There have been dozens of cast members across the eighteen seasons of the long-running Grey’s Anatomy, but certain mainstays are considered to be the core characters. The doctors of Grey Sloan memorial have had many tragedies and happy times during the show’s run and some great dialog to follow.
That doesn’t mean there haven’t been inconsistencies in their lines and conversations either, as the main characters have said things that don’t align with their personalities. Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith herself has fallen prey to this, while just about everyone else in the hospital has made claims that their actions haven’t backed up.
Miranda Bailey: "Guys Like You Don't See Girls Like Me. We Don't Exist To You."
Miranda Bailey has rarely been single during her time in Grey’s Anatomy, but she isn’t one to fret over her single status when not in a relationship. She’s also independent in personality and doesn’t indulge in relationship drama like the rest. It’s why her outburst to Derek was out of character when she wasn’t feeling loved.
Bailey was already going through marriage problems and was taken advantage of by an old high school classmate to do her paperwork. She took out her frustrations on Derek because she thought pretty boys like him didn’t notice women like her. While her points were valid, it didn’t seem like something a person as fierce as Bailey would say.
Richard Webber: "Man To Man, You're Just Going To Have To Deal With It. You Don't Want A Piece Of This. Not Today."
Jackson wasn’t too happy when he learned that his mother was in a relationship with Richard. Having messed up his marriage to Adele and his affair with Ellis, Richard is generally a defensive person whose inherent guilt prevents him from being too confrontational.
He was somehow much more aggressive against Jackson, however, as Richard got into the former’s face and threatened him if he had any objection. Richard is overall a fatherly figure and tries to resolve conflicts, but his words against Jackson went against his image to come across as a tough guy in a way that fans hadn't seen.
Derek Shepherd: "You Really Get Around...This Thing With Us Is Finished. It's Over."
While he’s remembered as “McDreamy,” there was a tendency for Derek to be rather shameless in Grey’s Anatomy. He was largely a good man who had natural charisma that brought him many admirers, and Derek was just a warm person.
However, he went against character when he learned of Meredith’s many dalliances after their break-up that he’d initiated. Derek shamed Meredith for her decisions and then promptly told her that they were done for good - such hurtful words just didn’t seem possible coming from Derek.
Owen Hunt: "I'm Saying, 'Take Care Now'."
Owen has been a hopeless romantic to a fault, having fallen in love with just about every woman he’s had a serious relationship with. It’s why it didn’t align with who he is when he didn’t say he loved Cristina, even after their incident where he strangled her during a PTSD incident.
Cristina didn’t hold it against him after a while and was ready to exchange love declarations, only for Owen to say this. A person like Owen would be more than willing to accept his significant other’s forgiveness and love, making this claim something else entirely.
Alex Karev: "You Deserve More Than A Letter. And This Right Here, This Cowardice? It's The Worst Thing I've Ever Done."
Alex and Jo were the couple with the most misunderstandings in Grey’s Anatomy, but they finally reached a happy point in their marriage. It was out of the blue when he sent her a letter to tell Jo that he’d gone back to Izzie, writing that it was an act of cowardice because he couldn’t face her.
Alex was a jerk for most of his run on the show, yet he was never seen as a heartbreaker. Alex’s personality was to confront people head-on even when he was wrong because he always had to justify himself. This quote may very well have been written by Izzie, as it’s hard to imagine Alex being so open with his lack of scruples.
Cristina Yang: "I'm Wearing The Dress. I'm Ready. I Really Think I Want This."
The show deliberately had a character speak against their nature on this occasion. Cristina never really wanted to marry Burke and had cold feet right before the wedding. Upon being confronted by him, Cristina uttered this as she tried to convince herself that she wanted to go through with it.
Burke saw through her feeble attempts to promptly call off the wedding. Cristina’s delivery of her lines wasn’t believable either, with frequent stuttering present throughout. She was someone who wanted things her way or not at all, and hearing her give in to someone else’s idea of a future isn’t how Cristina would ever want to live.
Jo Wilson: "You Are My Home. You Are My Heart."
Jo had a horrid past where she had to escape from her abusive ex. It turned her into someone who looked out for herself and had a hard time truly trusting another romantic partner. Although she loved Alex, Jo’s claim that she saw him as her home was pushing it with her characterization.
After all, she had proven that she could very well live on her own and her arc was mainly about empowering herself. To say that Alex was her safe place of sorts was to take away from her newfound independence in personality. Her quote seems even more out of place considering that Alex ended up ditching her.
Callie Torres: "Don't Spend All Your Time Wondering What You Are Or Whether It's Right For You Or Wrong For You."
If there’s one thing that’s certain about Callie, it’s that she was always changing her mind with relationships. Her arc involved realizing an emotionally distant George wasn’t for her, to constantly breaking and making up with Arizona, and then shifting to New York to be with Penny, whom she later broke up with.
Callie making this claim to Arizona over personal identity went against what she did herself. She had to spend a lot of time in therapy and getting her heart broken to decide where she fit best, and that worked for her. But the quote doesn’t fit her characterization when Callie was always someone who relied on tried-and-tested methods for self-enlightenment.
Jackson Avery: "She's Married With Someone Else. I Would Never Do Anything To Take That Away From Her."
Jackson and April were Grey’s Anatomy’s most surprising romance at the time they first got together. Still, they managed to make it work, especially after Jackson convinced her to leave her fiance at the altar. The season after they divorced and she left, however, Jackson had this quote to say to Maggie.
It made no sense for him to tell Maggie this when Jackson had already taken April away from her husband, as she ended up marrying the same man she’d earlier left hanging at the altar. Jackson ultimately convinced April to leave him for good in his final appearance, which again contrasts heavily with what he stated.
Meredith Grey: "Pick Me. Choose Me. Love Me."
The earliest seasons have the best storylines for Meredith in Grey’s Anatomy, and the love triangle with Derek and Addison was highly intriguing. However, Meredith is a person who thrives on her independence, and it’s just not believable for her to beg a man for his love.
She did just that when she asked him to leave Addison for her, claiming she needed to be loved. It was an out-of-character move for someone who largely hates big romantic declarations. Meredith has found her greatest happiness out of personal achievement, meaning she would never see love as a real accomplishment.