Maggie and Winston went their separate ways in her Grey’s Anatomy sendoff episode, but it was actually a happy ending for the couple, who’d been fighting all season. Kelly McCreary’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, announced a month before her last episode as a series regular aired, sparked questions about whether Winston would be moving to Chicago with Maggie. Grey’s Anatomy season 19 has been a hard one for Maggie and Winston, who married in the season 17 finale. Maggie leaving Winston behind in Seattle may not seem like a happy ending on the surface, but it was the best ending for each of them in Grey’s Anatomy.
Winston first made his appearance on Grey’s Anatomy in season 16, though his and Maggie’s history preceded her time on the series, having met when he was a resident and she was an attending at Tufts. However, after their reunion, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing as Winston lived in Boston while Maggie worked at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle during the pandemic. Winston eventually moved to Seattle to be with Maggie and work as a cardiothoracic attending at Grey Sloan, and while this was good for their relationship at the start, it didn’t take long for issues to arise.
Maggie & Winston Didn’t Sacrifice Their Careers In Grey’s Anatomy
The biggest problem in Maggie and Winston’s relationship has been present from the start: Maggie is Winston’s boss. Grey’s Anatomy has had plenty of relationships in which there was a power imbalance in the workplace, from Burke and Cristina to Derek and Meredith to Jo and Alex. However, it is an especially unique power imbalance because, due to her genius, Maggie is actually younger than Winston, something he initially admired about her when he first developed a crush on her at Tufts. Traditionally, they’d be on the same level, but Maggie is Grey Sloan’s head of cardio.
This problem was exacerbated in Grey’s Anatomy season 19 as Winston confronted Maggie for her treatment of him at work as if he wasn’t an accomplished surgeon in his own right. He eventually proposed switching specialties so Maggie wouldn’t be his boss, but that would have been a significant sacrifice in his career. Winston also asked Maggie to stay in Seattle and turn down her opportunity in Chicago, and if she had, it would have been a major sacrifice in her career. However, Maggie going to Chicago and Winston staying in Seattle meant neither had to sacrifice their careers, making it a happy ending.
Grey’s Anatomy Celebrated Maggie’s Ambition In Her Sendoff Episode
For multiple episodes in Grey’s Anatomy season 19, Winston has made Maggie feel a sense of guilt about her ambition. While Maggie’s ambition did have some adverse effects on their working relationship, it is also part of what made Winston fall for her in the first place. Maggie refused to apologize for her ambition and even criticized Winston for not having enough of it. While Winston seemed ready to give up cardio for Maggie, it was something she would never have done, and she wasn’t about to let him do it either.
Maggie’s Grey’s Anatomy sendoff episode celebrated her ambition rather than villainizing her for it. Maggie is one of Ellis Grey’s daughters, and while Ellis is notoriously cold, Maggie got the best parts of her, just as Meredith did, and both of them put their careers and needs first in choosing to leave Seattle. Maggie tried to save her relationship with Winston, but she also knew that Chicago was too good of an opportunity to give up, and Winston knew the same about Seattle for him. Maggie leaving showcased her ambition, and Winston staying showed his respect for Maggie as well as his ambition.
It Would Be A Mistake For Winston To Follow Maggie In Grey’s Anatomy
The promo video for Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 16, featured a scene in which Amelia told Winston that he “let [his] ego destroy what was once true love.” While his ego might have played a part in earlier troubles in their relationship, it also allowed them to have a happy ending. Amelia confused ambition for ego in the same way that people often misconstrue Maggie’s, as him not following her to Chicago was the right choice for himself and his career.
If Winston had followed Maggie to Chicago, their problems would have followed them there. Winston would have been going to Chicago without a job lined up, something he pointed out, and he didn’t want to be given a job just because he was Maggie’s husband. Staying in Seattle allows Winston to prove himself as a cardio surgeon without being under the shadow Maggie casts in their working relationship. Maggie is returning for the Grey’s Anatomy season 19 finale, which could offer her and Winston more closure, but they have their happy ending for now.