Grey’s Anatomy: Teddy’s 4 Best (& 4 Worst) Traits

Teddy Altman might be a polarizing character on the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, but her rather complex and layered character arc makes her one of the most relatable people on the show. When Teddy was first introduced to the show, it was easy to see why Owen considered her to be his best friend. She proved to be an exceptional surgeon, who had a kind and generous heart.

However, as the show progressed, fans soon learned that she had a few flaws. Not only could she be a little mean-spirited and selfish, but there were also times that Teddy placed her colleagues in awkward positions because of something that she did. Nevertheless, Teddy still remains one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most interesting characters.

8 Worst: Impulsive

One of the worst traits of Teddy as a person is that she is way too impulsive. Possibly her most impulsive action on the show to date has been her whirlwind marriage to the handsome Henry Burton, who was suffering from a serious heart condition and desperately needed health insurance to pay for his continuous treatment.

Teddy decided to marry him so that he could have health insurance. While it was a selfless gesture, others may argue that she married a complete stranger to avoid her residual feelings for Owen. Thankfully, the Teddy-Henry duo worked wonders on audiences, who were heartbroken at Henry’s tragic death.

7 Best: Generous & Selfless

Teddy’s impulsive behavior towards Henry also indicated her extreme generosity and kind-heartedness. Only the most selfless person would be open to helping a random individual with no strings attached.

Teddy had also never tried to ruin Owen’s relationships even though she had been in love with him for a long time. She did tell him about her feelings, but that was after she had suppressed her emotions for a very long time. Her convoluted relationship with Cristina also stemmed from her selflessness, where she somehow felt obligated to help Cristina when she realized that Owen had chosen her. On many occasions, Teddy had put her friends’ happiness above her own.

6 Worst: Secretive

Unfortunately, with every good trait, comes a trait that isn’t so good after all. Teddy could be extremely secretive, unable to divulge truths even to the people she loves.

For instance, when she discovered that she was pregnant with Allison, Teddy decided not to tell Owen for months. After she found that he and Amelia had a family of their own, it seemed that Teddy had initially planned on going back to Germany and staying there indefinitely. There was also the fact that she had two secret affairs, which resulted in several people being hurt.

While Teddy never intended for her secrets to cause any problems, it did prove that maybe honesty was the best policy.

5 Best: Co-Operative

Teddy had served as an army surgeon, which had probably instilled in her a great team spirit. Whatever the circumstance, Teddy knows how to work well in a team, even if she is engaged in a feud with her colleagues. For instance, when the elevators had all got stuck during a major storm, Teddy was one such surgeon stuck with a serious trauma patient with Owen and Amelia (“Shelter From The Storm”).

The situation was tense but when it mattered, Teddy cooperated so that the patient could be saved. She also worked amicably with Owen in the aftermath of Henry’s death, despite holding him responsible for some time.

4 Worst: Hard & Insensitive At Times

Teddy is not naturally mean but, sometimes, she could be a little harsh and cross a boundary. For instance, many fans thought the moment she told Cristina that she wanted Owen was disrespectful and insensitive considering she knew how much they loved one another.

Although Jo was wrong to get involved, some fans did think that Teddy had crossed a line by throwing Alex’s departure back in Jo’s face. While Teddy is mostly kind, there were some moments where she could be a little rash.

3 Best: A Good Teacher

Despite the two surgeons’ affection for Owen, Teddy proved to a good teacher and mentor to Cristina. She committed herself to helping Cristina and became her mentor after both Preston Burke and Erica Hahn had left the hospital.

Teddy might have been all the more inclined to mentor Cristina once she found out that she was important to Owen. In spite of causing a strain in their relationship when she told Cristina that she loved Owen, she did, at the end of the day, teach Cristina everything she knew.

2 Worst: Judgmental

Unfortunately, Teddy has proven to be a little bit of a hypocrite in regards to this personality trait. While Teddy has complained about people judging her on her mistakes, fans would be quick to point out that she has done the exact same thing to the other characters.

When Megan returned, Teddy judged Amelia for not being at Owen’s side, despite not knowing the full situation. When Teddy also found out about Meredith and Nathan’s romance, she started questioning Meredith’s medical judgments and condemned her for agreeing to lead the operation. While Teddy was right about no one having a right to judge her, she should also treat others the same way too.

1 Best: Brave

Teddy’s stint as an army surgeon means that, for all her flaws, she is heroic. Her career as a trauma surgeon has taught her to make the best use of limited resources. She is a brave woman who has saved many lives, both on and off the field.

It takes courage and commitment to serve as a military surgeon and she has performed her responsibilities bravely as far as fans are concerned.

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