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General Hospital characters are known for weaving in and out of the storylines frequently and making unexpected exits. The newest character that fans seem to be wondering about is Valentin Cassadine, played by actor James Patrick Stuart.
In the June 3 episode, Anna finds out that Valentin ordered a hitman to cause Sonny harm. Since then, viewers have been speculating about his future. Many think Valentin is just being written into a difficult position on the show, while others believe he is expected to make an abrupt exit. However, as of yet, there is no official confirmation that Valentin will be leaving the show.
General Hospital: Valentin's current storyline explored
In recent episodes of General Hospital, there have been a few difficult storyline changes for Valentine Cassadine. Anna discovers that it is Valentin who hired a hit on Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) so that he could pin the blame on Sonny. Since the hitman had originally worked for Sonny, Valentin intended to tie up those loose threads.
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Armed with this knowledge, Anna might try to weasel the truth out of Valentin and take him down in the process. Certainly, his love for her might be used as a manipulation ship while this happens.
Anna initially confronts Jason about continuing to protect Sonny, she hesitantly tells him that it was Valentin who ordered the hit on him. Jason picks up on her reluctance and even questions whether Anna will be able to take Valentin down.
On the other hand, Valentin is also clearly playing around with Brennan by keeping him in the dark that he planned to frame Sonny. What makes it more tense for the audience is that Brennan considers Valentin a friend, and is waiting for his trial to be conducted and the charges against him to be waived. It is clear that Valentin has no intention of helping in that matter, and Brennan might be holding on to false hope.
Given that Anna has previously shown respect for Brennan, it is likely that the two might pair up against Valentin if Brennan is persuaded. Brennan's role has a lot of potential for the future of the show. With the writers seeming to twist Valentin's story further, he might emerge as an important character.
This plot indicates that Valentin might either be exiting the show or might be written as a more antagonistic and dark character going ahead.
What is Valentin's arc on General Hospital? Character explored
Valentin Cassadine was introduced in General Hospital in 2016 and since then, he has developed into an interesting yet troubled character. He has a tendency to push off his trauma on the people around him and often punishes other faultless people for his unhappy family life.
However, in recent episodes of the show, Valentin has been especially cruel towards people. He has stopped Sonny Corinthos Jr. (Maurice Benard) from taking the medicines he needed. However, despite all the chaos he has created, the character certainly makes an impact, and his absence would be felt if he were to exit the show fully.
Actor James Patrick Stewart, who portrays Valentin, has taken a backseat from the show in the past when he starred in the Disney show titled The Villains of Valley View. It is natural for fans to speculate whether he might be taking another break or simply leaving General Hospital for good. However, Stuart has mentioned that he enjoys playing the character.
In an interview for Soap Central in November 2023, James Patrick Stuart elaborated:
"It’s been so much fun, but the truth of the matter is that, especially in 2023 where people’s attention spans are so short and we have to create three episodes a day, it’s tougher on the whole process to come up with fascinating stuff where people are happy. It’s just a much smoother machine when there’s conflict, you know?"
Both the showrunners and the actor have not commented on the character's exit yet. Audiences will just have to wait and watch to find out what lies in the future for Valentin Cassadine.
Stay tuned for more updates. Watch the latest episodes of General Hospital on weekdays on ABC.
