Dr. Preston Burke Returns Does Cristina Fall Back In Love? Hollywood Life

Publish date: 2023-12-01

Cristina Leaves The Hospital

The doctors meet in the board room to try to convince Cristina (Sandra Oh) to appeal her Harper Avery Award — after all, she would have won it if she didn’t work at a Harper-Avery owned hospital. Not fair!

“I get it. Catherine Avery made a business decision. I moved on,” said Cristina very firmly, and unconvincingly.

April (Sarah Drew) gets an ultrasound with Jackson (Jesse Williams) by her side, and as they see their teensy tiny bun in the oven, April asks, “You don’t want to terminate, do you?” And Jackson says “no,” which we all know could very well mean “yes” in Grey’s Anatomy land.

Back to Cristina, she’s at the airport all of a sudden! She heads to Zurich. Of course, being overseas can’t stop her from being in touch with her other half, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). She calls her to let her know what a great time she’s having. Seems like a typical Cristina freak-out to us. At least we hope so — she needs to come back!

Derek’s Double Trouble Operation

Speaking of other halves, Derek (Patrick Dempsey) takes on a double-whammy of an operation. He has to separate siamese twins with his doctor twin sister. Not only is it an ultra difficult surgery, but his nagging sibling doesn’t help.

Practically the entire staff watches the huge surgery. Yep, it’s one of those surgeries.

Meanwhile, Jo (Camilla Luddington) is failing at her surgery, and Hunt (Kevin McKidd) is having none of it. He screams at her, and so does Arizona (Jessica Capshaw). Where is Karev (Justin Chambers) when she needs him?!

Burke Is Back

Back in Zurich, Cristina is speaking at a medical conference when suddenly a man in the dark lecture hall begins to ask her an endless amount of questions. When the mysterious man stands up, it’s Burke! Yes, Preston Burke. Cristina’s former love. Who left her in the chapel on her wedding day. BURKE. IS. BACK.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Cristina Should Take Burke’s Job & Let Him Go

Burke apparently meticulously mapped out Cristina’s visit and is following her all around. He admits that he’s been following her work and he also has some exciting work of his own to show off to her.

“You lost the Harper Avery,” Burke says to Cristina in his operating room where the two are working. Ouch. Remember, he won the award years back.

The rest of their back-and-forth banter deals with the patient’s surgery and Burke’s impressive technical advancements in the medical field, but, of course, the sexual tension is what everyone is focused on. That holographic heart in the middle of the operating room? Nah, that has nothing on Burke and Cristina’s ultimate flirtation. In fact, dare we say the floating heart is a metaphor for their fleeting love?!

Cristina tells Burke about her future career goals and when she tells him that she wants to print a human beating heart, he tells her to make the movie to Zurich to work for good. He insists it’s the only place where her medical ventures can come to fruition. “All you have to do is say yes,” Burke says.

Is this symbolic? Does Burke want Cristina to say yes to him? Yes to getting back together?!

Cristina & Burke Rekindle — But Not So Fast

As Burke tries to convince Cristina to move overseas and work at his hospital, she catches on and asks, “Is this some ploy to get me back in your life? Because I’m not interested.”

Then Burke pulls out photo frames to show Cristina pictures of his wife and kids, admitting that his wife is the “love of my life.” That’s gotta hurt. Even years later, Cristina has got to have a tinge of heartbreak and he isn’t helping. Plus, we’re not buying that he isn’t still pining over Cristina deep down.

“I don’t want you, Cristina,” he says. He quickly recoils, telling her that what he said came out the wrong way, and he explains: his wife wants to be a mom. She gave up her career as a surgeon to have a family.

So basically, Cristina’s same old problem is haunting her again. But it’s obvious that Burke isn’t over her. At all. He just fell for a woman who gave him what he wanted (“she supportive of me and my dreams”), which was a family. But what he’s really always wanted is Cristina. “I’m happy for you,” Cristina says.

Burke feels the need to explain himself. “When you do what you and I do, as fiercely as we do it, you need somebody that’s willing to stay home and keep the home fires burning. That’s the only way you and I are ever going to have someone.”

Cristina is having none of Burke’s attacking monologue. “You don’t know me anymore!” says says. “I see your life has moved on, I want you to know mine has, too.”

Burke is taken aback, and quickly says that she’s right — he doesn’t know her anymore. But the one thing he does know is that she’s become a terrific surgeon. “You’ve become everything I dreamed you would be.”

That’s quite the compliment from such an established surgeon like Preston, but Cristina does not look flattered. She looks like she wants to vomit, actually. Poor Cristina. She clearly has all of her bad memories rushing back.

Does Cristina Stay Overseas?

After their dramatic quarrel, Cristina gives Meredith a ring, but to no answer. “Everything I have ever wanted is here,” Cristina spits out on Meredith’s voicemail. “Except he’s here!” She ponders “what the hell” she’s supposed to do.

As Cristina wonders if she’ll leave for another country for good, the interns back in Seattle fret about their future. Leah (Tessa Ferrer), Shane (Gauis Charles), Stephanie (Jerrika Hinton) and Jo think think that they’re on the chopping block so they head to the local bar to drink their worries away.

Cristina & Burke Get After It

Even though Meredith isn’t answering Cristina’s phone calls, it’s evident that she’s still in the picture. At least in Burke’s mind.

Cristina declines Burke’s offer to move to Zurich and he immediately jumps to the conclusion that Meredith got into her head, but she assures him that this has nothing to do with Meredith and he needs to take no for answer. “You think I want to work for you again?” she firmly says. “The best thing that ever happened to me was you walking away from our wedding.”

The two get into a heated argument, just like good old times. Then Burke reveals all.

“I don’t want you to work for me. Us working together would destroy my marriage, my life. The way I loved you was consuming, and eventually, you hold the carrot and I’ll be chasing you. I have a family now. A life I want. I don’t want you to work for me. I want you to take over. I am leaving…I have been wanting to leave for a while…I haven’t been able to find anyone that I was willing to give the institute to, until now.”

Cristina cannot even believe it, but then she realizes that Burke is dead serious. He is giving her the hospital! If she wants it, it’s hers.

Relationship Statuses: What’s The Diagnosis?

So Cristina and Burke don’t end up together, but some of our other favorite couples have a happy ending.

April and Jackson have a lovely pow wow in the hospital church, and express their commitment to each other. Arizona and Callie (Sara Ramirez) are also as happy, as can be.

Derek tells his sister that she can stick around, and he’s actually recommended her for Callie’s neurosurgeon project. “You’re my favorite sister,” he says. It doesn’t seem that she’s going to stay in Seattle, but we’re happy to see that they’re not fighting anymore.

And then, the last relationship update required no words at all. Cristina returns back to the states and simply looks at Meredith. Knowing all, Meredtih responds “You’re leaving.”

HollywoodLifers, did you enjoy seeing Burke return? Are you happy that him and Cristina aren’t back together? Do you think Cristina will take the job? Will you be sad to see her go? Let us know down in the comments!

— Elizabeth Wagmeister

Follow @EWagmeister