OK, so I know that some big stuff happened in this episode, but there’s something more important to discuss than Owen and Amelia’s wedding, Jo’s big secret or April having a homemade C-section on Meredith’s kitchen island.
Callie Torres is leaving Grey’s Anatomy.
Let that sink in for a moment. The news can’t be a complete surprise as Sara Ramirez was still in contract negotiations and tweeted recently what felt like a goodbye after her scenes wrapped. We got undeniable confirmation from the actress herself just as Callie’s last scene with Arizona played out.
#GreysAnatomy #CallieTorres #Gratitude #Love #Shondaland pic.twitter.com/plbWhDAQ9g
– Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) May 20, 2016
But we are not… #GreysAnatomy #GreysGays https://t.co/cyF8ZW8YfE
– Audrey (@pamplemoussee76) May 20, 2016
Goodnight sweet Calzona, parting is such sweet sorrow #GreysGays
– Sam Adams (@mrssfadams) May 20, 2016
Same Callie Same #Calzona #greysgays pic.twitter.com/SLO4rGiGZD
– ÔÖö (@Queen_EvilRegal) May 20, 2016
Ten years is a long time, and there’s no denying that Callie Torres was a hugely important character to the queer community and beyond. For those holding out hope for a Calzona reunion, it’s a bitter pill. While Grey’s never shies away from handing out the heartache, it’s still hard to swallow.
On the bright side, we still have Arizona, who has been allowed to shine as a character this season in a way we haven’t seen before. The break-up with Callie freed her character up to explore friendships and experiences outside of that tumultuous relationship. I have no doubt that in Season 13 that Grey’s will begin to explore romantic options for Arizona and now that she’s one of most veteran players.
So what exactly happened between Callie and Arizona in this last episode? Well, after their nasty custody battle and the break-up with Penny, Callie spiraled into a depression. It hardly went unnoticed by Arizona, who despite everything, still has a tremendous capacity for empathy and love. The day of Amelia and Owen’s wedding, Arizona sees Callie walking the halls like a ghost, and confesses to Bailey that even Sofia can’t help but sense Callie’s heartache.
Proving to be the good man in a storm we know her to be, Arizona shows up at Callie’s with Sofia and two plane tickets. She tells Callie that they went about all of this wrong, and she gives her blessing for Callie to take Sofia to New York and be with Penny. They will split up custody and figure out the details later. Callie is brought to tears and the two hug for the last time on-screen. There’s something to be said about giving oneself and the people you love the tools to be happy. Arizona knows she will find it, and she wants the same for Callie.
So now what? We will have to wait and see, but obviously losing a character like Callie when we’ve already experienced so much in the way of losses this year, is a huge blow. There will never be anyone else quite like her, and she’s been a literal lifesaver for some fans. I’m beyond grateful that she was given a peaceful exit, and we don’t have to deal with another needless queer character death. What did Calliope Torres mean to you? Let us know in the comments. I know I’m going to miss her dancing like no one’s watching.
So, what else happened on Grey’s during the finale?
A Wedding
In news that will shock no one, Amelia was having major self-doubt issues before the wedding. It didn’t help that her entire family refused to come to the wedding, and to make matters worse, she overhears Meredith talking to Owen about Cristina being his one true love. Ouch!
When Meredith finds Amelia looking lovely in her gown, yet melting down on the inside, Amelia lets loose on her sister. She feels like she doesn’t really have a family and that she’s all alone in this world. Meredith calmly tells her that she will be her person that day, and whatever she needs, Meredith will facilitate-whether that is telling Amelia she’s beautiful, kick someone’s ass, or help her become a runaway bride. Amelia chooses the latter, and Meredith, Amelia and a very confused Maggie make a break for it in the pounding Seattle rain.
Of course, poor Richard is the sole witness to this craziness and has the unfortunate task of telling Owen. Owen, for his part, decides to give Amelia the benefit of the doubt. Wow, dude, you really are in love. I bet he thinks they went on an emergency pantyhose run. At the local gas station, the sisters drink Slurpies and talk about love. Can you only have one love of your life? Did Owen and Amelia already use that up on other people? And what about Mer? Was Derek her only chance at a real love, or is this budding thing with Riggs the real deal?
