Farewell To Cristina Yang

Ashley Lokken

Central Bureau Chief

    As all of us Grey’s fanatics are aware, season 10 is coming to a close and Cristina Yang’s departure is approaching. Cristina Yang has been an extremely important asset to “Grey’s Anatomy” numerous years of success. Her brilliance, dry sense of humor, and overly confident cocky demeanor has graced audiences for a fantastic 10 years. But the exact reason for Sandra Oh’s departure is unknown.

    “It’s been a great privilege to play the character of Cristina Yang on GA and I am both sad and excited to see where this, her final season will take her,” Oh said in a statement to Entertainment Magazine. “It was an emotional and deeply creative decision for me and I feel fully supported by Shonda and the writers. It’s so rare in an actor’s life to be able to explore and grow a character so fully, so completely. I am profoundly grateful to everyone at GA for the opportunity.”

    Lucidly, the decision didn’t come easily for Oh. “Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go,” Oh told The Hollywood Reporter.

    In the most recent episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Cristina makes the crucial decision of determining which sister will receive a new heart, eventually leading to the death of the other sister. The unbearable guilt and grief then takes over Cristina, causing her to state the words: “What’s the point? What’s the point of anything?”

    Taking this into account, one can determine Cristina’s departure from the show will most likely be similar to her real life reasoning for exiting the show. Possibly coming to the conclusion she has done her part in “Grey’s Anatomy,” her duty is done, and she is rightfully ready to retire.

    It may seem as if Oh is not affected personally by this decision, but in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter she shows otherwise.

    “I’ve gone through a lot of therapy over this,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I started thinking about it because I had to prepare myself. I gave myself two years to emotionally let go. At the end of last season, Shonda took me aside and said, ‘What are your thoughts?’ I said, ‘I’m ready.’”

    Oh shared with her co-stars about her upcoming exit at the table read for the show’s 200th episode and stated the decision “doesn’t feel real yet.” She claims Shonda Rhimes has supported her every step of the way. “For the first time, at least for my character, you actually have an endpoint, which in series television you never or very rarely have” Oh proclaims.

    “One of the best days of my life as a writer happened the day Sandra Oh walked in my door to audition and forever changed the course of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ with her brilliant, nuanced portrayal of Cristina Yang,” Rhimes says.

    In retrospect, Cristina Yang has touched the lives of innumerable amounts of Grey’s fanatics, including my own. Yes, her departure from the show is saddening, but we should have the utmost respect for Sandra’s decision and have faith that Shonda Rhimes will continue the success of the show like she has done for an extraordinary 10 years of airing. We will never forget the sensational Cristina Yang.