Credit: ABC screenshots, Howard Wise/JPI

General Hospital felt a little more reserved this week in comparison to the drama of the past two weeks, which centered mainly on Kristina and the baby. However, by Friday’s show, it was a whole other story as the week ended with three big cliffhangers! Not only that, I’m speculating how they could usher in the major returns coming to the ABC soap. 

It’s About Damn Time!

Let’s start this week’s column with what I found to be the best and happiest part of the week: the resolution to Mac and Cody’s father/son storyline. Having James run off only to be rescued by Cody was the perfect way for Mac to realize he was being an ass and to drop his bitterness. It also helped him see that Cody wasn’t the same guy he was a year ago or even when he first came to town. I can’t wait for some happy Scorpio-Jones-Bell moments to come.

Felicia giving Mac hell for punishing Cody simply because James loves him was a great speech, along with her reminding him of his past mistakes and the many, many, many second chances he received over the years. I also loved Maxie saying James was in trouble, but not as much as his grandfather.

Why exactly did Maxie let Mac make the choices for her son? He’s not the parent! On another note, the show has not only been dressing Maxie better, but they’ve also written her better. She’s had some tremendously witty and snarky lines lately, especially in conversations with Nina about her sexing it up with Drew. Maxie’s been much more fun than she has been in the past few years.

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After learning Cody was Mac’s son, James realized Cody was his uncle and his mom’s brother. It was another heartwarming scene. James being the first to officially welcome Cody to the family just felt right.

Tracy is another character who has been evolving nicely lately. Even though they were total filler scenes, Tracy’s tea party with Violet and the backgammon game with Cody were enjoyable. Tracy’s “Grinch heart” is melting, and she seems to be turning Cody into her new Finn. Do I dare say she’s embracing a little of the Lila inside her?

Finally, please get a room, Sasha and Cody! And not at the Metro Court, because you might be interrupted there! Go out of town to a cabin in the mountains or something. Go somewhere you won’t be interrupted by children and young adults on the Quartermaine grounds so you can finally seal the deal between you two! Unfortunately, based on Friday’s preview for next week, it looks like Tracy and Violet will be the latest to crash their third attempt at getting intimate.

A Push? A Trip? Who Is to Blame?

Things looked pretty bad for Ava when the photographs emerged that seemed to indicate that she had at least put her hands on Kristina, which she initially denied. As I stated in last week’s column, the audience knows Ava did not push Kristina and that she tripped on Cates’ bag. I wondered if Kristina would remember this, but she hasn’t yet. That, or she’s so blinded by anger and rage, she wants Ava to pay regardless.

Eagle-eyed views caught what appeared to be a discrepancy in the photos. Ava grabbed Kristina’s arm during the altercation, but the images show her hand on her shoulder. Cates suggested to Ava that an alternative story could be made if you looked at the pictures differently. He waxed a tale that Kristina was the aggressor, that she came to see Ava to protect her father and murder her! It appears he’s not the only one thinking that way, either.

When Kristina showed Molly the photos of her and Ava and began rambling on and on about everything that happened and was said, Molly zoned out. Many viewers thought she was starting to realize that Kristina was the aggressor, not the other way around. Indeed, by the end of Friday’s episode, not only was Molly crying about Kristina’s blame in all of this, but TJ confronted Ava, who also made him wonder if Kristina was to blame for the fall. Last week, I pondered how the return of Ric Lansing, Molly’s father, would play into this. I’m beginning to suspect Ric may return to help Molly and TJ sue Kristina for the wrongful death of their child.

Based on one of the big Friday cliffhangers, trying to protect Ava from Sonny after his plan to use the pharmacist to get to the mobster was a bust, Cates arrested Kristina. It looks like that story he spun about Kristina trying to murder Ava is going to be the grounds through which he arrests her on. It’s time for John “Don’t Call Me Jagger” Cates to go! Jason briefly mentioned that his vendetta had taken over and that the FBI would eventually see that he had gone rogue. That can’t happen soon enough. Frankly, I’m disappointed that Cates and Scott’s plan to get Sonny to Spoon Island didn’t work. First, because it could have reopened the “Who bought Spoon Island?” story, and secondly, Cates could have been sent off the parapet and gone missing in the waters below!

