Monday, February 12, 2018

GH: Nathan's Death and Funeral

On "General Hospital" Nathan West (Ryan Paevey) died after being shot by his biological father Faison (Anders Hove) while protecting his pregnant wife Maxie (Kirsten Storms). Below are my thoughts on the character's death and funeral.

GH did a good job writing out the character of Nathan West, due to how they knew ahead of time that Ryan Paevey had chosen to leave the show, and wish him well. Nathan had a hero's death, as he was on the job saving his Maxie from a bullet. Faison had no idea, he shot his unknown son until it was too late, and then was shot by Jason (later dying of those wounds.) Nathan and Lulu (Emme Rylan) were trying to draw Faison out, and succeeded, all too well.

Nathan didn't die in the Aurora media offices, where he came upon Maxie and Faison, but at the hospital after surgery performed by Griffin. His last words were "I love you, Maxie, like there's no tomorrow."  Curtis was there for Lulu as friends as they felt like they couldn't help Jordan and Dante respectively. Maxie was in shock, and we saw her dream of Nathan, and he appeared as a spirit after his death. Dante cleaned out Nathan's desk, but kept his Yankees travel mug as the team was the first thing they had in common.

Nina (Michelle Stafford) was devastated over the loss of Jay, as was Liesl (Kathleen Gatti) who had such a short time to be his mother. Maxie got support from Nathan's family, though Bobbie was with her until Mac and Felicia arrived. Even though Lulu is Maxie's best friend, she kept her distance for understandable reasons.

The entire February 9, 2018 episode was focused upon Nathan's death. Dante, Valerie, and Jordan were in dress uniform at the station. Amy and Bobbie attended Spinelli was there without Georgie as she was too little to handle her stepfather's funeral. Robin came to Port Charles to be there for Maxie, Mac and Felicia and she went to the event with Griffin and Anna. Sam and Drew were there, and Valentin attended to support his wife Nina.

Before arriving at the service, Maxie was alone in her apartment. She spoke to her sister Georgie and got comfort as Lindze Leatherman did a one day return as the deceased Georgie. One of the many GH characters that should have not died. 

The eulogy at the police funeral was given by Nina. Nina spoke about how Jay would go to the museum with his pockets full of change and give the money away to anyone who he thought would need it. There was an open casket, and at the graveyard, there was a gun salute, a police tribute poem read by Dante, a drum and bagpipes group performing "Amazing Grace", and the family near the grave. Mac was given the flag, Peter watched and we found out that he was also Faison's son, and Nathan's half-brother.

The majority of the characters left, and went to the Floating Rib. Spinelli sang "Danny Boy", which doesn't fit Nathan's nationality as neither of his parents are Irish, but it is a song about mourning. Amy joined him after Spinelli fell apart and couldn't complete the song alone. By herself, Maxie left the bloody sonogram picture of their baby with Nathan in his casket. She then felt and saw Nathan, as Georgie led Nathan to the afterlife. Instead of ending on a touching moment, we had Maxie blame Lulu for Nathan's death. This continued on the February 12, 2018 episode.

Nathan dying was sad, but I think having him have a hero's death was preferable to the alternative of him cheating and leaving his pregnant wife. In the long run, we'll see where this will take Maxie. Hopefully on a darker path, but having strength. I appreciated that while Frisco wasn't seen at least he was mentioned, though at least in this case Maxie can't repeat her mother Felicia's fate of moving on after a husband died, with him returning from the dead. I hope they have Maxie move on eventually, but don't put her with the first single guy he meets.

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