Since his arrival on Grey’s Anatomy ten years ago, fans have noticed that Jackson hasn’t had much luck in the romance department. His marriage to the love of his life collapsed, his ex-girlfriend had been in love with his boss, and a few of the dates he’s gone on haven’t lasted long.
Even now, Jackson has just broken up with Station 19‘s Vic Daniels because it wasn’t the right time for them. Although the spark between them doesn’t seem to have dissipated, it also doesn’t look like a reunion is on the cards any time soon. So, who should Jackson have ended up with?
Lexie Grey
One of the first people Jackson should have ended up with was Lexie Grey. Beginning in season 7, Jackson and Lexie had a short but passionate romance. It was also the first serious relationship Jackson had been in, with the plastics attending implying to Mark and his mother that he had been in love with her.
Unfortunately for him, Lexie was still in love with his mentor and they broke up, which was a shame. They shared a lot of common goals, were very career-driven, and they didn’t have any big responsibilities. It was a blossoming romance that didn’t have the time to properly develop.
Cristina Yang
Since it’s been ten years, some fans may not remember, but Jackson had expressed a romantic interest in Cristina Yang. At the beginning of season 6, Jackson and Cristina were seen to be in direct competition with each other. They were always on the same cases and competing for surgeries — which led to fans recognizing a palpable tension.
After learning how career-orientated and driven she was, Jackson made a move on Cristina. Although Cristina was in a relationship with Owen, she must have felt some sort of attraction because she reciprocated. Who knows what would have happened if they went down this path.
Meredith Grey
Another person Jackson could end up with is Meredith. With a ten-year friendship under their belt, Jackson and Meredith’s relationship has already got the foundation for a love story. They get each other on a level no one else could understand.
They both know the pressures of living up to the family name and have bonded over Richard’s romance with their mothers. Jackson and Meredith have also stepped up for the other when it really mattered, which has strengthened their relationship. There is some potential here waiting to be explored…
Maggie Pierce
Although they aren’t the most popular couple on the show, there is always the possibility that Maggie and Jackson could end up together. After all, he and Vic broke up once because he had residual feelings for the cardiothoracic surgeon.
The writers have also made it clear that there are some unresolved issues here so they are probably going to revisit this relationship down the line — especially if Maggie takes Winston up on his offer and she moves to Boston.
Priya
Another romance that the writers should have developed in more depth was the one between Jackson and Priya. Only appearing in season 14 for a single episode, Priya was a human rights lawyer whom Jackson dated for a while. He brought her along to Amelia’s game night where she hit it off with several of his friends.
However, Jackson sadly soon called it off because of his feelings for Maggie. It was sort of refreshing that he was dating someone outside the hospital who was still interested in his career. Priya was really sweet and kind, too.
April Kepner
It’s no secret that fans would prefer to have Jackson end up with April after they witnessed their whirlwind romance. Even Jesse Williams admitted that April was the love of Jackson’s life. However, with April happily married to Matthew, it doesn’t look like a reunion will happen.
Still, this hasn’t stop fans from hoping this dream couple could get back together down the line, especially since April is the mother of Jackson’s child and he is no longer an atheist. Who knows? Maybe the writers will do a twenty-year time jump at the end and they’ll be together.
Jo Wilson
It may not have crossed fans’ minds, but what if the writers decided to put Jackson and Jo together at some point? If fans think about it, the wheels had already been set in motion as the two formed a connection over Jo looking for her parents.
The pair also could grow closer and bond over their failed relationships, especially since Jo has just lost her husband and Jackson, his best friend. Maybe the two will find comfort in each other?
Tatiana Flauto
Although they were never officially an item, a lot of fans commented on the chemistry between Jackson and Tatiana. Introduced for one episode in season 12, Tatiana was a patient of Jackson’s whom he confided in about his marital problems. It looked like another Denny Duquette situation was occurring until fans realized Tatiana was married to someone else.
Still, the chemistry between them was undeniable. It is also important to note that this friendship has been ongoing for years, meaning the writers had every chance to turn it into an epic love story.
Mara Keaton
In the aftermath of his breakup with Lexie, Jackson decided to put his love life on pause and focus on his career. However, Catherine didn’t seem to listen to her son’s wishes and tried to set him up on several dates. One of his female suitors was Mara Keaton, a urology fellow from Mass General.
Although Jackson hadn’t been remotely interested in dating, he hooked up with Mara after they bonded over their frustrations with Catherine’s constant interference. Unfortunately, fans never saw her again after this. It was just another wasted opportunity. Who knows? Maybe she will make a reappearance.
Stephanie Edwards
If the writers were still considering who Jackson should end up with, maybe they should revisit the romance with Stephanie. After Lexie, Stephanie was Jackson’s second-most serious relationship. This time, Jackson was more committed, and managed to introduce Stephanie to his mother.
However, this romance came to an end when Jackson realized he had residual feelings for April. Since it doesn’t look like Japril will be endgame, maybe he and Stephanie could be?
