The Epic Love Story of Callie and Arizona on Grey's Anatomy: A Timeline of Passion, Heartbreak, and Redemption

Summary

Callie and Arizona's relationship on Grey's Anatomy was full of ups and downs, spanning ten seasons of dating, breaking up, getting married, and even having a child together.

Their journey concluded happily as Callie and Arizona, after overcoming numerous obstacles such as conflicts concerning parenthood and unfaithfulness, ultimately reconciled and tied the knot during season 7. However, a custody dispute regarding their daughter, Sofia, led to Callie relocating to New York. In a promising turn of events, Arizona chose to follow her in the season 14 finale, aiming to reignite their romance and bring about a hopeful conclusion to their narrative.

Grey's Anatomy has featured numerous unforgettable love stories throughout its ongoing 19 seasons. One standout romance is the turbulent relationship between Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins, portrayed by Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw respectively. These two doctors crossed paths in season 5 when Arizona was introduced to the popular ABC medical drama series. From there, their journey unfolded over a decade, marked by periods of dating, breaking up, marriage, parenthood, and subsequent separations before ultimately reaching a satisfying conclusion (although the show is still ongoing).

After the conclusion of Grey's Anatomy's 14th season, Ramirez and Capshaw departed from the show and have yet to make a return. Nevertheless, their characters experienced a decade's worth of compelling narratives that were filled with enough drama to captivate audiences for lifetimes. Fortunately, fans of Callie and Arizona were rewarded with a fitting end to their story, even though it took them a considerable amount of time to find a lasting happiness.

Season 5, Episode 14 - Episode 19: After Callie & Arizona Meet & Begin Dating

Season 5, Episode 20 - Season 6, Episode 3: Arizona Meets Callie's Father & They Make Their Relationship Official

: The paths crossed for Callie and Arizona in Grey's Anatomy, with Callie making her appearance in season 2, episode 19 and Arizona's first appearance in season 5, episode 11. However, it wasn't until a few episodes later, in "Beat Your Heart Out," that they finally met. In an unexpected turn of events, Arizona found herself comforting Callie in the bathroom at Emerald City Bar and surprising her with a kiss. However, Arizona kept her distance at work, as she believed Callie was still exploring her sexuality and lacked experience in same-sex relationships. Yet, their undeniable attraction could not be ignored for long, and it wasn't until episode 17 that Arizona mustered the courage to ask Callie out on a date, marking the beginning of their romantic journey.

In Grey's Anatomy season 5, episode 20, Callie's father, Carlos Torres, visited her at the hospital. During their conversation, she bravely revealed that she was dating Arizona, effectively coming out to him. Unfortunately, her father reacted with hostility and refused to accept her for who she truly was. Consequently, he cut Callie off financially by revoking her trust fund and distanced himself from her personally. This caused significant strain on her relationship with Arizona. However, despite the challenges they faced, Callie and Arizona managed to emerge from this difficult period even stronger than before. In fact, Arizona provided immense support to Callie when George passed away in the season 6 premiere, and their bond grew stronger as they officially became a couple just a few episodes later.

Season 6, Episode 4 - Episode 21: Callie & Arizona's Relationship Grows But Faces Their First Obstacle When They Disagree About Having Children

Once Callie and Arizona made their relationship official in season 6 of Grey's Anatomy, their bond continued to grow. Regrettably, they encountered a hurdle when the topic of starting a family arose. Callie longed to have children, whereas Arizona had no interest in raising little ones. The couple clashed over their conflicting desires and ultimately ended their relationship in episode 21 due to their divergent aspirations.

Season 6, Episode 22 - Season 7, Episode 6: Callie & Arizona's Breakup Is Short-Lived

Despite their breakup towards the end of Grey's Anatomy season 6, it was evident that Callie and Arizona still harbored strong emotions for one another, which was reasonable considering their profound connection. The intense season finale revolved around a tragic shooting incident at the hospital, during which Callie and Arizona found solace in each other's arms once again. The shared ordeal brought them closer than ever, prompting Arizona to have a change of heart about starting a family with Callie. Despite her initial reservations, Arizona realized that being with Callie was her top priority and decided she wanted to have children with her. Eventually, they took the leap and moved in together.

Season 7, Episode 7 - Episode 12: Callie Breaks Up With Arizona & Gets Pregnant With Mark's Child

As mentioned earlier, the relationship between Callie and Arizona throughout the medical drama series on ABC was similar to a rollercoaster ride. Unfortunately, they ended their relationship once again in Season 7, Episode 7 of Grey's Anatomy. Arizona received a grant to establish a clinic in Africa, and initially, Callie intended to accompany her. However, Callie seemed uncertain about the decision, leading to Arizona insisting that she should not go with her when they were at the airport. This led to Callie breaking up with Arizona, who then departed for Africa.

During Arizona's absence, Callie was deeply upset about the breakup and ended up sleeping with Mark Sloan. A few episodes later, when Arizona returned, Callie wanted no involvement with her. In Season 7, Episode 12 of Grey's Anatomy, Callie revealed to her ex-girlfriend that she was pregnant with Mark's child, which undoubtedly surprised Arizona.

