She didn’t stand any chance against the 2000’s prejudice. Grey’s Anatomy has never been known for being too kind to its characters. As people came and went from the cast, Shondaland explored many ways to get rid of them, and a good half of them left the fandom heartbroken.
However, even some of the characters who managed to survive Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and seemingly moved on to a better life elsewhere, fans believe deserve much better. One of the characters who always seemed to suffer throughout the series is Cristina Yang.
Brilliantly portrayed by Sandra Oh, Cristina was a fan favorite for many viewers from the beginning. Extremely intelligent, dedicated to improving her craft and straightforward with those around her, Cristina could be too much for some, but she became the best friend and true soulmate for the titular Meredith Grey.
Despite such a warm and understanding relationship with Meredith, Cristina’s love life was always far from it. No man in all of Seattle seemed to understand and respect the very strict boundaries she had regarding children: Shonda Rhimes did a wonderful job of showing all the hardships of being a childless woman from the late 2000s to the early 2010s.
Although her talent was never denied by any of the men she dated, they all ended up relegating Cristina to the role of wife and mother. No matter how outspoken she was about her position and how career-driven she always acted, not one person seemed able to understand.
While her character’s conflict peaked with Owen Hunt, the same issues were hinted at with Preston Burke. Even years later in her relationship with Marlow, who seems to have understood her position and learned to respect it, viewers hear him complain about her rejecting his marriage proposals.
No matter how dirty Cristina Yang has been treated by the writers throughout the show, she still remains one of the favorite characters for many viewers. Partly because of the representation she gives to many young women who have no interest in starting a family and raising children.