Cristina Yang was perhaps the most talented and driven surgeon on Grey’s Anatomy, but she wouldn’t have become the doctor she did without great mentors, and none was greater than Teddy Altman. After falling in love with her first mentor and having a poor relationship with his replacement, Teddy provided Cristina with the respect and understanding she both needed and deserved to become a legendary cardiothoracic surgeon. Teddy left Grey’s shortly after Cristina graduated from Seattle Grace’s residency program and Cristina left seasons before Teddy’s return in Grey’s Anatomy season 14, but they were one of the series’ most iconic surgical duos.
Cristina had three mentors during her time as a surgical intern/resident, starting with Isaiah Washington’s Dr. Burke, who in season 3 left Cristina at the altar and his job at Seattle Grace behind along with her. He was then replaced by Dr. Hahn, who had a less than pleasant relationship with Cristina until her eventual departure in season 5. This led Cristina to Dr. Altman, who her then-boyfriend Owen brought to Seattle as a gift for Cristina, though she didn’t initially take kindly to her. While Cristina had received some of the best education in the country, earning her M.D. from Stanford, Teddy didn’t boast the same sort of credentials before joining the military. Cristina eventually warmed up to Teddy when she saw her brilliance in the operating room, and they soon became one of the best mentor-mentee relationships on Grey’s Anatomy.
Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh for ten seasons, will always be remembered as a passionate and ruthless surgeon who put her job and drive above all else. Teddy even called her a “race horse” who “needs to be pushed constantly.” This was something that Dr. Hahn never fully grasped about Cristina. Instead, she always seemed to be jealous and resentful of Cristina’s talents and was often unnecessarily harsh in her teaching methods because of it. Prior to that, while Burke loved Cristina romantically and knew her abilities as a surgeon, he also tried to make her into something she was not, and marrying him would have been a huge mistake. Where Burke and Hahn failed to recognize Cristina’s ambition and drive as her greatest strength that needed to be both harnessed and kept in check, Teddy succeeded. Under Teddy’s guidance, Cristina blossomed as both a person and a doctor.
Why Teddy Left (& Why She Came Back)
Teddy was one of Grey’s Anatomy‘s characters fired throughout the course of the show, with Owen firing her in the season 8 finale in an attempt to force Teddy to take what he thought to be a better opportunity elsewhere. However, Teddy was not ready to leave and thought she had more to offer Seattle Grace, including Owen and Cristina in general. According to Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, the decision to have Teddy leave the show came when actress Kim Raver’s series option was up and Raver decided to take a vacation from the show. This vacation lasted for about six seasons, with Raver and Teddy making their grand return at the end of season 14. Teddy returned at a time of transition for the series, with main characters Arizona and April departing in the season 14 finale. She provided a familiar face that longtime fans of Grey’s Anatomy might have been missing.
Both Teddy’s departure and return were somewhat abrupt, unlike Cristina’s, as her departure was announced by Sandra Oh ahead of the season 10 finale. While the season 8 finale marked what seemed to be the end of Teddy’s time on Grey’s Anatomy, it is most memorable for being the plane crash episode. Because Cristina was stranded in the middle of nowhere when Owen fired Teddy, they never got to say a proper goodbye to each other onscreen. Though it’s unlikely Cristina will return, if she did, a scene with Teddy would be a perfect way to honor their relationship as friends and doctors. However, Teddy’s own future is uncertain as she and Owen were last seen flying to an unknown destination.
Grey’s Anatomy season 19 premieres on October 6.
