SPOILER ALERT: This article contains information about the events that occurred in Grey’s Anatomy season 13, episode 1.

All Grey’s Anatomy fans know that Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and the surgeons at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital have been through many challenges, but in this new episode Shonda Rhimes has found a new way to test the characters as well as the fans. Season 13 of Grey’s premiered on Sept. 22, and while not all of the beloved characters returned, all of the drama of this ABC show certainly did. Grey and the other surgeons at the hospital have stuck by each other through some very tough times, but with the conflict in this new episode, there is sure to be division throughout the hospital.

At the end of season 12 we see Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), one of the attendings at Grey-Sloan, beating up a surgical intern. He thought Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) was taking advantage of his ex-girlfriend, Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington), and he lost control. The result was as worse as I feared, DeLuca had to be hospitalized and put into surgery. Some of the other surgeons said he could permanently lose his sight. For a surgeon, that could mean losing your career.

When Karev brings DeLuca to the hospital, no one knows that he is actually the one who hurt DeLuca. By bringing in DeLuca to get help, Karev makes it clear that he regrets what happened, but it is too late for him to do anything. He wants to make amends with DeLuca, and tries to talk to him, but DeLuca seems to have no interest in forgiving Karev, and I can’t say I blame him.

Grey, a close and loyal friend to Karev, helps cover for him at first, especially because she thought DeLuca was guilty too. When she realizes DeLuca did nothing wrong, Grey urges Karev to admit to what he has done. After much debate and internal struggle, Karev eventually turns himself in at the end of the episode, and is arrested.

This ending is devastating and troubling because after all I’ve seen Karev go through on the show, I truly appreciate the person he has become. My first impression of Karev was awful, but he changed as the show went on, and so has my view of him. Karev has slowly exposed the true kindness in his heart, that he keeps guarded in the first few seasons. In recent episodes, Karev showed that he really matured and improved. For Karev to be arrested after how far he has come is quite heart breaking. What Karev did to DeLuca was definitely wrong, but he only did it because he thought DeLuca was taking advantage of Wilson while she was drunk. If he goes to jail for that it will likely  ruin his chances of ever getting back together with Wilson, and probably end his career.

Not only is it devastating that Karev could end up in jail, but the fact that the incident occurred between two hospital employees ensure that there is going to be conflict between groups in the hospital, those loyal to Karev, and those on DeLuca’s side. I think some of the surgeons who are close to Karev will be able to forgive him because they know he has a good heart. Grey makes her position clear, and explains why she supports Alex. She says, “When I first got here, he was one of the worst people I had ever met in my life, and now he’s one of the best, and I know both of those people are still in there. I just want to make sure the right one wins.”

Others seem to be taking the side of DeLuca, including Karev’s ex-girlfriend, who was the reason why Karev beat up DeLuca in the first place. However, we also saw a look of deep sadness as she watched Karev getting escorted by the police, so it’s possible she may forgive him eventually.

There is no way to know for sure who’s side everyone is going to be on, or what is going to happen to Alex, as of right now. I guess the only option is hoping for the best while waiting for Thursday to come.