Shantay, You Stay, Natalia… Now Blaze, Sashay Away!

In one of the biggest, jaw-dropping moments of the week — and not in a good way— viewers were left asking, “What the… ?” Blaze and Kristina were over, Blaze left on tour with Miguel Morez, and Sonny arranged for Natalia to get a job at Deception, of all places. You know, the company where everyone hates her after her homophobic tirade caused them a PR nightmare. At least we got to see Blaze fire her mom before leaving, but this isn’t how it was supposed to go! Blaze was supposed to stay, and Natalia was to be given the boot. What in the hell! Why? Just why?

Tracy is the only one opposed to hiring Natalia as the CFO and accepting Sonny’s money — well, at least until Maxie finds out what is going on. Tracy issued a warning that they all may end up being led off in handcuffs by taking Sonny’s offer. If we are lucky, Natalia will be the only one taken off in shackles. The sooner, the better! Seriously, someone at General Hospital needs to right this wrong. Pronto!

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Agent Brennan at Your Service

Last week, I suggested Brennan might show up and be reassigned to Port Charles, and that’s precisely what happened. He also confirmed, without confirming, to Anna that he did indeed make the FBI’s evidence on Carly disappear. I like Carly and Brennan together. They ooze chemistry on screen, and who knows, maybe he can help her get Cates sent far, far away somehow! Brennan also seems like a man who won’t put up with Carly’s games, and she won’t be able to outsmart or outmaneuver him!

Friday’s episode has Laura, Anna, and Brennan discussing the missing Valentin, setting up not one but two big returns. Actually, three if you think about it. Laura wanted Anna and Brennan to find Valentin for her, but they both made excuses as to why they couldn’t get involved. However, the episode ends with Laura receiving an alarming call about Lulu. Could she be waking up? We already know Lulu is being recast, which could be why Valentin returns with Charlotte in tow. Also, it could be what brings her brother Lucky back onto the canvas.

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Valentin has one big reason not to return. Jason located the pharmacist Clements, who spilled all the beans about Ava only learning about the meds after he’d already tampered with them on Valentin’s orders. We’ve now got two stories that could be tied to how Valentin returns to Port Charles.

That *Icky* Storyline

I saved the worst for last. First, I was hoping Nina’s working dinner with Drew would be about helping him with his campaign to fast-track his election and move to Washington, D.C., thereby getting him away from Willow. But no. Nina decided she could seduce Drew into forgetting about Willow. She’s back at it with her bad ideas!

Willow and Drew’s sudden attraction, hero worship, infatuation — whatever you want to call it — came out of nowhere, which is why it’s not working for me. Actually, it didn’t come out of nowhere, it likely came about because someone decided they all needed more drama. As icky as Drew and Nina’s hate sex was, it was enough drama as is. I’d noted before that pairing him with Nina finally made his character a little more interesting, and had they gone forward with a relationship, the reveal would have been a fun bit of drama all around. Carly would have hated it, and Michael and Willow’s reaction would have been interesting as well.

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However, noooooooo! Now that Nina and Willow are getting along well, and Michael is acting civilly and nicely towards Nina, the show decided to rock the boat. When everything comes out, it will be a hot mess, and it’s a mess I’m not looking forward to watching. Nina and Drew will both be hated, most likely, and somehow, I feel like this will all become Nina’s fault. Because isn’t it always Nina’s fault? Willow will be furious that Nina and Drew are lying to her, and Michael… well, he’s usually angry about something.

How will the truth come out? Well, hiding in the boathouse, little James overheard Willow confessing to Nina about the kiss and her feelings for Drew. Poor James sat there listening, looking like, “Are these two ever going to shut up so I can get out of here?” How and who he’ll blurt it out to will be interesting. Hopefully, he tells Wiley! It would be entertaining to watch Willow try to convince Wiley to keep this secret from Daddy!