When Owen Hunt first arrived at Seattle Grace Hospital, it was clear his character was trying to fill the void left by Preston Burke's departure. He and Cristina were instantly attracted to each other. Owen left after their first encounter because he was due to complete a tour in Iraq. When he returned to Seattle Grace as Cristina's boss, things weren't quite the same. Owen was distant and cold, much to Cristina's confusion.
Owen later revealed he was the sole survivor of his tour group and that he was now living in the "after." Owen's trauma changed him. After trying to push Cristina away, Owen would eventually give in to his feelings and begin pursuing her romantically. This was a selfish choice as he knew he wasn't in the right place to date anyone. Owen would go on to cause great distress for Cristina – distress that could've been avoided if he'd done the honorable thing and kept his distance.
10 Their First Kiss After His Return Was Uncomfortable & Frightening
Owen cared for a homeless war veteran that was brought into the hospital after he was crushed in a garbage truck. His injuries were severe and he needed care from most of the staff. Unfortunately, the patient didn't survive. Cristina approached Owen outside of their local bar to tell him she was sorry they lost their patient.
She didn't realize Owen was triggered by the patient's connection to war. When she tried to offer comfort he forcefully repeated, "I don't need you to be sorry," causing her to back away from him. After a brief pause, he kissed her. Their kiss can be interpreted as passionate or intense, but it's just as aggressive and strange.
9 He Suggested Cristina Go Out With Him Before Dealing With His Issues
Owen gave Cristina several mixed signals when he first arrived. He flirted with her often, but would ignore her whenever he felt uncomfortable. This left Christina frustrated and confused. One day Cristina blatantly told Owen he had a lot of problems.
Owen's response was "so go out with me anyway." He knew he wasn't well enough to get involved in a romantic relationship, but he pursued Cristina anyway. He would later admit in therapy that he caused Cristina harm by becoming involved with her while knowing he wasn't mentally stable.
8 He Tried To Keep Her From Cardio
Teddy's arrival brought about several complications for Owen and Cristina's relationship. When Teddy confessed her feelings to Owen, he became conflicted. He was in a committed relationship with Cristina, but he now had to face the fact that he also had feelings for Teddy.
Owen attempted to avoid this conflict by ignoring Teddy and keeping Cristina to himself. He tried to distract her with sex and forced her to ignore Teddy's page at work. Owen tried to suppress his feelings by forcing Cristina to sacrifice her passion.
7 He Wanted To Force Her To Have Children
The trauma of the shooting caused Owen and Cristina to make an impulsive decision. They decided to get married. While they had developed strong feelings for one another, Owen and Cristina didn't know each other as well as they thought. It wasn't until after they were married that Owen learned Cristina didn't want children.
He never understood why she didn't want children. He tried to change her mind by convincing her she'd be a good mother. His lack of understanding for her choice caused him to continuously attack her thought process.
6 Cristina Was Afraid Of Him
Owen was reluctant about seeking help for his PTSD. He underestimated the effect his trauma had on him. As a result, he was aggressive and consistently on edge. Owen was always jumpy. His new reflexes made Cristina uneasy. Still he remained stubborn about seeking professional help.
Teddy stated that Cristina couldn't tell him to go to therapy because he was "a guy that way." It wasn't until he noticed Cristina recoil from him in fear that he decided to go back to therapy.
5 He Often Butt Heads With Her Best Friend
After Meredith noticed Owen's unstable state of mind, she was concerned for her friend's safety. Meredith remained concerned about Owen's behavior and Cristina's well-being after they were married. Once Owen became Cristina's husband, he wanted to be the main influence in her life.
After the shooting, Owen and Meredith had a difference of opinion when it came to the best way to help Cristina. He ironically called Meredith reckless and stated he didn't want her behavior around his wife. Owen hurt Cristina physically and emotionally. It was immature and hypocritical of him to suddenly declare he knew what was best for her when he's caused her so much pain.
4 He Had Feelings For Cristina & Teddy
Teddy's arrival at Seattle Grace Mercy West wasn't a coincidence. Cristina longed for a new head of cardio, so Owen brought Teddy to Seattle as a present for her. When Teddy arrived it was clear that they had feelings for one another.
Owen's feelings for Teddy were so strong that he asked Derek to give her job to another candidate so she would leave. Furthermore, he was jealous of Teddy's relationship with Mark Sloan. When Cristina asked him who he loved, he couldn't even answer her. The distressing events of the shooting helped him choose between Teddy and Cristina.
3 He Showed Up To Their First Date Drunk
When Owen finally showed up for his date with Cristina, he walked into her apartment in a dazed neurotic state. It was obvious to Cristina that Owen was inebriated. He practically begged Cristina to give him a chance, then disappointed her by showing up to their first date drunk. While he rambled on about his best surgery, Cristina told him that he smelled.
He responded by getting into her shower fully dressed. Owen was nervous about participating in a normal social event such as a date, and he coped by drinking alcohol. Owen told Cristina that he knew she deserved better and promised to make it up to her. Owen revealed himself to be a poor choice as a partner before their first date.
2 He Cheated On Cristina To Punish Her For Her Personal Choices
After Cristina had her abortion, there was a serious strain on her marriage. Owen wanted to keep the baby, but Cristina was adamant about not having children. He tried to support her choice, but went on to resent her. His cold treatment led Cristina to suspect infidelity.
She was right. Owen admitted to cheating on her with one of his patient's friend. When Cristina tried to understand why he did it, she realized that he wanted to hurt her the way she hurt him by having the abortion.
1 He Choked Her In His Sleep
Cristina knew Owen was struggling with his PTSD, but she believed she could handle it. They were both convinced they knew what they were doing. One night, one of Owen's dreams put him in a catatonic state. He believed he was back in Iraq fighting for his life when in reality he was choking Cristina. Callie heard the commotion and went to check on her.
Her shocked exclamation woke Owen up, making him release his grip. Christina was completely shaken. Owen wasn't ready to be in a relationship and he tried to use his affection for Cristina as an escape from his PTSD. This avoidance led him to commit an act that not only brought him guilt and shame, but also traumatized Christina.