Jessica Capshaw

[Warning: This story contains major spoilers from the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy. Read at your own risk!]

After spending an entire summer wondering about the fates of our favorite Grey's Anatomy doctors, Thursday's premiere dropped several bombshells that forever changed the staff of Seattle Grace. Cristina (Sandra Oh) moved to Minnesota, Mark (Eric Dane) was pulled off life support, and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) was missing in action throughout most of the hour.

Missed the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy? Read our recap

The sad truth was that she was at home in bed, destroyed by the fact that not only lives were lost in the plane crash: Her left leg, which was severely injured in the accident, had to be amputated. Yes, the always chipper and bubbly pediatric surgeon who used to roll around the hospital on wheelie shoes is now missing a leg and she blames her wife Callie (Sara Ramirez) for it.

How will Arizona deal with the road ahead? TVGuide.com caught up with Capshaw to get the scoop on that and what this means for Calzona. (Shonda Rhimes, don't you dare break them up!) Get the scoop:

What was your reaction when Shonda told you she was planning to amputate Arizona's leg? Capshaw: I was shocked. I definitely didn't see that one coming. Which, in hindsight seems silly of me given that there was a very, very real and very profound injury at the end of last season, but I just didn't know. I didn't even go there. I guess that's why I don't create shows. [Laughs]

Arizona has always been the pillar of happiness. How dark will her journey go? Capshaw: I think that's the point. There is no light without dark, and there's no dark without light. Yes, at the inception of the character, I think there was something really nice about how light she was. ... Then, ever since going to Africa, when she came back, things just weren't the same. Something happened. It was the car crash. There was the baby. [And now] an airplane crash. She should just walk [out]. Now I say that and look what happened.

What will we see as Arizona is dealing with this? Capshaw: The writers and Shonda are obviously trying to tell good stories. It seems, in the many conversations that we've had, there was a real story here. It was an opportunity to tell a good story of something very profoundly difficult happening to Arizona. Now, we'll see the story of how she comes to terms with that, how long it will be dark, and when it will get light again. Hopefully, it's that whole thing about all the people in London and Seattle: When it rains all the time, that one day that you get that's sunny is like the best day ever. I think that's the idea.

Grey's Anatomy: Where were we and what's next?

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Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Jessica Capshaw Discusses Arizona's Fate and What's Next