The sisters pull into the church parking lot, and Meredith walks back on her “love of your life” argument. Richard Webber has more than one great love. Other people, too! Who says you can only be truly happy with one person? Go out there and marry that goofy ginger, Amelia! And she does.
While standing up for the wedding, Meredith can’t help but make eyes at Riggs, who is making them right back. For a moment, she thinks this can happen. That’s until Maggie leans over and whispers that she really likes Riggs. Damnit. This just got a lot more complicated.
A Birth
Was anyone thinking, when the hell did April get so super pregnant? Anyhoo, April was supposed to be OWen’s best man, but when she arrives at the church sans rings, she recruits Ben to drive her back to Meredith’s house to find them. Ben has already been having a rough day when Bailey basically lets it slip that she doesn’t trust him. At the house, April unexpectedly goes into labor and because of the rain, she tells Ben she’s going to have the baby there.
Everything is ok at first, and an ambulance is on the way, but when Ben realizes that April is about to give breech birth, everything changes. The baby’s air supply is compromised, and the only way to save her is, you guessed it, a homemade C-Section. Ben panics because this is exactly what he nearly lost his career over and the last thing he wants to do is cut open his friend in Meredith Grey’s kitchen.
Ben calls Bailey, and she gathers Jackson and Arizona to talk April and Ben through it. He’s going to have to use a kitchen knife and no anesthesia, which is horrific. Knowing Ben is under extreme pressure, Bailey tells him that she trusts him, which makes all the difference. Jackson begs Ben to save April, no matter what, while April makes Ben promise to save the baby at all costs. When he cuts into April, she screams in pain like I’ve never seen anyone scream in my life. Neither Ben or April then respond to the others on the phone, but we hear an ambulance finally arrive in the background. April is rushed to the hospital, and Ben comes out of the ambulance with a healthy baby girl wrapped up in his arms.
Thank the TV gods, April is ok, and Arizona tells Bailey that Ben did amazing work. Ben and Bailey are finally are able to put all the badness behind them, and hug for dear life. The new parents get a chance at happiness too and cuddle their daughter. They will have a hell of a story to tell her when she gets older.
A huge secret
Just because Jo doesn’t want to marry Alex, doesn’t mean she doesn’t want a life with the guy. She tries desperately to explain this, but Alex is done. He wants a family and a wife-something real. He packs up his things and moves to Meredith’s for a while, as Jo stands helpless to stop him.
What can you do when the person you love leaves? Get ruuuuuhl drunk. That’s exactly what Jo does, as she pours out her feelings to Steph, who isn’t really in the mood since HER BOYFRIEND JUST DIED. Poor DeLuca is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets stuck making sure Jo gets home safely.
The drunker Jo gets, the more secrets she reveals. Once they get back to Jo’s, she reveals a huge secret that has played a part in everything she’s done. When she was young and homeless, she married a guy to escape it all, but his world turned out to be far worse. He beat her and made her life hell, so she ran. She even changed her identity to escape him. If she were to marry Alex, she’d first have to track this man down, and she’s frightened of what might happen. DeLuca tries to put her to bed, and Alex walks in at exactly the wrong moment. Thinking DeLuca is taking advantage of Jo, he punches his perfect face in.
I want to thank you all so much for joining me on this Season 12 journey. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, laughs and tears, and Penny. Here’s hoping Season 13 brings us some love and adventures for Dr. Arizona Robbins, Meredith and the rest of the Grey’s crew. Here are some of our favorite #greysgays tweets from the finale.
The upside of Callie leaving @GreysABC, is that they can bring back Hilarie Burton as Lauren for Arizona, right? #greysgays #OTH
– Bren (@RadBren13) May 20, 2016
I just love how Meredith has no regrets on making Amelia runs, like it’s not me, just you. Just driving you around. #GreysAnatomy #GreysGays
– Audrey (@pamplemoussee76) May 20, 2016
Dear @shondarhimes, can Arizona Robbins have an epic love story arc next season? #fansince2005 #GreysAnatomy #GreysGays
– Val (@Vsue09) May 20, 2016
Why is Richard the only one who seems to own an umbrella? They live in Seattle! #GreysAnatomy #GreysGays
– Catherine (@CMeushaw) May 20, 2016
I would be so against giving birth on Mer’s rug, you don’t know what’s been on it #GreysAnatomy #greysgays
– Vick-E D (@tisiphone6023) May 20, 2016
