Sandra Oh graced fans' screens as Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy from 2005 to 2014. A Grey Sloan legend, Cristina won the love of many with her witty one-liners, no-nonsense attitude, and brazen personality. However, attentive fans will notice that her character and storylines didn’t always make perfect sense.
With 10 seasons of Grey's Anatomy under her belt, it’s no surprise that some of Cristina’s storylines and episodes had a few plot holes and inconsistencies, and some of the more major ones are just too glaring to ignore.
She Is Left At The Altar
One of the most shocking moments of early Grey’s Anatomy was in the season three finale when Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) left his bride-to-be as she prepared to walk down the aisle.
In the run-up to the wedding, it was clear Cristina wasn’t thrilled by the idea of an extravagant ceremony. When Burke noticed she was hesitant, he decided he knew she was reluctant to marry him, apologized to her, and made for the exit. This move was quite out of character for Burke, seeing as he knew Cristina had her reservations about marriage from the get-go. According to People, it was later revealed that Washington’s character was written out of the show after he used homophobic slurs on set, explaining Burke’s sudden departure and Cristina’s nonsensical abandonment.
Crossing Ethical Lines
Throughout 17 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy’s doctors have committed many dangerous mistakes. Cristina may have been one of the most capable surgeons the show has ever seen, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t crossed a line or two herself.
In the third episode of the first season, "Winning a Battle, Losing the War," Cristina is very insensitive when approaching the grieving wife of a potential organ donor to save the friend of a colleague. Not only is this tactless and shocking behavior from Grey's Anatomy's Cristina, but, as per Vox, medical professionals have since pointed out that this episode egregiously misrepresents the procedure of organ donation. The fact that Dr. Yang would tackle such a sensitive matter in this way seems very unrealistic and makes little sense.
Her Friendship With Callie
In season 4, Cristina and Callie formed an unlikely friendship after bonding over their recent breakups. Shortly after, they became roommates, and, eventually, Callie even asked Cristina to be Sofia’s godmother. They had their fun together on screen, but, as soon as Cristina moved out in season 7, they seemed to conveniently forget about one another.
For example, after Callie’s difficulties in her relationship with Arizona, her ‘friend’ Cristina was nowhere to be seen. Similarly, when Cristina left for Switzerland in season 10, there wasn’t a single goodbye shared between the pair. For whatever unexplained reason, Cristina and Callie’s friendship simply became non-existent.
Her Relationship With Owen
Cristina and Owen may once have been one of Grey’s Anatomy's best couples, but it’s no exaggeration to say that their relationship was full of plot holes and inconsistencies from beginning to end.
Both characters had a long list of their own problems, but, instead of working through them, they repeatedly broke up and reunited without ever addressing the issues holding them back. Considering these two were supposedly very intelligent people, it seems out of character that neither of them attempted to fix their differences. Why Cristina stayed with Owen for so long when it was clear that they wanted entirely different things is baffling and very out of character.
She Stays At A Hospital Where She Experienced So Much Trauma
Grey Sloan has seen plenty of drama, disasters, and tragedy, but some characters seemed to experience more than their fair share. Cristina, for example, was definitely put through the wringer.
After suffering a great deal of trauma at her workplace, it’s difficult to believe that Cristina wouldn’t have run a mile from the hospital—or, at the very least, the writers could have had her see a therapist to manage such trauma. Letting things go unaddressed for so long makes little sense for her character.
Her Character Regression In Her Final Seasons
When Cristina was first introduced in the very first episode of season 1, it was clear that this character was determined to battle her way to the top and take no prisoners along the way. However, as the seasons went on, Cristina became a much better and more considerate person with both colleagues and patients alike. Yet, in her later years on the show, she seemed to regress.
For instance, in season 10, Cristina sabotaged Meredith’s research for her own advantage. She meddled in Owen’s relationship with Emma despite knowing she didn’t want a future with him, and she didn’t care about Alex and Jo, her supposed friends, when their relationship was jeopardized. Essentially, she seemed to regress to the self-centered Cristina introduced in season 1—a nonsensical narrative considering her extensive 10 year character development.
Her Sudden Exit
While some beloved Grey’s characters had big fanfare departures from the show, others made sudden exits with little to no warning. Cristina Yang made her exit in season 10 when she upped and left for Zurich, Switzerland.
Some fans argue that her exit was beautifully done—she got to say her goodbyes to many of her friends and colleagues—some disagree. It’s not out of character that Cristina would leave Grey Sloan to accept a promotion elsewhere. However, what is far out is that Preston Burke, years after their relationship ended, is the one to offer her the job. The gesture is a nice nod to their history together, but it is a bit outlandish.
Meredith Ignored Her
Not only did Cristina make a sudden exit in season 10, leaving behind her closest friend on Grey's Anatomy, Meredith, but, after her move to Zurich, Cristina and Mer barely stayed in touch.
Maintaining a relationship between two characters when one has left the show is surely challenging, but these two were the ultimate best friends. When Meredith disappears after Derek’s death, for example, it seems likely that she would turn to Cristina. But surprisingly, there was no mention of her. It’s difficult to believe that these twisted sisters would let a few thousand miles come between their well-established friendship.
Meredith Won The Harper Avery Award
In her exit season, Cristina was nominated for the prestigious Harper Avery award. However, despite her cardiothoracic contributions, Cristina didn’t win because Grey Sloan was owned by the Harper Avery foundation, which was deemed a conflict of interests.
However, 4 seasons later, Meredith was nominated for the very same award and won. The hospital was still owned by the foundation, but the rules were twisted in Meredith’s favor. There was never any explanation in the show for why this was allowed in Meredith’s case and not Cristina’s, and it seems like quite a major oversight to ignore considering losing the award was one of Cristina's primary storylines.
No One Ever Mentions Her… Like Ever
Cristina Yang was such a large part of Grey’s Anatomy for 10 years. From her first episode as one of the original M.A.G.I.C. interns to her many traumatic storylines to being Meredith’s person, Cristina definitely made her mark.
However, after her departure in season 10, Cristina was barely mentioned by any of her former colleagues and friends. Aside from a brief glimpse of a photo in a magazine clipping and a curly head at Derek’s funeral, she seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. It’s baffling that such a significant character is never again mentioned, even in passing, after her exit episode.