That was quick! Christian Howard, who now looks to have literally stepped in for Nathan Dean to wrap up a few episodes for the character of Ethan Lovett made a quick exit on Friday’s July 31 episode of General Hospital.

GH viewers were stunned earlier this week on the Monday, July 27 episode when a voiceover announcer shared that Christian Howard was now playing Ethan Lovett. Next, Ethan hits the sheets with Ava Jerome, played by three-time Daytime Emmy-winner, Maura West. All seemed to be moving forward when suddenly at the end of the Thursday, July 30 episode, Ethan spots newcomer Hudson (Troy Lennon Appel) at the Metro Court Pool, and makes a quick getaway.

Then, it’s revealed after packing his bags at Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) house, that out of nowhere, Ethan received a lead on an incredible opportunity so he has to say goodbye to Lulu and run out of town and was leaving Port Charles.

Courtesy/ABC

RUNNING OUT OF TOWN

In fact, Ethan was in such a hurry, he forgot to say goodbye to Ava who had been waiting for him at the Metro Court pool. There is clearly a connection to Hudson and baby Phoebe after Ethan spotted the guy, because Ethan also glanced over to the baby and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) at the Metro Court pool, before he ran to Lulu’s to pack his things. All of this points to Howard being an emergency recast for Dean.

It’s definitely been a week of change on-screen on the ABC soap with the news of Maxie, Spinelli, James, Georgie and Bailey all suddenly leaving Port Charles for Australia, after Spinelli got an offer he could not turn down.

That exit was written because Kirsten Storms is at this time,, and the very foreseeable future, not returning to General Hospital and is living in Tennessee. As she had documented via her Instagram stories and posts, she has been going through several personal ordeals. In addition to Storms, Ryan Paevey also exited the series earlier this month when he ended his run as Cassius Faison, while leaving the door open for his return down the line.

So, will newcomers Kelly Kruger (Serena Baldwin), Dean Geyer (Tristan Roberts) and Troy Lennon Appel fill the void of the multitude of exits? What are your theories on Christian Howard’s departure as Ethan Lovett on GH? Let us know via the comment section below.

Finally, Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) can walk and talk and chew gum all at the same time as he shows up at the front door of his house, much to the dismay of his wife, Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen). 

Drew just survived a murder attempt by Willow’s mother, Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros), only an unknowing Gio (Giovanni Mazza) jumped into the lake to bring Drew to safety, after Nina tried to rid the world of him by pushing the former congressman in his wheelchair into the water to hopefully drown, but it all backfired.

Now at the Cain residence, Drew taunts Willow, that he could not wait to see his “loving wife!” Willow, who shot Drew and got off on an attempted murder charge, who then turned to a paralytic drug and Sidwell (Carlo Rota) to keep Drew out of her life, was quickly shushed when she started to explain herself while in fear for her own life.

Courtesy/ABC

AN ENRAGED DREW THREATENS WILLOW WITH INTENTIONS TO MAKE HER LIFE A LIVING HELL

Drew stated, “I have listened to you for so long, and all I could do was just sit there and blink like a desperate idiot. Now it’s my turn. Go ahead, blink all you want while you still can.” Next, Drew actually tells Willow he can almost understand her reasoning for shooting him after she snapped, but he helped the jury get her off of the charges and she still drugged him and kept him a “prisoner in his own body” for months.

However, Willow’s fears of being killed on the spot get a reprieve when an angered Drew tells her, ”I’m Not Going to Kill You, But You’re Going to Wish I Did.” With rage and a smug smile, Drew informs Willow that he will tell her kids, Wiley and Amelia, what a psychopath she truly is, and then flaunts how Michael (Rory Gibson) will get full custody of her their children because she will be serving a life prison sentence.