Season 7, Episode 13 - Season 8, Episode 23: Callie & Arizona Reconcile & Get Married

After initially being shocked by Callie's pregnancy, Arizona fully committed herself to both Callie and their unborn baby in Grey's Anatomy season 7, episode 13. They reconciled and decided to raise the baby together. However, tensions arose during a car ride in episode 17 when they had a minor argument about Mark and the baby. The situation escalated, leading to Arizona proposing marriage to Callie just before a truck crashed into their vehicle, causing Callie to be ejected through the windshield.

In the subsequent musical episode, Callie fought for her life. Fortunately, she survived after undergoing two major surgeries, although the baby had to be delivered prematurely. Despite the challenges, the episode concluded with a happy ending as Callie woke up to meet her daughter, Sofia, and committed to marrying Arizona. Their wedding took place in Grey's Anatomy season 7, episode 20, with Miranda Bailey officiating the ceremony. Furthermore, Callie's father finally accepted her during the reception when they shared a special father-daughter dance.

Season 8, Episode 24 - Season 9, Episode 22: Callie Goes Against Arizona's Wishes & Amputates Her Leg After The Plane Crash

Season 9, Episode 23 - Season 10, Episode 8: Arizona Cheats On Callie & Their Marriage Becomes Strained

After completing a whole season of their marriage without any mishaps, Arizona's life took a tragic turn in the season 8 finale of Grey's Anatomy. In a devastating plane crash, Mark and Lexie lost their lives, and Arizona survived, but not without enduring a horrific leg injury. Season 9 shed light on Callie's difficult decision to amputate Arizona's leg against her desires due to an infection. This decision caused Arizona to harbor resentment towards Callie, leading to a turbulent period in their marriage. However, they managed to overcome this obstacle as the events of season 9 unfolded.

Callie and Arizona faced ongoing challenges in their relationship in Grey's Anatomy season 9, episode 23 when Arizona had an affair with Lauren Boswell, which Callie discovered in a subsequent episode. The infidelity severely strained their marriage. Arizona harbored resentment towards Callie for her decision to amputate her leg, while Callie desperately tried to repair their relationship through therapy. Eventually, Callie reached a breaking point and decided to evict Arizona from their shared living space in Grey's Anatomy season 10, episode 5.

Season 10, Episode 9 - Season 11, Episode 5: Arizona Moves Back Home But Callie Later Asks For A Divorce

After discovering her father's infidelity and witnessing her parents reconcile, Callie made the difficult decision to give Arizona another chance in Grey's Anatomy season 10, episode 9. Unfortunately, their relationship became a constant rollercoaster of highs and lows, leading to further challenges in later episodes. They struggled with the prospect of having another child and tensions escalated to new heights in season 11. In a desperate attempt to salvage their marriage, Callie and Arizona sought the help of a therapist who suggested they spend 30 days living separate lives within the same household. However, by the end of the month, Arizona was eager to reconnect with Callie, while Callie came to the realization that she would be better off on her own. Thus, in Grey's Anatomy season 11, episode 5, Callie requested a divorce, finally putting an end to their tumultuous relationship after multiple seasons of uncertainty.

Season 11, Episode 6 - Season 12, Episode 18: Callie Starts Dating Penny Blake

Season 12, Episode 19 - Season 12, Episode 24: Callie & Arizona Engage In A Custody Battle Over Sofia Before Callie Moves To New York

In season 12 of Grey's Anatomy, following the divorce, Callie found companionship in Penny Blake, a doctor who played a significant role in Derek Shepherd's unfortunate demise when she didn't order a CT scan in season 11. This event caused initial tension between Callie and Meredith Grey. However, despite this conflict, Callie and Penny continued their relationship, which gradually deepened and strengthened throughout season 12.

Penny was offered a job in New York, which she planned to accept towards the end of Grey's Anatomy season 12. Callie made the decision to join her girlfriend on the other side of the country, but this was complicated by Sofia. Naturally, Callie wanted to bring Sofia to New York, while Arizona wanted to keep their daughter in Seattle with her. Consequently, the divorced couple engaged in a legal battle, hiring lawyers to fight for custody of Sofia. They ended up in court, with the judge ruling in favor of Arizona. However, feeling sympathetic towards Callie, Arizona agreed to share custody of Sofia. In Grey's Anatomy season 12, episode 24, Callie relocated to New York.

Season 13, Episode 1 - Season 14, Episode 24: Callie Leaves & Arizona Decides To Join Her In New York To Rekindle Their Relationship

In season 13 of Grey's Anatomy, Sara Ramirez's character, Arizona, had little to no development in her relationship with Sara. Nevertheless, when Jessica Capshaw, who plays Arizona, announced her departure from the show in season 14, the writers opted to give the couple a positive conclusion. Consequently, during the season 14 finale, Arizona decided to relocate to New York to be closer to Callie and their daughter Sofia. It was strongly hinted that Callie and her girlfriend, Penny, had ended their relationship, creating an opportunity for Callie and Arizona to potentially reconcile.