What's Best

Calzona Review 14 x 22

Grey's Anatomy  "Fight for Your Mind"

Is this it? Are we really getting the endgame we deserve? How close are we? Is this the end of our heartache and heartbreak? 

In recent episodes, we've witnessed Carina and Arizona rekindle their relationship after their “mini breakup” and had been flirting and  giving each other sweet kisses, Arizona even fearing that Carina may leave, but fast forward to this episode, (it all sped by so fast) the situation drastically changed. 

Are we about to get that Calzona endgame that we've been waiting for for centuries?

Last  two episodes

Nothing is impossible especially now that the Calzona story is breathing its last with two more episodes to go.

Now that Jessica will move on to greener career pastures, our beloved Arizona has two last episodes before she hangs up her chimp cartoon-patched lab coat.

Which also means we have two last episodes to see the close of the legendary, groundbreaking and  historic Calzona story.

During Arizona’s “In The Meantime”

After Callie left for New York, we've been with Arizona during her  "in the meantime" moments for the most part of seasons 13 and 14. 

We have stuck by Arizona throughout her journey. Even if she found new relationships,  deep inside, we longed for that day when she will be reunited with Callie.

Although Callie has been gone for almost two full seasons, Arizona has been holding down the fort of the Greys Anatomy LGBTQ storylines with her short-lived albeit amusing relationships.

Eliza Minnick was a short-lived affair. It was interesting while it lasted, but It did not really get past the pierogi bonding thing.

                                   

Her relationship with Carina Deluca was  light, fun and sexy. The hot, charming OBGYN Italiana gave Arizona lots of fun times to remember. Their relationship almost had some promise but it seemed that the bond was not as deep as  Arizona's bond with her truest love.

Sofia’s unhappiness

When Sofia arrived in 14x07,  she was sad. From the onset, we didn’t really see her smile much except for when Arizona gave her ice cream when she arrived home and when Arizona brought her to work to be an “intern” for a day.

She was unhappy most of the time.  She missed her other mom. She refused to go to school as she missed her friends and teacher. . 

This new episode proves crucial in the seeming quest for a pleasant ending for Arizona. I have reason to guess that they may have concocted a happy ending for her, one that will be remembered by the gazillions of Arizona and Calzona fans. 

For a seasoned Grey's viewer and observer, the rush to conclude Arizona's storyline is quite obvious.

I’m not privy to when they decided to pull the plug on our beloved character but as far as I can recall, Arizona's season 14 appearance has been mostly about her relationship with Carina, her challenges with Sofia’s sadness and her successful maternal mortality project.

Mentions of Callie

We also did notice that she mentioned Callie in different episodes this season:

Starting in 14x07   when Sofia arrived from New York and  Sofia said she misses her mama
 and she said "I do, too"

In 14x16 When Sofia was crying in bed and said she wanted to go to New York because she  misses her friends and teacher and Arizona said she misses her mom.

Then in 14x20  that  time she was high and committed that Freudian slip, mentioning interesting things about Callie (when she and Maggie were talking about Carina). “Callie is fun, funny and the sex is really great.” Callie leaving and how Callie and Carina both know how to make her lose her mind in bed ;)

And then in this new episode 14x22, where she tells a patient the whole story of how grateful she was to her wife (not ex wife, excuse me) who saw the bigger picture about her amputation and in effect saved her.

Now it seems that the writers have scrambled to pack in all the information for resolution of all loose ends of Arizona's storyline and to present Arizona's psyche at the moment. 

I’m guessing, of course they want us to feel contented with the exit of a beloved character. They want to answer all the questions, they need to resolve all the conflicts, so that they can send this character off into a ‘happily ever after’ realm. 

Let's see how they did this in Arizona Robbins' third to the last ep...

The episode opens with a telling V.O.

Before surgery we ask patients a series of questions. 'Do you have a job to return to?' Do you have a support system. Were screening for mental illness. Anxiety, depression, delusions...we need to make sure you're of sound mind. We need to make sure you know what to expect. But if we check patients for mental illness, why not surgeons. Someone should really get on that.

