AMC: David's Alive and Zach's Gone

All My Children had two stunning turns of events. David Hayward faked his death and Zach Slater was lost in a plane crash. The two events are interconnected and it seems like much of Pine Valley won’t be having a Happy Thanksgiving.

David loved Greenlee, she loved him, but not the way he wished her to, and if he couldn’t have her no one could. So David faked his own death using a drug known in Turkey. He let no one know of his plot, and had planned to never come back to Pine Valley. Finding out that Greenlee was on trial for his death instead of Ryan, his intended target made him return right after the verdict was announced. While David was angry with Greenlee over her feelings for Ryan, he didn’t want her to go to prison for life. He isn’t that heartless and cruel. Ryan could have gotten the death penalty and I doubt David would have come back to town.

People were obviously upset with David for two reasons outside Zach’s death. One for allowing Greenlee to go on trial for his non-death and two for what it did to AJ and Marissa. His grandson and daughter did nothing to deserve the pain they felt over his “death”. AJ already lost his mother, David’s daughter Babe in a tornado. Marissa’s adoptive parents died in a car accident. So neither has had it easy when it comes to losing family. Marissa got in a slap at the courthouse. David was allowed to feel remorse in the sense of what he did to AJ and Marissa. He may do some awful things, but he doesn’t fully disregard those feelings. Sadly, David was motivated more by hate, than by love as his feelings became twisted. David was arrested for faking his death.

Zach was in the plane crash due to helping Greenlee and Ryan, so obviously to some it is all David’s fault. At least at this point, it doesn’t seem like David tampered with the plane. Zach and Kendall were given numerous scenes before the plane crash reliving their history and remembering their love. Perhaps I will do an entry on the funeral, but that material has yet to air.

Since this is Pine Valley and All My Children, one can accept the idea that perhaps someday Zach will be discovered to be alive. Whether or not, he was seriously injured, has a new face or his memory will be messed up are all possible futures. Kendall will try to move on and most likely will have found a new beau, by that point causing the maximum impact to the story. Meanwhile, David will have to face his crimes or at least his accusers. If he gets out of going to prison, David will have to suffer other ways if he has to watch Greenlee and Ryan together. Even people who were once on David’s side like Erica and Bianca may scorn him due to Zach being Kendall’s husband. If David does go to prison, these scenes in court may be his last hurrah. I enjoyed seeing the court material, where David explained his actions.