The latest update to theGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 cast is a sign that it is finally time for Cristina Yang to come back.Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh, is one ofGrey’s Anatomy’s best characters.Her friendship with Meredith and her romantic relationships over the years cement her as one of the most memorable characters on the show. As season 21 nears, and new characters are announced, it might finally be time to revisit her return.
Grey’s Anatomyseason 21has announced the return of one forgotten character who conveniently coincided with Yang’s time on the series.The latest cast update is set to include returning favoritesEllen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, and James Pickens. But asseveralGrey’s Anatomyalumnireturn, it is only natural to think about other alum stars that have turnedGrey’s Anatomyinto such an amazing show. The latest character to return to the show is just one example, and it emphasizes how it is time for Cristina’s return too.
Sydney Heron’s Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Return Emphasizes The Need For Cristina Yang
Sydney Is Returning To Grey’s Anatomy After 17 Years
Grey’s Anatomy’s showrunner, Meg Marinis, revealed that Kali Rocha would be returningtoGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 as Dr. Sydney Heron, as reported byEntertainment Weekly. Sydney was a minor character inGrey’s Anatomyseasons 2-4, but her character is mostly remembered because of the tension she unwittingly created with Yang, due to Sydney’s positive personality. Speaking about the upcoming season, Marinis said that there will be “some funny interactions between Sydney and some of our newer characters who’ve never met her.”
Rocha’s Sydney is returning to the show after 17 years, showing that returns are always possible inGrey’s Anatomy.
Given the significance of Sydney’s appearance as a returning character, it is exciting to think about the possible interactions that could happen if Cristina were to return as well.Sydney’s reappearance also emphasizes the possibility of characters returningafter having left the show so long ago. Rocha’s Sydney is returning to the show after 17 years, showing that returns are always possible inGrey’s Anatomy. And with Cristina being such a memorable character, her return would also be highly welcomed.
How Cristina Yang’s Return Can Impact Grey’s Anatomy Moving Forward
Cristina’s Return Would Revisit Some Of Grey’s Anatomy’s Best Moments
Other than being remembered for being a highly driven and intelligent character,Cristina enjoyed a noteworthy friendship with Meredith. Having Cristina return to the series would mean revisiting one ofGrey’s Anatomy’s greatest friendships. Time after time, Meredith and Cristina were there for each other through heartbreak and personal struggles, to the point where Meredith even called Cristina “her person.”
Given the tumultuous events of season 20, and Meredith’s resignation from the Fox Foundation, she’ll need more support in the show’s return. She obviously has Scott Speedman’s Nick in her corner, butMeredith is not a lone wolf character, and bringing Yang back, even temporarily, would be good for her.
Grey’s Anatomy’s Best Cristina Yang Quote Has A Deeper Meaning Than You Realized
One of Cristina Yang’s best and most memorable quotes from her time on Grey’s Anatomy has a deeper meaning and backstory than you probably realized.
Cristina returning toGrey’s Anatomywould also allow the show to revisit her relationship with Owen. While she and Owen broke up after a difficult relationship, it would be nice to see the characters interact again as friends, especially since they were always better off as friends than as a couple. Cristina’s return would also reveal exciting interactions between her and the newestGrey’s Anatomycharacters and possibly allow her to form new friendships and relationships with the current cast members.
Yang’s Return Can Make Up For Her Unforgivable Snub Of Meredith
Cristina Can Heal A Pretty Big Wound From Season 17
Back inGrey’s Anatomyseason 17, Meredith came closest to dying, after years of near-death experiences, after contracting Covid. The show pointedly brought back important characters to Meredith, including several who had been killed off - thanks to Meredith’s consciousness existing on a Limbo-like beach - but Yang was conspicuously absent.
Yang famously didn’t return to support Meredith when Derek died, despite their bond, but not coming back to Seattle when her best friend was circling the drain looked even worse. If she was to return at another difficult point in Meredith’s life, that snub may feel less painful, and the character can at least defend her past decisions.
Death and All His Friends
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Now or Never
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It’s the End of the World
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Grey’sis a show built on character relationshipsand the idea of found family, and the longer it continues without Yang returning in some way, the harder it is to believe that she remains as important to Meredith as she still seems to be. BeforeGrey’s Anatomy’s inevitable end, that needs to be rectified.
What Sandra Oh Has Said About Returning As Cristina Yang
Is A Return For Yang Likely Any Time Soon?
There are some obstacles to Yang returning to Grey’s Anatomy, of course. Her character’s storyline has so far successfully kept her away from Seattle, butthere’s also the small matter of Sandra Oh’s willingness (or otherwise) to return. That has proved to be a major boundary thatGrey’s has seemingly been unable to overcome to date.
Unlike other actors who have moved on from such defining roles, Oh doesn’t speak cynically about Yang, and recognizes how important the role was to her, and still is to fans:
“I love that people still love Cristina. When there is a 15-year-old girl who then comes to me and is like, ‘I’m in medical school because of Cristina,’ I love it. I never, ever forget how important Cristina is. I never do because those 15-year-old girls find me, and now 10 years on, I have much more appreciation for their appreciation.”
In another interview, withEntertainment Tonightin which she shared a similar sentiment, she offered a somewhat disappointing outlook for a future return for Yang:
“I love that, I love that people are still [fans]. I love that you asked me that, because Cristina Yang is, of course, near and dear to my heart. [But] I will say, not anytime soon, my love… I feel like I did my job, which is that I brought to life a character and she had a growth over 10 seasons, and that it was true. She was ready to move on, and so have I.”
There is a positive there, of course, in the fact that she said “not anytime soon” rather than an absolute “no”, but it feels likeGrey’s Anatomywould have to give Oh an irresistible reason to come back.
Grey’s Anatomy
Cast
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