Troubled Sofia

As we have observed, Sofia had been  problematic  since her return to Seattle. 

Things got alarming when in this new episode, Sofia at second grade, was suspended from school for stealing the $1,200 field trip money. 

She did it because she wanted to buy a plane ticket to New York. And according to her diary, which Arizona read on the sly,  she didn’t want to hurt  Arizona’s feelings  so she set off to get the money on her own.

It's normal for Arizona to feel that she's not excelling in the parenting department. She has been feeling she’s messing this up.

Maybe Sofia at this age, has been feeling the pressure of having her two parents far away from each other and she misses both moms who are in two different states. She misses the other when she's living with one parent and it has taken a toll on her.

With separated couples, the ones who truly suffer are the children caught in between.

Arizona has been  realizing this  and this has probably been bothering her the past weeks that Sofia has been home with her.

Arizona’s Realizations and Revelations

Arizona's medical case in this ep is as Maggie called it, “the coolest thing on the tiniest person ever.”

Arizona's pregnant patient Theresa’s unborn child was afflicted with spina bifida on an exteriorized uterus. 

Def from MayoClinic.org: 

Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don't form properly. It falls under the broader category of neural tube defects. The neural tube is the embryonic structure that eventually develops into the baby's brain and spinal cord and the tissues that enclose them.

Theresa though, also had tomophobia, a fear of medical procedures and she equates surgery with death. 

She had been traumatized when she was 5, when her dad died after complications from an appendectomy, so she refused to have surgery done on her.

If it was not treated, the baby could suffer paralysis and other dangerous consequences.

Arizona made sure she and her team (Maggie and Deluca) had sufficiently assured her patient. It was going to be a tiny incision and she will use very tiny instruments and that during the procedure, the baby will stay very safely inside and Maggie would monitor the baby's heart the whole time.

Despite all the reassurance, Theresa was paralyzed with fear that she checked out of the hospital.  Surgery was cancelled, and this alarmed Arizona. It was a dangerous thing to not perform surgery in this case.

In a confiding moment with best friend April, in between spoonfuls of ice cream or frozen yogurt (because ice cream makes everything okay), she poured out her frustration at not being able to be an outstanding parent to Sofia and said that she did not know what to do. It was when April said “You’re her mom. You do whatever you think is best for her, ” that spurred her to try and convince her patient to go on with the surgery. 

Arizona, deeply concerned about her patient, did the unexpected. She felt so much for the dangerous mother-child  situation that she went out of her way and visited Theresa's residence to talk to her heart to heart. Mother to mother.

This talk proved pivotal when finally, Arizona addressed and acknowledged her gratefulness to Callie for making that  brave decision to amputate her leg in Season 9.

Arizona: If it weren't you having surgery, if it was your daughter's life at stake and she was standing right there and she needed surgery what would you do? Would you just let her have it? May i come in?

Teresa: i just know that if you put me under, i won't come back. And I’ll die and I’ll never see my baby...and I’ll never come back.

Arizona: I used to roller skate. My family used to move around a lot which was really scary but whenever we'd get somewhere new, first thing my dad would do, my dad would take me skating. And so no matter where i was in the world, that would stay the same. And i felt safe. I did it in college, and I did it in Med school and i did it when I first got my job here. I worked with kids and so it kinda made them feel safe too. And then i was in an accident. And they told me that i may lose my leg. And all i could think about was I'll never be able to skate again. And a lot of my life would change with that seemingly tiny thing. It felt like i felt like my whole life was being taken away from me. And that all the stuff that my dad had given me, you know all the magic and all  the safety was just gonna  be gone.

And so i made my wife promise me that she would not let them take my leg no matter what. 

But then it came down to my life or my leg. And they needed her consent to amputate. I am so lucky that she and my doctors could clearly see what I couldnt. And you know what? I skated again. And my worst fear was wrong. And the only thing that i really lost was my leg and i would've died If i had kept it. And i have so much joy in my life right now. More than i could possibly imagine. I have a healthy daughter, and I have work that i love and I am okay. I'm great. And I want that for you. I want that for your life.

