Through sixteen seasons of ups and downs, friendships turning into family and best friends disappearing to Switzerland (yes, I will never get over Cristina leaving Mer), a comforting constant–throughout all of the deaths and departures–was Merlex: Meredith Grey and Alex Karev's unexpected, yet deeply comforting and relatable friendship.
What's more is that Karev had the most impressive character development, going from Evil Spawn and probably everyone's least favorite from the OG cast to a successful doctor and fan-favorite. While Karev's departure may have broken one too many hearts, let's not forget the many times he was the best person to Mer: