Grey’s Anatomy season 20 introduced a new pediatric attending surgeon,

Dr. Monica Beltran, but they already missed an opportunity with her character.

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Summary
Dr. Monica Beltran’s character development in Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 6 allowed viewers to get to know her better.
A missed opportunity for Arizona and Monica to work together in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 became clear in episode 6.
Grey’s Anatomy season 21 offers a chance for Monica’s character to shine more and potentially work alongside fan-favorite Arizona.
Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 6 allowed viewers to get to know Dr. Monica Beltran better while also revealing a missed opportunity from earlier in the season. Monica first appeared in Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 3 as a new attending pediatric surgeon. The episode saw her work a case with Amelia, teasing a new couple in Grey’s Anatomy season 20. Since then, most of her scenes, albeit brief, have been with Amelia. It wasn’t until Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 6 that Monica started to work more with the other doctors.

Still, not much is known about Monica’s character outside of her work. Amelia and Monica growing closer is a step in the right direction, but with Grey’s Anatomy season 20 having an abridged season of just 10 episodes, there hasn’t been a lot of time to get to know Monica. Fortunately, Grey’s Anatomy season 21 has been confirmed, meaning there’s a chance for more storylines involving Monica, including one that should have happened earlier in season 20.

Arizona Should Have Worked With Monica In Grey’s Anatomy Season 20
The Pediatric Surgeons Have A Lot In Common
The addition of Monica to the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital staff coincided with the return of Arizona in Grey’s Anatomy season 20. The beloved pediatric/fetal surgeon exited Grey’s Anatomy at the end of season 14 and didn’t make another appearance until Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 4. When she did return, it was for a fetal case, and most of her scenes were shared with Bailey and Jo. Despite also being in the episode, Monica and Arizona’s paths never crossed in Grey’s Anatomy season 20.

Not having Arizona and Monica work together or even meet was a missed opportunity for Grey’s Anatomy season 20 to have a meeting of the old and new guard. Additionally, Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 6 revealed Amelia and Monica have a lot of common. Though Monica is far from bubbly like Arizona is, they share a passion for pediatric surgery and their young patients. Like Arizona, Monica is quick to remind the other doctors that peds isn’t “general surgery in miniature” and that they must always put the children, their parents, and their best interests first.

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Arizona & Monica Could Still Work Together In Grey’s Anatomy Season 21
Another Case Could Lead To Arizona Returning Again
Thankfully, the Grey’s Anatomy season 21 renewal means the medical drama has the chance to right its wrongs in the next season. Natalie Morales, who plays Monica, was only a recurring character in Grey’s Anatomy season 20, but she could move on to a bigger role in season 21. Viewers have already responded well to Monica’s character, as shown via a post on X by a user named Maria. The post praises Monica for an interaction with Schmitt in Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 6 that is reminiscent of interactions between Arizona, Jackson, Cristina, and Alex.

With Arizona also being a fan-favorite and her Grey’s Anatomy season 20 episode failing to address her life in New York, she also deserves another chance to return. Grey’s Anatomy season 21 has the opportunity to have Arizona and Monica work on a pediatric case together. This could highlight both their differences and similarities and serve as somewhat of a passing of the baton in Grey’s Anatomy.