Teresa: I'll die

Arizona: No. Your dad died. And it was unfair and it was terrible and it still scares you. But you're a mom now, you're her mom and you need to do what's best for her.

In this important revelatory speech, Arizona had convinced her patient to care most of all for her child and do what was best for her, even if it meant facing her worst fears. The child's safe and healthy childbirth was of utmost importance. Arizona did an excellent job explaining  to her patient that her fears should not prevent her from giving birth to a healthy child. 

In the process, this paved the way for a meaningful speech that 1) explained to us for the first time the significance of roller skates to her and 2) it finally affirms that she recognized the positive effect of Callie's decision to amputate her leg. If we recall, Arizona has been so bitter about losing her leg (now we understand more fully) and had taken it against Callie. We all knew that Callie had only the best intentions and she only did it out of love for her wife. She wanted her wife alive  and the only way to save her was to let go of the injured leg that was causing her sepsis.

This issue about the leg  was the root of all the deep-seated anger Arizona began to harbor against Callie then, and even if they made peace after the amputation, they were never the same again. They had fights, they made up, they had other relationships, it all became a burden to  their marriage and eventually, they ended up separated and in different states.

This was the major cause of the long-drawn  Calzona conflict. It is what made it almost impossible for them to get back together. Every issue that cropped up between them always came back to the leg.

And now?  Happy to say that’s now out of the way. Time to say dasvidanya to the infamous mantra “it all comes back to the leg” because out of nowhere in 14x22,  in the midst of the rush to give Arizona a good exit, it was necessary to seek resolution to the deeply rooted conflict, here in this patient’s couch. 

Arizona has acknowledged  that she has become happy again. She realized that during the crucial time that she went into septic shock, Callie had to make that painful decision because she saw the bigger picture. Amputation would save her  beloved  Arizona’s life. And in the aftermath, Callie bore the brunt of Arizona's bitterness against her  but she was patient enough to take it all, in order for Arizona to have a happy life again after that tragedy. A bit sad though that Arizona was having these important realizations on hindsight, now that Callie has long moved on.

I can only guess what thoughts have been running inside Arizona's mind in the recent weeks or months. I sense only her gratefulness to her wife. Maybe even  apologetic and maybe there is some regret. Maybe she loves her wife more now. Remember that Freudian slip when she was high? Mentioning Callie was a subconscious thing. Maybe an unconscious subdued wish. She was probably longing for Callie, deep inside. Somehow. ;)

The important thing is that she finally had this realization and told us about it in her third to the last episode.

Some say it's a little too late, but for me, it matters. It MATTERS A LOT. This is what we needed for so long. And even if we don’t know if it is  too late to help them gain more understanding and love for one another, at least it happened. We needed this. Props to Greys for bringing this up and resolving this finally.

  

Rockstar at the O.R.

That positive encouraging attitude displayed by Arizona as she led her patient back to the hospital, celebrating the "Little victories" after every step, and her positivity,  "We're just gonna keep going," was just too hard to miss. Makes you admire this character all the more.

Even in the O.R., her pep talk was convincing. She was very determined:

"It's just sleep. It's not dying. You're gonna go to sleep, then you're gonna wake up, and you'll be okay.” 

Theresa: You promise

Arizona: I promise

Theresa: Easy for you to say. If you're wrong then you're off the hook. Cause I'll be dead

Arizona: I promise.

Arizona's confident promise surprised me and made a stauncher supporter out of me. Usually doctors say they are going to do their best before a surgery. Arizona, badass as she is, was not even clumsily making a false promise. She was of steely determination, certain of a good outcome. She knew she could do this. She knew she could pull off the successful procedure. She had a strongest resolve that in helping this patient do what was best for her child, she was gaining enough strength too to face her fears of change,  and do what was best for her own daughter. 

