There has been a lot of speculation and rumors regarding the upcoming season of Grey’s Anatomy. Rumors of big character returns are among the most popular and as the mill turns, we are starting to get validation, kind of. Can we expect the return of Dr. Torres & Dr. Yang?

It was recently reported that Sara Ramirez would be taking a break from the show which means that Dr. Callie Torres won’t be around to reset bones. But Shonda Rhimes eased our heartbreak a little by stating that her exit is definitely not permanent and we can expect to see her return before the new season is over.

It’s also been teased that another character could return in the new season. With the drama surrounding the hate/hate relationship of Katherine Heigl and pretty much everyone else, it’s safe to say that Izzy Stevens will not be the returning character. And for years, we have all held out hope that the “John Doe Bus Victim” wasn’t really George. And with T.R. Knight’s career pretty much going nowhere, it would be amazing to see him return from his time in the military as a new, hardened George with lots of new baggage.

One of the more likely possibilities would be Dr. Cristina Yang, who left the show after season 10 for a career out of country. We constantly hear her mentioned throughout the show as she still remains close to Meredith off stage, and her character’s attendance at Derek’s funeral was implied, although we never actually saw her face. But she has always been clear that the Grey’s Anatomy door was not closed and she would be thrilled to reprise the role whenever Rhimes deemed it necessary. Well, it’s necessary!

With Owen and Amelia getting married, but not actually saying their “I Do’s” in the season finale, it would be amazing to have Cristina crash the wedding right before and try to stop the nuptials. When asked about the rumors of her return, she remained cryptic by replying, “I love the fact that there are speculations about it.” What the heck does that mean?

So we are left wondering for a while longer to find out who will be returning and what new surprises are in store for the long-running drama series. I, for one, would love to see Alex involved in a love triangle, or possibly square, by having Ava/Rebecca return along with the introduction of Jo’s abusive husband. Either way, the next season will be packed full of twists and drama. Stay tuned!