Being stuck at home has its perks, and one of them is getting to re-watch our favorite shows for hours on end. If you’re one of those hardcore Grey’s Anatomy stans who is still tuning in every Thursday (#TGIT rocks, am I right?), chances are you miss those who left Grey Sloan Memorial too early. Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins are definitely on that list. Let’s reminisce on all the beautiful moments that Calzona brought to life, and everything that they taught us about relationships – in case the showrunners need any more reason to bring them back!
- Arizona empowered Callie to embrace her bisexuality
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At the beginning of Callie and Arizona’s relationship, Callie struggled with her bisexuality and was anxious about coming out to her father.
When he found out about her relationship, Carlos, a religious man, threatened to cut her off financially unless she returned home with him. His attempts to “pray the gay away” left Callie in shambles. Arizona decided to try to change Callie’s dad with warmth and compassion. She explained that Callie had never changed, and that she was still the same person that he raised. She also promised him that she would always take care of Callie, and that she was “a good man in a storm.” After seeing that Arizona truly cared for his daughter, Callie’s father became more accepting. When Callie and Arizona finally got married, he attended the ceremony and told his daughter that he had been dreaming of dancing with her at her wedding since she was a baby.
Arizona, who is a lesbian, was understanding of Callie’s bisexuality and accepted the fact that Callie dated men in the past. She came to terms with the fact that Callie got pregnant from Mark when she was away, and welcomed baby Sofia in their life.
Arizona’s unwavering support empowered Callie to embrace her sexuality and gifted us this unforgettable quote, as shown above.
In moments like this, Callie and Arizona gave LGBT viewers amazing positive representation and hope for those nervous not to be accepted by their loved ones.
- Arizona didn’t want kids … until she fell for Callie
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In season six, Callie and Arizona almost end their relationship as they realize that they want different things. However, after the shooting episode (yes, that one), they reconcile and Arizona tells Callie, “I can’t live without you and our ten kids.” Cue the gay tears on our end.
- They make a power couple
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Let’s not forget that Callie and Arizona weren’t just the two most bad*ss gay icons, but also powerful women breaking glass ceilings at work. After they and a team of doctors bought the hospital to prevent it from closing, they became members of the new directing board—casual resumé goals. Oh, and let’s not forget that Callie’s nickname was “ortho God.”
She also showed us the importance of asking for what we deserve when she stormed into the Chief of Surgery’s office to demand a promotion. If Miranda Bailey is impressed by your work, you know you’re doing something right. Meanwhile, Arizona healed little kids all day long and mentored everyone’s favorite, Alex Karev. She also got an extremely prestigious fetal surgery fellowship with Dr. Herman in season 11, and I’m still not over their teamwork moments. On top of that, Arizona wasn’t simply talented at the job, she was passionate and devoted to it. She expected surgeons to care for the tiny humans she was treating, and made the most inspiring speech about them. “They believe in magic,” she said. “There is fairy dust in their IV bags. They hope, and they cross their fingers, and they make wishes, and that makes them more resilient than adults.”
I’ll just be in the corner over there recovering from all that.
- They brought so much joy to the hospital
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Arizona went around the hallways in the cutest roller skates before giving the cutest stairwell kisses to Callie. At home, Callie danced in her underwear, and Arizona held many wine nights. Callie and Arizona also brought so much sass and quirkiness to the team of doctors on Grey’s—you can’t forget all their hilarious, snarky comments to Mark. Calzona’s insane chemistry made them one of the funniest couples on the show.
- They did the most romantic gestures for each other
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From surprise birthday parties to camping trips, Callie and Arizona always took care of each other and never stopped exchanging flirty looks, even as the years went by. They knew exactly when to be gentle or tough on each other, and that allowed them to grow immensely, both as a couple and as individuals.
- They showed us the importance of forgiveness and honesty
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Calzona went through a lot together. From the car crash and Callie’s hospitalization to the plane crash and Arizona’s infamous leg amputation, Shonda Rhimes really didn’t give them an easy time. All of this obviously took a toll on their relationship. After Arizona cheated on Callie, the two went to couple’s therapy and took a break from each other before Callie realized she wanted a divorce. Although these moments were difficult to watch as Calzona fans, they also showed us the importance of trying to make it work—and recognizing when things just can’t be fixed.
Through it all, Calzona tried to communicate and be honest with each other about their needs. They didn’t get it right every time, but they showed us that every relationship has its rough patches—and that’s a valuable takeaway from television shows that sometimes set unrealistic expectations. Arizona and Callie stayed kind to each other after a difficult fight in court. After Arizona got sole custody of Sofia, she decided to let Callie see her too, saying that “both of Sofia’s moms deserve to be happy.” At the end of season 14, when Arizona departed the show to move to New York, it was implied that the two ultimately reconciled and got back together after working on themselves. If that’s not true, unfiltered love, then what is it?
Callie and Arizona’s mark on the show will never be forgotten. Both as a couple and as individuals, they made us laugh, cry, and feel so proud of their growth. And we still have hope that when Grey’s ends—not that we’re ready for that to happen—they’ll make one last appearance together. Please, Shonda? Can we make that happen?