Grey’s Anatomy season 22 episode 3 recap: Lucas guides Wes, while Amelia heals from grief

On Thursday, October 23, 2025, ABC aired Grey’s Anatomy season 22 episode 3, titled “Between Two Lungs.” The episode showcased intense medical drama as the surgeons at Grey Sloan Memorial faced high-pressure situations involving life-and-death surgeries and complex patient care.

The episode focused on a risky lung transplant that tested the surgical team. Lucas, Winston and Nick had to handle a living donor surgery under extreme pressure, while Bailey cared for a trauma patient whose treatment was uncertain. At the same time, personal challenges and team dynamics added extra tension to the day.

Outside the OR, personal stories were also important. Amelia took a break to travel and heal from her grief, Jules used humor to deal with awkward situations, and Teddy helped Jo with big life decisions. As the team handled both work and personal struggles, the episode offered a mix of emotional moments and intense medical drama.

Grey’s Anatomy season 22 episode 3: Lucas and Wes face a career-defining challenge

In this episode, Lucas’s skills as a mentor were tested when he had to work with Wes Bryant. At first, Lucas was frustrated by Wes’s presence and struggled to control his anger while teaching him. Bailey stepped in and reminded Lucas of the importance of guiding younger surgeons and keeping personal feelings separate from patient care. Their interactions showed the challenges of teaching and learning in a high-pressure hospital environment.

Lucas and Wes ended up caring for a cancer patient instead of joining the lung transplant. The patient had Stage 2 gastric cancer and needed reassurance and careful communication. Wes refused to be intimidated by Lucas and stayed focused on learning. Lucas noticed this and put aside his frustrations to guide Wes, marking an important step in his growth as a mentor.

Simone’s awkward situation with an intern made things more complicated at the hospital. Lucas had to separate his personal issues from his professional duties and remember that patient care came first. By the end of the episode, he had begun to strike a balance between empathy and authority, demonstrating improvement in both teaching and emotional awareness.

Grey’s Anatomy season 22 episode 3: The high-risk lung transplant

The main story of “Between Two Lungs” centered on a living donor lung transplant that tested the surgical team's skills. Two fathers gave parts of their own lungs to save their sick son, even though it was very risky.

Nick led the surgery and Winston helped. Winston was nervous at first because the operation was so complicated. The pressure in the OR revealed the intensity of the surgery and tested each doctor.

Jules helped Winston by encouraging him to focus on the patient and not his doubts. The episode showed the distinction between doctors who prioritized their own interests and those who genuinely cared for their patients. Lucas and Wes were not in the OR but watching the surgery taught them how important planning and teamwork are in difficult operations.

The surgery ran into problems when one father’s lung part could not be used, so the team had to improvise with the other donor's lung. The operation succeeded thanks to precision, flexibility, and teamwork, showing the skill and determination of Grey Sloan’s surgeons.

Other highlights of Grey’s Anatomy season 22 episode 3

Besides the main surgery, the episode showed several personal stories that added both humor and emotion. Amelia took a break to travel and heal after Monica’s death, showing her journey through grief and self-discovery.

Teddy helped Jo with big life changes, like buying a family car and dealing with her divorce from Owen, showing how doctors face both personal and work challenges.

Blue ran into trouble in Plastics after he accidentally treated a fellow as if she were an intern. Kavita, the fellow, became a professional rival after Blue gave a patient a snack after surgery, breaking protocol.

This showed the importance of rules in the hospital. Jules used humor to handle awkward situations, such as Simone’s romantic issues, providing the story with some comic relief while also exploring character struggles.

The episode mixed medical drama with personal relationships, teaching lessons about patience, empathy and growth. Lucas, Wes, Winston, and Nick dealt with high-pressure surgeries while also learning from their interactions with each other.

Fans of the show can watch the new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy season 22 on ABC