Warning! SPOILERS about Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 18 ahead.
One detail in Grey's Anatomy season 21’s finale oddly had the newest romance teased by the medical drama mirror a Grey’s Anatomy season 20 story that ended a forgotten relationship. Grey’s Anatomy’s workplace romances always entailed that there would be a power imbalance between those involved, especially based on the main couples in Grey’s Anatomy’s early seasons, like Meredith and Derek, Cristina and Burke, and, later, Ben and Miranda. While at the beginning the medical drama simply acknowledged the power difference, Grey’s Anatomy season 21 chose a different approach before even letting anything happen between Jules Millin and Winston Ndugu.
Since Jules’s decision to focus on her career and ask Winston Ndugu to be her mentor in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 12, the two spent more time together. This forced them to get to know one another better, but that hadn’t been a problem until Jules tricking Winston to reach the building’s edge changed his perspective, making him realize at once that “lines were getting blurry.” Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 16 only made things more difficult, until they effectively stopped working together. However, their talk in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s ending highlighted one odd similarity to another story.
Jules & Winston's Story Follows The Same Pattern Of Taryn & Mika's Season 20 Breakup
Winston Removing Jules From His Service Stopped Her From Learning, Like Taryn With Mika
Although Jules previously told Winston she appreciated exploring other specialties, she finally confronted him about never being on his service anymore in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s finale. Winston’s admission of effectively treating her differently because of what he felt rightfully angered Jules, as to avoid a situation that was difficult for him, Winston denied Jules the opportunity to learn from the best cardiothoracic surgeon. All the moments Grey’s Anatomy framed as romantic between Winston and Jules in season 21 were distinctly unilaterally so, as Jules was unaware of what was happening, something Webber picked up on, which she entirely ignored.
Grey’s Anatomy season 21 unabashedly lingering on the signs that Winston was feeling something for Jules despite really not wanting to because he was her mentor, along with refusing to admit Richard was right, made the moment a bigger deal without Jules having anything to do with it. The entire mishap highlighted how, even without a relationship happening, attendings have the power to negatively affect a resident’s chance to learn. The unfairness of it all is more evident with Jules and Winston because nothing actually happened, but Grey’s Anatomy season 20 already tackled the insidiousness of workplace relationships' power imbalance.
While they were dating before they started working together, Mika Yasuda and Taryn Helm’s breakup in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 happened because Taryn cheated Mika of an opportunity to learn by using her power as co-chief resident to reassign her from the impaled patient case just because she wanted to prove she didn’t play favorites. Mika viewed Taryn’s actions as a betrayal. It was bad enough when Burke didn’t request Cristina on his service to punish her for something that happened at home, but Taryn’s resident status and wanting to be in the OR like Mika made her actions unforgivable.
Jules Knowing The Truth Means Winston Has To Do Right By Her In Grey's Anatomy Season 22
Nothing Happening Between Them Makes It Something Winston Needs To Overcome
Image via ABC
Taryn couldn’t make things right with Mika because Mika immediately ended their relationship, but Winston and Jules not being in a romantic relationship makes it easier for Winston to rectify his mistakes in Grey’s Anatomy season 22. Jules’ reaction to ask to join Monica Beltran’s case in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s ending already hinted at Jules wanting to keep her distance from Winston. However, her knowing Winston was at fault because he didn’t know how to deal with the situation professionally, without hanging her out to dry, puts the onus on Winston to do right by her in the future.
Winston’s actions directly impacting Jules’ ability to learn from whom she viewed as the best could potentially influence their story to take inspiration from Grey’s Anatomy season 10’s non-fraternization policy, by creating a stricter schedule for residents to follow that wouldn’t let them jump from one attending’s service to the next. However, Winston owning up to his mistake and trying to make it right directly with Jules is more likely, especially considering how an inability to separate professional from personal life already negatively affected his past, as it eventually led to his and Maggie’s divorce.
Can Jules & Winston's Relationship Still Happen In Grey's Anatomy Season 22?
Jules & Winston's Conflict Adding More Drama Makes The Relationship Likelier
Grey’s Anatomy season 21 placed Jules and Winston in too many romcom-coded situations not to progress with their romance, even if it could take a while for something to happen between them. Their difficult history with their respective families and their getting one another’s sense of humor built a strong basis from which their drama-filled romance can progress in season 22. Grey’s Anatomy season 21 already highlighting the power imbalance nonetheless makes their story more interesting, as the medical drama will inevitably have to wrangle the lightness of their romance with the dilemma of their different hierarchies going forward.
