15 Alex Karev Moments That Prove He’s the Best Character on Grey’s Anatomy

Besides Meredith, Alex Karev has one of the darkest and twistiest character arcs in all of Grey’s Anatomy. One of the original five interns, he starts off with humble roots as the frat boy of his cohort, or as Cristina dubs him, “Evil Spawn.” His character grows throughout the series’s record-shattering run, and now we’ve even seen him as interim chief! Seriously, we bet you’ve shed a tear (or a hundred) watching Alex take care of Izzie or reconciling with his mother. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’s as pretty as McDreamy! While the show is called Grey’s Anatomy, we thought it’d be proper to pay homage to Meredith’s person. Read on to see our favorite Alex moments that made us sob, laugh, and everything in between!

Season 1, Episode 2: Teaming Up With Cristina

Admittedly, Alex is still boorish in the first season of Grey’s, but we do see him be a team player in this episode and split up scut work with Cristina. While delivering news to their patients as fast as possible, the two interns also try their best to duck hugs and other schmaltzy forms of affection. Their subplot brings levity to the heavy episode, in which Izzie helps out a Chinese woman’s undocumented daughter and Meredith puts her career on the line by saving a newborn.

Season 2, Episode 27: Carrying Izzie Away From Denny

Remember when Izzie cuts the LVAD wire, then Denny dies soon after proposing to her? We’re holding back our sobs thinking about how she lies next to him while Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” croons softly in the background. Not long after their short-lived and disastrous relationship, Alex picks up Izzie and tries to calm her down as a dear friend when her lover dies.

Season 3, Episode 25: Telling Ava to Pick the Decent Guy

After the ferry accident, Rebecca Pope, then a pregnant Jane Doe patient, goes under Alex’s care, a time during which he calls her Ava. They form an emotional relationship as Alex treats her. In this episode, Alex’s depth unfolds as he navigates messy and complicated feelings. He takes the high road and tells Rebecca to go back to her husband, but Addison tells him to seize the chance to be with someone he loves.

Season 4, Episode 17: Telling Izzie He Can Take Care of Ava

Distressed, Rebecca slits her wrists when she’s with Alex. When he brings her into the hospital to patch her up, Izzie insists that Rebecca receive a psychiatric consult. During a heated talk, Alex desperately says he’s able to take care of Ava, just as he did with his own mother. It’s a heartbreaking moment, and we learn there are tragic hidden depths to Alex’s seemingly frat boyish character.

Season 5, Episode 22: Saying His Wedding Vows to Izzie

Season five of Grey’s Anatomy is just all kinds of heartbreaking, especially after we learn about Izzie’s cancer diagnosis. Meredith and Derek decide to donate their wedding to Izzie. During the ceremony, Alex, after talking with a graduating valedictorian, tells his wife-to-be that today’s the day his life begins. Sure, he copies a bit of his patient’s speech, but the moment, when coupled with Ingrid Michaelson’s emotional “Turn to Stone,” is priceless.

Season 6, Episode 8: Healing a Patient With the Kangaroo Method

Alex, being the secret sweetie he is, cradles a newborn who everyone believes to be a lost cause. To everyone’s surprise, Dr. Bailey notices the baby’s vitals are going up because of the kangaroo method. She tells him to take off his shirt to be the most effective, and you better believe we’re not opposed to her medical advice.

Season 7, Episode 17: Kissing Lucy

Dr. Lucy Fields originally takes Alex to be a food hoard and an ineffective flirt but comes to her senses after Meredith tells her what a great guy Alex actually is. Lucy then finds Alex at his trailer in front of the hospital and totally disarms him by flirting with him. She then plants a smooch on him, melting our hearts along the way.

Season 8, Episode 15: Discovering Arizona’s Belief in Him

Arizona and Alex’s mentor and mentee relationship might be one of our favorites in all of Grey’s. While applying to fellowships, Alex learns that Arizona has been tanking her recommendations for him. She then begrudgingly explains to him that she doesn’t want to ship away her best peds candidate. Someone who believes in Alex’s potential? Be still our beating hearts!

Season 9, Episode 10: Befriending Jo

Jo and Alex’s relationship starts off as a chummy exchange at Dr. Bailey’s wedding. While waiting for the bride to come by, they share stories about their crappy upbringings that will form the rock-solid foundation of their romance for years to come. This talk is one of the few times we see Alex candidly open up about his past.

Season 10, Episode 12: Taking Care of His Father

Alex’s father, Jimmy Evans, pops up unexpectedly in the previous episode and ends up staying at the hospital. Suffice to say, the peds surgeon isn’t thrilled after years of not seeing him, even confronting his abusive and absent father at one point. Still, Alex decides to look after Jimmy despite his conflicting feelings. He’s definitely a stand-up guy.

Season 11, Episode 17: Hugging Meredith

Stressed out about Derek’s mysterious lab colleague in DC, Meredith believes she was distracted and killed a child in surgery, blaming Alex for making her doubt herself. Alex hugs her tightly, telling her she did her very best in their surgery together. There’s no doubt Alex has become Mer’s person after Cristina left, and he’ll continue to play an important part in her life after Derek’s passing.

Season 12, Episode 9: Comforting Meredith After Her Attack

Meredith wakes up after getting attacked by a patient in a fugue state, confused and hurt all over. As she’s profusely sobbing, Alex crawls into her hospital bed and comforts her, because that’s just the kind of friend he is.

Season 13, Episode 6: Asking Meredith For Waffle Sundays

Alex really lives up to the challenge of being Meredith’s person, even if he makes the poor judgment of punching DeLuca in the face. While mulling over his trial date, he tells Meredith he wants to have waffle Sundays with her, her sisters, and the kids. We’re lovin’ Alex in this cheesy moment because he’s thinking about how to make Meredith happy and OK with her family while he himself wades in hot water.

Season 14, Episode 22: Talking With His Mother

After visiting Iowa, Alex learns that his mother, who has schizophrenia, is back at her job as a librarian. He applies for a library card in order to talk with her and lets her know how happy he is for her. Be right back, we’re bawling our eyes out because of how grown-up Evil Spawn has become.

Season 15, Episode 2: Becoming Chief of Surgery

Still a bit drunk and tan from vacation, Alex becomes interim chief after Dr. Bailey decides to take a break from her administrative duties, much to Meredith’s chagrin. It’s a pretty goofy moment when Mer learns that her person has become her boss, but it’s also kind of heartwarming to know that Bailey trusts her former protégé with her very important job.