Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 Must Reunite Teddy and Dr. [Character's Name]

Grey’s Anatomy season 20 cannot eliminate Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) without reintroducing a key character from the show's early seasons. The season 19 finale of Grey's Anatomy showed Teddy, the newly appointed Chief of Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, collapsing while on the way to an operating room. In the closing moments of the episode, Sam Sutton's (Sam Page) aorta was fully transected, leading Teddy to prepare for surgery. However, before Chief Altman could perform a thoracotomy or cross-clamp Sam's aorta, she herself became a patient at Grey Sloan, a role she had not anticipated.

In a twist of fate, the cardiothoracic surgeon's toothache escalated into a possible cardiac event: potentially endocarditis, a heart infection arising from dental issues, or a heart spasm that can manifest as jaw pain in women. With most of Grey Sloan's senior doctors away for the Catherine Fox Awards, Teddy's condition following the cliffhanger of Grey’s Anatomy season 19 remains uncertain. While Raver may have extended her contract, the fate of Teddy Altman is still unknown, leaving room for the much-anticipated return of Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh).

Before Teddy Leaves Grey’s Anatomy, She Should See Cristina One Last Time

Up close image of Cristina Yang - Before Teddy Leaves Grey’s Anatomy, She Should See Cristina One Last Time

Introduced in season 6 as Owen Hunt's surgeon pal and fellow vet, Teddy Altman became the third major cardiothoracic surgeon attending in Grey's Anatomy. Right off the bat, Teddy makes it clear that she's no Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington). To Cristina's surprise, Altman makes risky, in-the-moment calls due to her experience as an Army surgeon. Owen, who's dating Cristina when Teddy arrives at Grey Sloan, insists that Altman is a "gift" for Cristina — exactly the kind of risk-taking, unconventional mentor she needs. Aside from Owen, Cristina becomes Teddy's closest friend at Grey Sloan.

While Altman and Yang make a near-flawless surgical team, it's their deeper connection that makes them a memorable pair. Other attendings are unwilling to challenge Cristina, but Teddy puts Yang's talent aside when necessary. Given just how intertwined Teddy and Cristina's stories were during Grey's Anatomy seasons 6 through 8, Altman's potential departure from the show would feel incomplete if she wasn't able to see Cristina again. The Grey's Anatomy Teddy cliffhanger is great news for Winston Ndugu (Anthony Hill), the new head of cardio, but if Teddy's cardiac condition worsens, she needs the closest thing to herself: Cristina.

Grey's Anatomy season 20 will premiere on Thursday, March 14.

Grey’s Anatomy Introduced Teddy Altman As Cristina Yang’s Perfect Mentor

Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) telling Christina Yang not to blame herself for Henry Burton's death in Grey's Anatomy. - Grey’s Anatomy Introduced Teddy Altman As Cristina Yang’s Perfect Mentor

Impressed by Cristina's natural talent, Teddy develops a strong bond with her student. Despite their disagreements, particularly on Cristina's overreliance on talent, Teddy recognizes the danger of excessive confidence in a heart surgeon. As Cristina's mentor on Grey's Anatomy, Teddy plays a crucial role in shaping her into a skilled surgeon. After the tragic death of Teddy's husband, Henry, during surgery, she reassures Cristina that the outcome was inevitable, as Cristina's actions reflected Teddy's own approach.

If Teddy needs a complicated surgery in the future, there is only one person she would trust: Altman. Based on Raver's contract renewal, it appears that Altman will survive the season 19 cliffhanger. However, there is still a possibility that Teddy may be dealing with a chronic condition. Altman stands out as one of the few series regular doctors who has not been admitted to the hospital for an injury or life-threatening condition. This fact alone is enough for Grey's Anatomy to delve deeper into this storyline. Whether Grey's Anatomy season 20 concludes Teddy's story or not, it is essential to reunite Altman and Yang.

Cristina’s Return Can Satisfyingly Conclude The Teddy, Cristina & Owen Triangle

Owen Hunt in army fatigues in Grey's Anatomy - Cristina’s Return Can Satisfyingly Conclude The Teddy, Cristina & Owen Triangle

From the moment Teddy Altman was introduced as Owen's best friend, the relationship caused friction in the Cristina-Owen-Teddy triangle. At first, Owen didn't tell Teddy about Cristina, leading to some rather awkward moments, including Teddy's emotional reckoning with the fact that Owen might not be her eventual husband. Of course, Teddy's hunch ends up being correct over 10 seasons later. Currently, Teddy and Owen are married with two kids, Leo and Alison. In the wake of Teddy's pre-nuptial cheating scandal with Tom Koracick (Greg Germann), there's no reason to think the happy couple will split.

It was a long and winding road to getting hitched, especially for Owen, who kept marrying women before asking if they wanted kids. There's no question: Owen and Cristina are over as a couple. While there's no need for Cristina's reappearance to cause any romantic friction, it's an interesting dynamic reversal; now, Teddy and Owen are a married couple. If Teddy's cardiac condition warrants expert treatment in Grey's Anatomy season 20 or beyond, Cristina's return poses a welcome way to close out not just Cristina and Owen's arc, but Yang and Altman's former student-mentor relationship.

Editor's P/S:

The article effectively highlights the significance of Dr. Cristina Yang's return to Grey's Anatomy if Teddy Altman were to leave the show. It emphasizes the deep connection between the two characters and how their reunion would provide closure to their intertwined stories. The author argues that Teddy's potential departure would be incomplete without her seeing Cristina again, given their shared experiences and mentorship during Teddy's early seasons on the show.

Furthermore, the article explores the possibility of Teddy facing a chronic cardiac condition, which would necessitate the expertise of someone like Cristina. It suggests that Cristina's return could not only resolve the Teddy-Cristina-Owen triangle but also provide a satisfying conclusion to their student-mentor relationship. Overall, the article presents a compelling case for Cristina Yang's reappearance on Grey's Anatomy, both for the closure it would bring to Teddy Altman's storyline and for the nostalgic value it would hold for long-time fans of the show.