Friday’s episode of General Hospital brought the highly-anticipated story around the apparent death of Port Charles iconic, Luke Spencer (Tony Geary), although many fans, and even some of the cast of the show, are not sold that Luke is “dead” dead.

During the show, characters spoke of some of the history of Luke in Port Charles, most especially Luke’s sister, Bobbie played by Jackie Zeman.  Throughout the years, Zeman is at her best when she is given material through the writing of the show to connect to the history of Luke and Bobbie.  She did so when Bobbie was remembering how Luke came to Port Charles to help her break up Scotty and Laura, in a discussion with her daughter, Carly (Laura Wright).

Courtesy/ABC

As everyone is gathering at the Haunted Star to pay their respects to Luke, Curtis (Donnell Turner) arrives to support Laura (Genie Francis), Felicia (Kristina Wagner) and Anna (Finola Hughes) arrive together, Nikolas (Marcus Coloma) and Ava (Maura West), as well as Spencer (Nicholas Alexander Chavez  also show up. It is through Nikolas’ conversation with Laura that we learn why Luke’s sons, Ethan and Lucky, can’t make the funeral and, of course, we know why Luke’s daughter Lulu can’t make it because she is in a coma!

Victor (Charles Shaughnessy) shows up and snipes at everyone and then leaves.  Tracy (Jane Elliot), who has arranged the memorial, is with an urn supposedly filled with Luke’s ashes and Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) finds her on the deck of the Haunted Star and talks her into giving her planned eulogy.

Courtesy/ABC

Meanwhile, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) finds his dad, Sonny (Maurice Benard) drinking at Charlie’s, and later Scott (Kin Shriner) and Robert (Tristan Rogers) stop in and heated words are exchanged between Sonny and Scott. Victor shows up and instead of Scott and Sonny pummeling each other, they get into a fight against Victor.

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As Scott and Robert are about to be on their way to the Haunted Star, Scott stays behind because of his past with Luke.  Then, Sonny tried to patch things up with Carly before they head to the memorial.

Back on the yacht, Anna and Felicia find a note and a flash drive, after hearing a commotion on the yacht.  When the note says “play me”, none other than Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers) addresses Luke’s friends and family from apparently the great beyond.  As Helena spews her venom against Luke, Laura has enough and pulls the plug on Helena’s video speech.  Tracy looks concerned, like she may want to hear whatever else Helena had to say.

Photo: ABC

Next, Tracy does her best in short order to eulogize Luke.  That is juxtaposed with Scott trashing Luke.  Later, by herself on the deck, Tracy spreads Luke’s ashes over the waters of Port Charles. Back on the pier, Scott relishes Luke being gone, and that he is still standing saying, “You lose you son of a bitch!” Just then Luke’s ashes blow in into his face.  When Bobbie arrives, and see Scott full of ashes, she asks what happened.  Scott says, “I caught the bouquet,” an obvious nod to the Luke and Laura wedding of the past, where Scott returned at their wedding and caught the wedding bouquet.

Courtesy/ABC

Back on the Haunted Star, Tracy then has a gift in hand for Laura, but she tells Tracy if that’s the Ice Princess she does not want anything to do with it, and tells Tracy to keep it.  Spencer sees this go down and his interest on the diamond is instantly piqued.

Back at Charlie’s bar, Victor has an ominous toast to Luke saying, “The good people of your fair city are in for a big surprise!”

At the Haunted Star, dressed in black with black veil, Jennifer Smith reveals herself to a shocked Laura.

So, what did you think of Luke’s memorial episode? Favorite parts of it? Least favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section. But first, check out Helena’s videotaped speech and Tracy’s eulogy to Luke below.

Today’s Friday episode of General Hospital, is set to feature the funeral of the iconic Luke Spencer (Tony Geary).

While family and friends will gather on the Haunted Star to memorialize him, what been teased by the ABC daytime drama is it will also set a whole storyline in motion.

ABC7 entertainment guru, George Pennacchio, spoke to several of the GH cast, who are involved in the episode including: Luke Spencer’s long-time love, Laura played by Genie Francis.

Francis exclaimed on the whole story: “I just have a hard time believing, in my heart, that the great Luke Spencer died in an accident.  No one stays dead on a soap. I don’t know how many times I’ve been dead. Really!”

Genie added: “I feel like they’re setting the stage, really, for a wonderful comeback and I’m going to keep my fingers crossed for that.”

Luke’s longtime friend played by Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio) shared: “And has it actually happened? I mean, frankly, we have a little urn about this big that’s supposed to contain him and that’s it.”

And Luke’s sister, Bobbie, played by Jackie Zeman, also weighed-in if Luke is really a-goner: “Sometimes you get these little red herrings so, as you know, George, you know, you never really know.”

Watch Pennacchio chat with the GH stars below.

Now weigh-in, do you believe Luke is very much alive and well? Held captive, or “dead” dead? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

On this Friday’s, January 21st episode of ABC’s General Hospital, look for Port Charles to bid farewell to the iconic character of Luke Spencer (Tony Geary).

In story, after his sudden passing, Luke’s loved ones gather – along with some surprise guests – to memorialize him at the Haunted Star, where things don’t go entirely as planned.  As the town says goodbye to Luke, an exciting new mystery unfolds.  Meanwhile, life continues to unravel for the rest of Port Charles as a beloved couple comes to a fork in the road of their relationship.

ABC released this new photo of those gathered to pay their respects to Luke including cast members: Kristina Wagner (Felicia), Finola Hughes (Anna), Donnell Turner (Curtis), Tristan Rogers (Robert), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Laura Wright (Carly), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Spencer), Marcus Coloma (Nikolas), Maura West (Ava), Jackie Zeman (Bobbie), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Genie Francis (Laura) and Jane Elliot (Tracy).

Looking forward to this emotional episode of General Hospital? Share your thoughts on what you think will happen via the comment section below.