Grey’s Anatomy Season 21: New Couple Tackles Longstanding Romance Issue

Warning! SPOILERS about Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 16 ahead.

In the world of Grey’s Anatomy, dramatic romances and extraordinary medical cases have always been intertwined. Now, the series seems poised to delve into one of its longest-standing romantic issues head-on, as hinted by recent developments with the characters. Among the new interns this season, Lucas and Simone are the only relatively stable couple so far. Previously, Jules and Mika showed great promise for a memorable romance in season 21, but Mika’s departure unfortunately halted their budding relationship. However, the show has subtly indicated that Jules might find love again soon.

After discovering in season 21, episode 12 of Grey’s Anatomy that her latest romantic entanglement was with Monica Beltran’s former spouse, Jules decided to abstain from dating and concentrate on work instead. This choice was significantly impacted by Mika’s departure in season 21, episode 8, which left Jules particularly shaken, as she had previously told Simone that her feelings for Mika were unlike any she had experienced with other romantic partners. Interestingly, Grey’s Anatomy has introduced a potential new connection for Jules that could revive the original romance dynamics of the show, but with a twist.

Winston Ndugu & Jules Millin’s Connection Emphasizes The Intern-Attending Power Imbalance

Winston Refuses To Consider His Connection With Jules Because Of Their Roles

Jules asking Winston Ndugu to mentor her led to increased time spent together. In season 21, episode 15 of Grey’s Anatomy, there were subtle suggestions that Winston might have felt differently about Jules after she convinced him to conquer his fear of heights. This theme was further developed in episode 16, as they both revealed shared histories involving challenging relationships with their fathers. Richard Webber observing their bond and advising Winston to exercise caution only fueled his resolve to hide any feelings between them, despite the occasional secretive gazes. This situation was influenced by his past and the authority gap between them.

In the early stages of their romantic relationship on Grey’s Anatomy, Winston’s reluctance to acknowledge any personal desire towards Jules highlights the power disparity between them due to his senior role as an attending and her status as an intern. This issue was not extensively addressed in the show’s earlier seasons, except for iconic couples like Meredith and Derek or Burke and Cristina. Winston’s refusal to acknowledge this power imbalance and the potential feelings it could stir within him led him to treat Jules unfairly during Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 16, by criticizing her behavior when his own actions were unprofessional.

In the past, Winston had a similar role to Jules when he first fell for Maggie Pierce, as he always felt like a student around her, even after they became involved years later. This experience has influenced Winston’s current behavior, as he is cautious not to engage with Jules because he remembers how difficult and disrespectful their relationship dynamics were towards the end, with Maggie even admitting that she didn’t respect him due to his willingness to compromise his career for their marriage. This past experience has made Winston more mindful of power dynamics and unwilling to repeat those struggles.

The Power Imbalance Problem Plagued Multiple Grey’s Anatomy Key Couples

This Problem Wasn’t Fully Acknowledged With Various Iconic Grey’s Anatomy Couples

In earlier seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, relationships between attendings and interns were a common occurrence, although disapproved of by Webber and Bailey. However, it should be noted that while Grey’s Anatomy did touch upon the power imbalance in Meredith and Derek’s relationship during its first season, given that Meredith distanced herself from Derek due to his supervisory role, the criticism primarily came from Meredith rather than from Derek as an attending. Essentially, the main issues in Meredith and Derek’s relationship were not directly related to the power disparity arising from their workplace romance, thus making it a secondary concern.

Interns forming close bonds with their supervising doctors led to significant issues, as seen when Cristina concealed Burke’s hand tremor by constantly assisting him in surgeries, shouldering responsibilities that were not hers, and even deceiving their superior officers, putting patients at risk. However, Grey’s Anatomy chose not to address this unacceptable conduct until season 21, instead focusing on Winston’s unwillingness to acknowledge possible feelings for Jules.

Why Ndugu Putting Some Distance Between Him & Millin Makes Their Story More Interesting

Winston’s Opposition Exquisitely Conflicts With His & Jules’ Connection & Similarities

Winston’s hesitation to acknowledge his emotions for Jules and putting space between them makes their relationship more compelling because the battle between logic and emotion might push him to his limit.

It’s possible that this scenario involves Jules questioning Winston about his altered behavior or Winston holding back his emotions until they surface in an inconvenient manner, as shown in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 16. This situation where Winston represses his feelings led to him almost assaulting Mr. Purdy. This dynamic between Jules and Winston will undoubtedly make their relationship more intriguing to watch.

At the same time, Grey’s Anatomy acknowledges the issue of power imbalance in this relationship from the start, which is a departure from previous attending-intern relationships. This recognition adds depth to the storyline, making it significantly more captivating for viewers.

Episode # Title Release Date
1 I Walls Could Talk September 26, 2024
2 Take Me to Church October 3, 2024
3 I Can See Clearly Now October 10, 2024
4 This One’s for the Girls October 17, 2024
5 You Make My Heart Explode October 24, 2024
6 Night Moves November 7, 2024
7 If You Leave November 14, 2024
8 Drop It Like It’s Hot November 21, 2024
9 Hit the Floor March 6, 2025
10 Jump (for My Love) March 13, 2025
11 I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For March 20, 2025
12 Ridin’ Solo March 27, 2025
13 Don’t You (Forget About Me) April 3, 2025
14 Love in the Ice Age April 17, 2025
15 Bust Your Windows April 24, 2025
16 Papa Was a Rollin’ Son May 1, 2025
17 Love You Like A Love Song May 8, 2025
18 Sea of Love May 15, 2025

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2025-05-04 03:19