The Friday, July 17 episode of General Hospital brought with it a cliffhanger that many viewers were forecasting was on its way to happening. Yup, Brennan (Chris McKenna) and Nina (Cynthia Watros) have a thing for each other and their relationship took a turn when Jack kissed Nina while at the Brown Dog bar while they were having drinks and she certainly did not pull away.

How did we get here? After being unable to find his black box at Wyndemere, Jack raised concerns that his WSB higher-ups would consider transferring him out of Port Charles because Cullum’ machinations happened in the town where he was the bureau chief.

Then, Jack asks Nina what motivates her to go to such extremes to help her daughter Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) with her nefarious crimes. Nina begins to explain to Jack that her children were taken from her and she was unable to protect Nelle or Willow and that Willow has suffered unspeakable trauma in her life that she had never totally dealt with. As a mother, she will do anything to protect her daughter and to stay in her life.

Courtesy/ABC

JACK MAKES HIS MOVE

After downing more drinks, Jack apologized for having blackmailed Nina to get intel from Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) in exchange for the traffic cam footage of Willow. He wished instead of that maneuver he would have asked the editor in chief of Crimson out on a date. He feel like then he would have gotten to know Nina before she had to save his life.

When Nina shared that is sounds like Jack is holding it against her, his comeback response is that he doesn’t do gratitude well. So in an effort to show Nina how gratefully he truly is to her, Jack gets up from his barstool and plants a major kiss on her! We fade to black.

You can check out the scenes between Jack and Nina from today’s GH below in the video entitled, “Before You Saved My Life” below.

Now weigh-in: are you all for Jack and Nina as a couple? Do you find it interesting that for the most part, Nina ends up with men that used to be involved with her nemesis Carly (Laura Wright)? Share your thoughts on this new romantic pairing via the comment section.

What happened to Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) when he was captivity by the WSB? That is the question on many minds of General Hospital viewers, especially following the airing of the Tuesday, July 14 episode of the ABC daytime drama series, which also received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards yesterday.

In story and in the pick-up of Monday’s episode, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) comes face to face with his father at the Quartermaine boathouse. Jason assures his son that he is home for good. However, Jason is confused why the WSB suddenly released him from Jakarta in the last 48 hours.

Danny goes in on his father for taking the fall for Cullum’s shooting when it was Rocco who shot the now deceased WSB director. Jason tried to explain he had to make a last minute decision and didn’t want Rocco’s life to be ruined by shooting another man.

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JASON WANTS TO TAKE A SHORT TRIP WITH DANNY

Jason promised Danny that from now on, he is his top priority, and that time away has given him a new perspective. When Danny tries to get more intel from his dad on what he went through, all Jason would say is, “The place they were holding me was bad, really bad.”

Danny admits that the person he told that Rocco shot Cullum was Port Charles bureau chief, Jack Brennan, but he told him that WSB would want Danny to drop the whole thing, and just leave it be now that Cullum is dead.

TRACY SEES JASON

Suddenly, Tracy (Jane Elliot) shows up and is happy to see that Jason has resurfaced saying she knew he would be back. As she welcomed him home, Jason has a favor to ask her.

Next, he proposes much to Danny’s happiness, that he and his son are going to away together for a few days to catch up on things. So, that there is no issue, Jason asks if Tracy can please tell Alexis that he has returned to Port Charles and anyone else that would need to know, so they are not concerned for Danny’s welfare and that they know he is with his dad. Tracy agrees, and she and Jason share a hug.

Now the question is, what happened to Jason? We know his face is beaten up. We saw in flashbacks he was held in a cell and we can see he had been experiencing what seems like PTSD from being in captivity.

Previously, GH co-head writer, Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten previewed to Soap Opera Digest on Jason’s return, “His imprisonment has had a profound effect on his outlook and how he intends to conduct the rest of his life. His decision will have big implications for Danny, Britt, the Quartermaines, Anna and especially Sonny.”

So, what do you think happened to Jason while being held by the WSB? Did something horrific occur? Will Jason tell Sonny he can no longer work for him so he no longer puts himself or his family in any kind of danger? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

General Hospital’s 16,000th episode was packed with little reminders through points in today’s script that the ABC daytime drama series has set another milestone and it paved the way for the return of fan favorite and newly nominated Daytime Emmy Lead Actor nominee Steve Burton (Jason Morgan). The 16,000th episode also introduced viewers to the new surgeon in Port Charles Dr. Tristan Roberts played by Dean Geyer. 

Here are the key takeaways and what went down on the July 13 episode: Tristan and Jason are seated next to each other on a plane heading to Port Charles. Throughout the flight, a beaten up Jason has flashbacks to being thrown into, and being held captive in a cell and tortured. It appears Jason is suffering from some form of PTSD from what he was put through after being dragged out of Port Charles by the WSB months ago.

As the plane prepares to land, Tristan tells Jason there would be a car waiting for him once they land and to enjoy the rest of his life. Later, Tristan arrives at the nurses and doctors hub at GH and approaches Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst). He tells her his name and that he is the new surgeon on staff.

Photo: ABC

A REUNION PLUS A HEAD NURSE DEFENDS SONNY

Meanwhile, at the end of the episode, Jason is outside the Quartermaine boathouse looking bewildered when he runs into Danny (Asher Antonyzyn), who is so thrilled to see his father, and the two hugs each other as tears are shed.

Elsewhere, Elizabeth tells Sonny (Maurice Benard) that he thinks its a great idea for him to get the 16th seat on the hospital board, but when it comes times to convince Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) of that, things go awry when Tracy, Laura and Sonny try to work things out. After Tracy launches into Sonny about killing Alan and Monica’s son AJ, Sonny walks away dejected.

Next, Sonny runs into Elizabeth, where he informs her what happened with Tracy. So what’s a head nurse to do? Elizabeth marches into the conference room and reminds Tracy of all the different donations and ways Sonny has contributed to the hospital from the Stone Cates AIDS wing, to the Michael Corinthos Center for Pediatric Head Injuries as well as his constant support each year for the GH Nurses’ Ball.

Courtesy/ABC

WSB WAR SCARS

Then, in one of the best parts for longtime fans of the series, Elizabeth talks about her legendary grandparents, Audrey and Steve Hardy and she tells Tracy they would have wanted Sonny to have a seat on the board for all the good that he has done for the hospital. After Elizabeth states Sonny’s case, things took a turn and Tracy and Sonny wound up shaking hands as Sonny is board member #16.

In the how great was it to see Anna (Finola Hughes) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) together scenes department, the pick-up of last Friday’s cliffhanger is played out as the two former lovers fill each other in on what has gone down in their lives in the last several months including Valentin admitting he had been living in Carly’s attic, and Anna realizing she was kidnapped by Cullum, Sidwell and Cassius Faison. During their conversation, Anna sees the hallucination of Peter August (Wes Ramsey) right while Valentin is standing there.

Courtesy/ABC

Later Anna was on her way to saying goodbye to Valentin, when the two share an emotional hug. After Valentin made his exit, Peter reappeared and warned Anna to not let Valentin distract her because she has important work to do. Anna answers, “I know.”

So, what did you think of General Hospital’s 16,000 episode? What do you think is wrong with Jason? What is the important “work” that Anna has to do? Were you glad to see Sonny get a seat on the hospital board, or not so much. Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out the scenes on Jason and Tristan’s long flight to Port Charles.