Spoiler alert!

It’s a close call for someone on “Grey’s Anatomy” Thursday night.

A lethal secret is revealed when the Dr. Owen Hunt tries to strangle his love interest, Cristina Yang, while they’re both sleeping at the hospital. Other doctors intervene to save Yang, who’s played by Sandra Oh.

Kevin McKidd, who portrays Hunt, said that while his character was in Iraq, his platoon of surgeons came under attack and “he’s the only survivor.”

There have been hints that Hunt suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But until Thursday’s episode, he hasn’t disclosed the wartime injury to people at the hospital and he had cut off ties with people he knew before.

“This is the catalyst,” McKidd said, “that is going to push Owen to realize he’s hit rock bottom” and needs professional help.