona was even understanding when Callie considered lying to her family about their relationship. Callie’s parents didn’t approve of her dating another woman, and threatened to cut her off. Callie ultimately decided that since she was doing nothing wrong by dating Arizona, she wouldn’t lie about it. The couple had a serious issue when Arizona went to Africa as part of a grant. She and Callie broke up before she left, even though Callie originally intended to go with Arizona. For a while, it didn’t seem like their relationship would recover. 

A trip to Africa broke up Arizona and Callie

After Arizona returned from Africa, she tried to get back with Callie. Arizona still wanted to make their relationship work, but Callie was pregnant with Mark’s baby. But that wasn’t a dealbreaker for Arizona. She was ready to raise the baby with Callie, as their own. After a tragic car crash that almost ended Callie’s life, the two decided to get married. 

As is typical for Grey’s Anatomy, the couple couldn’t just live happily ever after. A plane crash and a deadly infection almost eroded their solid foundation. After Arizona was injured in a plane crash, she made Callie promise not to ask doctors to amputate her injured leg.  An infection made that promise impossible to keep. Arizona lost a leg, and blamed Callie for it. Eventually they recovered, and even decided to try and have a baby. Arizona had a miscarriage, but things were looking up. That is until Arizona cheated on Callie with Lauren Boswell. Their relationship never fully recovered, and Callie and Arizona divorced. Most fans still haven’t forgiven Lauren for breaking up the best couple on Grey’s. 

Would Callie and Arizona have ended if it weren’t for Jessica Capshaw’s pregnancy?

Luckily for fans, Callie and Arizona were able to recover after the Africa disaster. But writers may have never intended for Callie and Arizona to suffer that early break up in the first place. Arizona went to Africa because the actress who plays her, Jessica Capshaw, was pregnant. To accommodate her pregnancy and maternity leave, the writers decided to send Arizona somewhere temporarily, with the intention of writing her back on to the show when she was ready. 

According to Closer Weekly, like her Grey’s character, Capshaw is a working mom. She actually has four kids with her husband Christopher Gavigan. Her husband isn’t in the entertainment biz. He’s a writer and entrepreneur, most notably he founded the Honest Company with actress Jessica Alba. Since Arizona’s divorce from Callie, Capshaw has left Grey’s entirely. Arizona moved to New York, so there’s still hope that she and Callie will get back together. After all, they’ve been through so much. 

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