Warning! SPOILERS about Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 8 ahead.

Owen and Teddy’s problems are unlikely to be solved anytime soon in Grey's Anatomy season 21, with their breakup looming over them after season 21’s midseason finale. Romances have been as central to Grey’s Anatomy as its shocking character deaths, in the way pairings formed but even for how they broke up, making it unlikely for a couple to survive for long. Teddy and Owen’s peculiar relationship kept them apart for a while and even challenged them after they finally got together. They have yet to officially break up, but Grey’s Anatomy season 21 hinted their time may come soon.

Among the least straightforward, Owen and Teddy’s relationship went through so much before they started dating. From Teddy’s unrequited love for Owen and his bringing her to Seattle as a present to Cristina, eventually ruining Teddy and Cristina’s entire dynamic to his jealousy every time Teddy formed romantic relationships despite never seeing her as an option, it took a long time for them to finally get together. They only did after Teddy gave birth to Alison, highlighting once more their major timing problems. While Teddy and Owen overcame so much, Grey’s Anatomy season 21 showed their relationship’s end is near.

Teddy & Owen's Grey's Anatomy Season 21, Episode 8 Actions Prove There's No More Chance To Fix Their Relationship

Owen & Teddy Making Time For Nora and Cass Made Sure Of That

Cass kissing Teddy in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 6 wasn’t taken as too big of a deal by the two, but Owen reacted extremely to the news, taking it out on Teddy despite her clearing up things with Cass immediately and telling him right after. Cass being part of the team helping out Grey Sloan Memorial doctors during the heat dome in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 8 could have made things more difficult when she found herself working with Owen. However, it did the opposite, as Cass also talking with him about the kiss effectively calmed Owen down.

Seeing them naturally so close made Cass and Teddy’s connection obvious to Owen, also prompting his spending time with Nora, with whom he had already shared some nice moments reminiscing about the past.

What convinced Owen not to push through the exhaustion was seeing how comfortable Teddy and Cass were with each other. Their moment in the elevator wasn’t romantic, but Cass did immediately understand Teddy, in a way Owen didn’t. Seeing them naturally so close made Cass and Teddy’s connection obvious to Owen, also prompting his spending time with Nora, with whom he had already shared some nice moments reminiscing about the past. Owen taking his break after seeing Cass and Teddy together shows him putting up walls, which can only mean an impending breakup with the major problems in their marriage.

Teddy & Owen's Break-Up Has Been A Long Time Coming

Teddy Becoming Chief Made Her & Owen's Marriage Less Of A Priority

Teddy and Owen’s relationship problems aren’t new to Grey’s Anatomy season 21. While season 18 began happily with their wedding, Owen’s choice to provide life-ending drugs to veterans illegally inevitably put a strain on their marriage, even prompting them to go on the run as a family in season 18’s finale. The consequences of Owen’s choices were felt throughout Grey’s Anatomy season 19, as Teddy continued to blame him for the strain on their finances and not thinking about their family before acting. Teddy collapsing in the Grey’s Anatomy season 19 finale only complicated things even more in season 20.

Teddy and Owen’s deteriorating marriage went from snappy remarks in season 19, to problems being faced in season 20, only for them to worsen even more in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 with the addition of two potential love interests.

The aftermath of Teddy’s health crisis highlighted how Owen and Teddy fell into a habit of not prioritizing their relationship, as focused as they were on their careers and their family, even more so as Teddy worked through returning to work as chief and a surgeon. Owen and Teddy now opening up to other people instead of each other thus worsened their already persisting problems in season 21, making their breakup an inevitable part of Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s future based on their relationship’s journey over the past three seasons.

Grey’s Anatomy season 21 returns to ABC on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 10pm.