‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Arizona’s Worst Moment on the Show Was ‘Cruel’ and Selfish
Fans of Grey’s Anatomy have always had to come to terms with less-than-stellar character choices. In fact, a lot of what makes the show great is that the characters are complex and full of nuanced backstories that give them depth. Still, some of the ethical quandaries that have played out at Seattle Grace have left viewers with feelings of disgust and anger they just can’t shake.
While there may be debate over just who is the worst character from the show, there is nearly universal agreement about specific actions that stand out as particularly nasty.
One of those comes from the character Arizona, and fans still can’t get over her worst moment.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ has a history of complex characters
There has been no shortage of complicated characters who have done questionable things on Grey’s Anatomy. Since the show’s 2005 premiere, there have been lots of characters who have come and gone from the hospital setting.
Some of these characters grew on fans over time. Mark Sloan, for instance, started out cocky and slept with Derek Shepherd’s wife just to add another dash of anger to the mix.
By the time he exited the show — with one of writer Shonda Rhime’s signature deathbed scenes — fans had really started to see him as wise and more mature.
Alex Karev is another character who had mixed reviews from fans. He had certainly made some questionable choices over the years. In particular, he was often something of a jerk to the women in his life, and many fans could never forgive him for how he treated Izzie when she had cancer.
For others, however, Alex’s backstory of coming from a rough home life helped make him more sympathetic, and they saw growth in him before his recent exit from the show.
Arizona was a surgeon on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
In Season 5, viewers were introduced to Dr. Arizona Robbins, who was played by Jessica Capshaw. Arizona, the new head of pediatric surgery, was shown to be a brilliant doctor. Initially, Arizona was supposed to be a love interest for Erica Hahn, but the pair didn’t have much chemistry.
Instead, Rhimes wrote in a plot where Arizona fell in love with resident Callie Torres (played by Sara Ramirez).
Despite some tender and touching moments between the two, fans were very frustrated with Arizona’s treatment of Callie. Between infidelity and manipulation, she proved herself to be a flawed partner.
Despite these bumps in the road, the pair embark on a serious relationship and even get married and have a daughter together. In the end, Callie relocates to New York, and the pair battle over custody of their daughter Sophia.
When Arizona exits the show in Season 14, it’s even hinted that she and Callie might rekindle things as she decides to move to New York as well to help their daughter adjust to the split custody easier.
Fans can’t get over this awful moment with Arizona
While some fans may find comfort in imagining an off-screen reunion for Calzona in New York, others just can’t forgive Arizona for one particularly cruel act. In a Reddit thread dedicated to the moment, fans had a lot to say.
The particular incident in question happened in Season 7. Arizona received an offer to work in Africa for three years, and Callie — trying to be a supportive partner — is ready to go with her despite misgivings about leaving Seattle.
It isn’t until they’re at the airport — after Callie had already uprooted her life — that Arizona announced she was going without Callie and left her alone in the airport. Later, she decided her relationship with Callie was more important and came crawling back.
Fans found Arizona’s behavior in the airport scene particularly awful. “Arizona had weeks to make this decision but waits till Callie had uprooted her entire life, to dump her in the airport,” one fan noted.
Another added, “You see Callie trying. You see her begging Arizona to not leave her like that. She uprooted her life in America for her and it took Arizona 2 minutes to end their relationship.”
No matter what happened after this — and there were still plenty of ups and downs to come — this moment of cruelty defined Arizona’s character for many fans.
