Over the last sixteen years, Grey's Anatomy has seen hundreds of characters come and go from Grey-Sloan. While some were easily forgotten, others had a huge impact on the fans — a prime example being Lexie. If one takes a look at fan pages or websites, they'll be hard-pressed to find someone who hates her.
She is one of the few people on the show who was purely good and had the best of intentions for everyone. However, that's not to say there weren't things they wouldn't change about her character or arc. Here are 10 aspects of Lexie's journey that got worse as time went on.
Lack Of Independent Storylines
One thing fans didn't like about Lexie's tenure was her lack of storylines. When she first arrived in Seattle, fans were intrigued to see what was in store for her. They looked forward to seeing her bond with Meredith grow and what kind of surgeon she would turn out to be. However, the show failed to really utilize her.
For one, all the storylines Lexie was involved in had to do with her being "the love interest." In season 4, she was tied to Alex and George. In season 5, she was Mark's girlfriend. In season 6, she started a relationship with Alex, and by season 7, she dated Jackson. It was irritating that her memorable storylines simply relegated her to a plot device.
High-Strung
Lexie was one of those characters who wore her heart on her sleeve and always fought for the underdog. Fans loved this about her. But there were also moments when they couldn't help but cringe as she got upset at the littlest of things. Remember when she kicked up a fuss over George not noticing her and then ignored him?
Or how she went off on Mark and her friends, implying they all believed her to be crazy after she had a breakdown? Then there was the time she got upset over Mark saying he missed her. Lexie was too emotionally wound sometimes.
Commitment Issues
Considering Lexie took a big step when she asked Mark to meet her father, it seemed weird that she suddenly turned into a commitment-phobe. Fans understood Lexie's reasoning for breaking up with Mark the first time around since she was not ready to be a parent/grandmother. It was just as understandable when they split over Callie's pregnancy.
However, season 7 and 8 sees Lexie conflicted about whether she should commit to Mark or not. She even showed signs of cold feet with Jackson when she agreed to go to Molly's so she didn't meet Catherine. By the time she was ready, it was too late.
Indecisiveness
Fans will agree that Lexie's indecisiveness gradually got worse over time. One minute she was telling Meredith she wanted Mark to move on and then she was sobbing on the bathroom floor over him and Teddy. Lexie also tells Jackson she was all in with him and then she spends most of her time pining after Mark.
All of season 8 saw her debating whether she should tell Mark she loved him or not. Most viewers will agree the whole "will-they-won't-they" trope got monotonous fast.
The Mark-Centric Storylines
Lexie's character declined once she and Mark started a relationship. The show stopped fleshing her character out and began tying her arc to Mark's. For instance, season 6 saw Lexie struggle to become a "mother" to his daughter and choose between him and Alex.
Instead of giving Lexie her own storyline (e.g. her PTSD, showing an interest in a specialty), season 7 and 8 saw her embroiled in another love triangle with Mark. While this romance allowed fans to see a softer side to him, it didn't add another layer to Lexie. She was just a device used to enhance other characters.
Treatment Of April
Fans were not thrilled about the way Lexie behaved towards April. From the minute April stepped foot into Grey-Sloan, Lexie had been nothing but cruel. She stole April's self-esteem diary and mocked her for it; she made fun of April's virginity and made her feel terrible for having a crush on Derek.
Lexie even got jealous of April's bond with Meredith and admitted she wanted to run her over in a car. While they did come to a stalemate, Lexie and April weren't exactly the best of friends when the former died. Her behavior was a little disappointing.
Jealous Tendencies
Over the years, viewers also saw Lexie's jealousy spiral out of control. A first it was subtle, like after George and Meredith's one-night stand. However, it eventually lead Lexie to become inappropriate and borderline possessive.
For instance, she confronted Callie on her close friendship with Mark after her insecurities got the best of her. She grew jealous of April and Meredith's bond that she acted disrespectfully towards the Chief Resident. She even threw a softball at Julie because she was jealous. Green was not a good color on her.
Treatment Of Jackson
Since a lot of the fandom was too invested in Mark and Lexie, many knew her romance with Jackson wouldn't last. It becomes even more noticeable when one realizes Lexie may have been on the rebound. While she told Jackson she was all-in with him, the viewers did see her and Mark share a few tender moments.
She also admitted to Mark that she was still in love with him but was trying to move on with Jackson. Then, after Mark gives them his blessing, she's not sure she wants to be with him. Again, it seemed like the storyline was added to cause more Slexie drama.
Her Immaturity
Lexie's arc also proved her maturity levels regressed as time went on. She intentionally hit Julia with a softball because the opthalmologist was teasing her. She also flipped out when she found out her ex-boyfriend could be having a child with another woman — despite insisting she wasn't ready to commit.
Instead of tackling her issues head-on, Lexie tried to ignore the problem and bottle it up until it was too late.
Hypocritical
If there was one thing fans didn't like about Lexie, it was her hypocritical tendencies. Remember that time she had it out with her father after he revealed he was dating a much younger woman? Or when she told Derek she was upset with Mark and Julia's relationship despite her dating Jackson?
Don't forget how she told Mark to leave her alone but then got upset when she walked upon him and Amelia hooking up. This just served to emphasize how Lexie was still that naive and young woman fans met in season 4.