Mark Sloan, the arrogant plastic surgeon whose death broke more than a few hearts in the hit medical drama Grey's Anatomy, was not the purest of souls. But he did have a heart and despite his many gaping drawbacks, he left a lasting impression on fans as a great father and an even better surgeon.
Opinions on McSteamy have always been somewhat polarised. He is either loved or hated but he can hardly be dismissed. From bashing his romantic entanglement with Lexie Grey to thinking that he actually helped his best friend by sleeping with his wife and even calling him out for abusing his status at work, Redditors have a lot to say about this gorgeous hunk who died way too soon.
At Best Tolerable & At Worst Hated
The overwhelming opinion about Mark is that he can be toxic but at the end of the day his softer emotions and character development override his flaws. But unfortunately, not all fans are bemused by the plastic surgeon.
According to this Redditor, from being misogynistic to being prone to crossing boundaries, Mark was hardly someone worthy of being put on a pedestal, pretty face or not. In fact, the fan feels that Mark would have been bashed more had he not been good-looking. He is thus at best tolerable and at worst deserves hate instead of adoration.
The Best Grey's Character
In direct contrast to the previous point, here is a fan who thinks that Mark is, in fact, the best Grey's character. Now, while McSteamy is undoubtedly loved, it might be going a tad too far to label him the best-ever character.
Mark Sloan is beloved for the intense sex appeal and charisma the actor imbued the role with. But he was still deeply flawed, unreliable, and immature. Suffice it to say that he was, like every other Grey's character, made flesh and blood through the layers in his personality. But to consider him the best character in the series might be somewhat unpopular.
The Best Chief
Now, here is another controversial point of view. Seattle Grace/Grey Sloan Memorial has seen a series of Chiefs over the years and all of them have had their own personalities. While some would consider Richard the best Chief, others would be divided in their opinion over Owen or Bailey, and even Alex.
However, fans will recall that Mark was Chief for all of one day and although only a minority would agree, he wasn't half bad! From thinking up Beef with a Chief where the doctors could bring any complaints they had to the Chief and discuss it over lunch, to encouraging his attendings, Mark was kind of a fun Chief and this fan actually considers him the best of the lot.
Did Sloan's Death Deserve More Attention Than Those Of Others?
Mark Sloan's tragic death left very few dry eyes at the beginning of season 9. Many love to think that he wanted to reunite with Lexie in the afterlife and in a sad but beautiful way, that offers fans some solace. But there are those who feel that Mark's death didn't necessarily deserve as much attention as it did, at least not compared to the deaths of George O'Malley or Derek Shepherd.
Of course, Shonda Rhimes is an expert at creating tear-jerking situations and all the major character deaths in the series so far have evoked great sadness among viewers, irrespective of whether or not the characters were loved. But Mark's farewell was well-thought-out and there was perhaps more attention to detail than those of some others, and this Redditor wonders, why him.
Mark Saved Derek From An Unhappy Marriage
In a very unpopular opinion, this fan believes that Mark actually did Derek a favor by sleeping with his wife. One needn't remind fans that it was Mark's betrayal of his best friend that had set up the premise for the entire show in the first place, and very few people at the time would have rooted for Mark.
However, this Redditor feels that Derek's relationship with Addison would have been doomed anyway and the two would have been in a loveless marriage had it not been for Mark. So effectively, Mark had saved Derek by having an affair with Addison.
Mark Abused His Power
Mark Sloan might be one of those characters that went from being hated to loved in the matter of a few seasons, but not everybody was on board with loving him.
For instance, in a rather dark perspective that raised some controversial points, this fan thinks that Mark Sloan abused his power every now and then. From his relationship with the nurses and the drug reps to his arrogant treatment of Izzie Stevens when she was on his service, and the way he pressured April to sleep with Jackson, Mark's behavior at the workplace was largely inexcusable and should have been called out instead of being passed over casually.
Mark & Lexie Felt Weird
Another hugely unpopular opinion states that Mark and Lexie's pairing felt strange. Since 'Slexie' has gone down in Grey's history as one of the most beloved and tragic romantic duos, often placed higher than even Meredith and Derek, this would most definitely count as controversial.
The couple somehow didn't sit right with this fan and with a couple of others on this thread, causing them to wonder as to why they were so very revered in the first place.
Mark & Addison Should Have Been Endgame
For all those who adore Mark and Lexie and hope they are bickering it out together in the afterlife, here is a fan who thinks Addison would have been endgame with Mark instead.
Of course, it was Addison who brought Mark to Seattle in the first place and fans will fondly recall Derek's thunderous fist that came down on McSteamy when he came to Seattle Grace for the first time and immediately started flirting with Meredith. While Mark was said to have been in love with Addison, the writers never followed up on that and rather paired him with young Lexie. But there are those who still prefer him with the gorgeous Addison.
...As Should Have Been Mark & Callie
Another non-Slexie opinion suggests that Mark and Callie should have ended up together romantically rather than just staying friends. Of course, their relationship was one of the leading non-romantic straight relationships on the show, with Meredith and Alex being another, and that is rare on popular television to this day.
But dreams cost nothing and there are fans who wish that the two best friends had been a couple in the romantic sense. It would have made sense since they already had a child together and they loved and supported each other truly and selflessly.
Mark & Jackson Were Secret Lovers
And in a very interesting opinion that actually offers food for thought, here is a fan who is sanguine that Mark Sloan and Jackson Avery were lovers, although why they would need to keep it a secret is a mystery. While the writers never really took that approach, it is fun to imagine what might have changed had this been true.
While this seems to be more wishful thinking than anything else, if there is even an ounce of truth in this then that would be something to think about, albeit unpopular. Mark and Jackson rocked some bromantic scenes on the show but it would give it a whole new dimension if that turned romantic somehow.