That goosebump-inducing background music made that surgery iconic as it should be. It was one of the most visually pleasing surgeries ever filmed on Greys.  In full display was double board-certified Arizona Robbins' surgical genius. One could not help but gush at her skill and caliber as a surgeon, awesomely portrayed by the excellent Jessica Capshaw, and dramatically complemented by stunning angles and visual effects courtesy of uber brilliant director Jesse Williams.  This was  to be Arizona's last ever scene at the O.R. and what a scene it was, heightened by the soaring powerful glorious notes in the background.  Befitting of O.R. royalty. Pure badassery.

And guess what?  She fulfilled her promise to her patient. Skillfully. With finesse. With confidence.

She pulled it off successfully. No surprise there.

To Theresa's relief, she was fine, the baby was fine.

Teresa: I cant believe I put you all through that. I was so scared for nothing.

Husband: You saved our little girl babe. My hero.

Arizona: He's right. You did it . You did everything that you could for her.

Teresa: I'm a mom

Arizona: You are a mom.

The Break-up with Carina

The outcome of the surgery strengthened Arizona's decision to prioritize what was best for her own daughter.

It was not a welcome decision for her girlfriend though. 

The closing V.O. tells it like it is:

"We have to stand up to our demons. We have to face reality whenever possible and ask for help when we can't."

The dialogue with Carina was painful but necessary.

 Arizona : I know that you don't agree with me

I know, I know u think that i coddle her but I am her mother and I have to do what's best for her if I can and in this case, i can.

Carina: Then why defend yourself to me if you don’t even care what I think. I just wish that what's best for her wasn't what's worst for me.

And the pain and struggle in Arizona's face was clear as day. This was goodbye. Goodbye to fun and adorable unproblematic Carina. 

I'm thinking it was not easy for Arizona to let her go. Carina defined fun, in bed or not. She did mention in 14x20 that she clings hard to Carina cause she is afraid to lose her like she lost everybody else.

Remember too that Carina had  observed that Arizona was coddling Sofia which left Arizona taken aback, In addition to her observation that Carina was uninterested most times when she talked about Sofia. 

Even if Arizona did care for Carina, she probably sensed there was something lacking. 

As shown in 14x20, Carina was not one to want kids which surprised Arizona. For Carina, kids would be detrimental for a doctor like her whose work required her to move around a lot.

A True Mother above all  else

It was a conscious choice. Much as she had grown to care for Carina, she had to put her child's needs first, above everything else.

See, this is why I love Arizona. She is selfless. Her daughter comes first. Before herself, before her career, before her love life. She knows what her top priority is and that is Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres. 

That's Arizona Robbins for you. Badass surgeon, loving wife/girlfriend, best of all, she is a mom first and foremost.

Surprise Number One

It was surprising too when she made this call to the shocker of shockers: CALLIE.

She spoke to her casually  like they've been talking on a daily basis.

"Callie hey. So I was thinking… And I think that Sofia should move back to New York with you. 

(V.O.: And when we do that, healing is possible.) 

“And I think I need to move back with her.” 

Heard that v.o. on healing that was in the midst of the Calzona phone convo? Yeah they’re endgame.

Why did she suddenly decide to go to move back with Sofia? Because she knew that Sofia could not handle her moms being in two different states. Some kids may be able to handle their parent's situations when separated just like Carina, but Sofia is not one of them. She could not cope well. We saw this since 14 x07.  Arizona knew she had to make a brave and bold decision. Not a creative decision but a decision for the good of her daughter.

(See what i did there ;) )

She had to do what's best. After all, if Arizona is one thing, she is one true mother. More than anything else.

Two more episodes left and I still cannot accept that we will say goodbye to Arizona and to Calzona.

Hoping that with these last two eps, even if there is no clear way they can give us a convincing story development to merit a Calzona endgame, I am still hoping that Arizona and Callie still end up together. Even if they leave that open ended. 

Shonda has always said she roots for them. So yes, I am definitely expecting Big Surprise Number Two. *Wink*

This is our last chance at a Calzona endgame.  Praying very very hard that we get what we have always deserved.  Funny but it’s all about us now. We deserve it. J

Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary, Calzona.

Calzona forever.

@GAFan8