Suddenly, Nina and Jack (Chris McKenna) burst in the front door as Jack holds a gun on Drew. Nina wants Jack to shoot Drew. Jack then reveals he doesn’t have to because he has the evidence right in his pocket on how Drew misappropriated federal funds designated for the McConkey Esplanade to instead fund his congressional campaign.

Courtesy/ABC

SAVED BY THE EVIDENCE

Telling Drew the first deed is a federal crime, Jack had more goodies on Drew. He informs Drew that there is evidence that he blackmailed the receptionist at the burn clinic in Germany to prevent Willow from speaking with Michael about custody of their children. Jack also claimed to have evidence that Drew bribed Judge Heran, who eventually wound up dead in the pier.

An angered and enraged Drew threatened to bring all three of them down, but Jack reminded Drew that his crimes held a minimum sentence of 20 years each.

Willow then played her own game with Drew warning if he went to prison for decades, he would lose his daughter Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) forever who will then be raised with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn), and Nina sniped that Tracy (Jane Elliot) and Michael would have a field day over Drew being locked up for most of his life.

FREEDOM

Next, Willow tells Drew nothing needs to change, and all he needs to do is agree to a divorce. Nina piled on that he cannot run for congress again or take back Willow’s seat, while Jack toyed with him that he could release the evidence that he has against him at any point in time.

Willow follows Jack and Nina out the front door, but before she exits removes her wedding rings and drops them on the floor, saying “freedom.” However, now alone in his house, Drew snipes, “Enjoy it while it lasts, you treacherous bitch!” We fade to black.

So, what did you think of the upshot of the highly-anticipated scenes where Drew and Willow would have it out? Were you pissed off that Drew didn’t try to murder Willow, or do something to her and Nina for what they did to him?

Glad that Willow and Drew ended their marriage and it seems like everyone is going to keep silent about everything? Does that feel like payback? Or, will Drew as he threatened, plan something heinous to pay back Willow, Nina and Jack? Share your thoughts via the comment section, but first take another look at some of the confrontation scenes from today’s GH below.

At the conclusion of the Monday, July 27 episode of General Hospital, Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) showed up at the front door of his house much to the shock and dismay of his wife, Willow Cain (Katelyn MacMullen). 

The major turn of events, where for the first time in months, Drew is no longer in a locked-in state thanks to the paralytic drug that Willow and her mother Nina (Cynthia Watros) have been serving him, could mean the end for Willow, but will it?

Viewers learned that as Nina was in freak-mode with Jack (Chris McKenna) after pushing Drew in his wheelchair into the lake surrounding the Quartermaine boathouse, that Gio (Giovanni Mazza) found him in the water and saved him. Nina is mortified.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, Willow has just returned from the PCPD where she was brought in for questioning by Chase (Josh Swickard), about her dealings with Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota), just as she was trying to sneak out of town with Amelia and Wiley in tow.

As Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Molly (Kristen Vaganos) question Willow on her involvement with Sidwell, Willow gets mighty defensive and offended, while putting on her game face. After she walks out on the interrogation, she heads back to her home, so she can gather her belongings and flee the country.

Little does Willow know, Jack made a deal with Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), and recovered the missing black box which contains the dossier on Drew so he, Nina and Willow, all have leverage to hold over Drew.

Photo: ABC

Back at the Cain residence, Willow is gathering things off the living room floor when she sees muddy footprints. Suddenly, the front door opens and shuts. Willow turns around and see a soaking wet Drew with rage all over his face! We fade to black.

Today in the official GH preview of the Tuesday, July 28 episode (see below), Drew says to Willow, “I am so excited about what comes next.” Plus, look for Jason (Steve Burton) and Carly (Laura Wright) to finally see each other after Jason’s captivity by the WSB for months.

So, what else will Drew say to Willow? Do you think he has been affected by the long term use of the paralytic drug? Does he have amnesia? Does he know full-well everything Willow and Nina did to him, and will tell Willow how he is going to destroy her life? What do you hope goes down? Let us know you thoughts via the comment section below.