The story behind Dr. Ava Bekker's ultimate descent into a very dark place is rooted in her romantic affair with Dr. Connor Rhodes (Colin Donnell). When Rhodes sets out to create a new, hybrid operating room at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, Ava tries to help him raise funds for the new venture ... by sleeping with Connor's wealthy dad. At this point, Rhodes is already beginning to try and cool things off with Ava, causing her to react with some unsettling push-back, refusing to take no for an answer. But that only hints at the disturbing behavior to come.
Then, in the Season 5 premiere episode "Never Going Back to Normal," the situation finally drives Bekker to try and win Rhodes's affection by taking an utterly drastic step: she uses tainted insulin to kill his father, then explains she did it so she and Connor could finally be together. When Rhodes, predictably, recoils in horror at this and rejects her, Ava takes her own life.
Fans on Reddit were quick to vent their feelings about the character's treatment on the show. In a discussion titled "Ava bekker was ruined by the writers and drastically changed to [an obsessive psycho]," Redditor u/REalneverwaits81 complained, "It was like her [conscience] disappeared overnight along with her good intentions, [level-headedness] and rationality." User u/HAlbright202 felt the change in Ava was too extreme to tolerate for themselves and other fans, writing "For quite a few people including myself it's the moment I [stopped] actively watching new episodes." And while it's certain that some of the characters on the show display a range of unprofessional conduct, Ava Bekker's murderously psychotic break makes her a prime contender for being the very worst in "Chicago Med."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
