Season & Episode	Narrative Milestone	Impact on Character Fate
Season 1, Episode 1	First solo appendectomy failure	Earns the nickname "007" (licensed to kill), establishing his underdog standing.
Season 2, Episode 6	Elevator open-heart surgery	Proves his natural aptitude under extreme pressure under Preston Burke's mentorship.
Season 3, Episode 25	Intern exam failure by one point	Forces him to repeat his intern year, separating him from the MAGIC cohort.
Season 5, Episode 24	Bus accident rescue / 007 reveal	Leaves him disfigured; marks his physical final moments in real-time consciousness.
Season 6, Episode 1	Brain death diagnosis & organ harvest	Formalizes his legal death, closing his storyline and dispersing his organs to patients.
Season 17, Episode 4	COVID beach vision appearance	Reunites with Meredith in a dreamscape, granting closure to long-term viewers.