General Hospital Shocker: The Verdict No One Saw Coming md13

Michael’s Custody Victory was a Surprise on ‘General Hospital’

After all, the contention between Michael, Willow, and Drew has been palpable, and Drew’s cocky assurance certainly set us on edge. While Michael is no saint, Drew has been able to manipulate Willow and countless other Port Charles residents for months. Heck, he even got Willow to sign an agreement to make him Wiley (Viron Weaver) and Amelia’s (Sequoia & Serenity Mork Macko) official guardian, should anything happen to her. Along with the fact that he had an affair with Sasha (Sofia Mattsson), which resulted in her literally giving birth in the courtroom, the odds of getting custody did not seem in Michael’s favor.

However, after the judge lists off Willow’s history of irresponsibility, it becomes clear that Michael isn’t the dark horse candidate we thought. Surprisingly, he is awarded full custody, sending shock waves through the courtroom, and resulting in Willow having a full-fledged breakdown. The controversial pairing was never our favorite of the show’s couplings, but it’s still hard not to pity her. After all, for all of her sins, Willow does love her children and nearly loses her life carrying Amelia. That being said, losing custody of the two is actually the best thing in the world for Willow in more ways than one.

Throughout her time on General Hospital, Willow has always been a dynamic character. Having survived living in a cult, an evil sister, Nelle Benson (Kassy Kandle), and numerous near-death experiences, Willow is a survivor. However, her affair with Drew has truly brought out the worst in her. It’s been completely jarring to see how blind she’s been to Drew’s wickedness, not to mention, endlessly frustrating. Every time she’s been given the opportunity to do the right thing, she has chosen Drew over the well-being of herself, her family, and, most unforgivable of all, her children.

She has no problem severing relationships, such as that with her former best friend, Sasha, in order to support Drew. But most unforgivable is her dismissal of Drew’s manipulation of Wiley. The slimy congressman went out of his way to convince Wiley that his father, Michael, didn’t want him. When Michael finds out and confronts Willow about this, she doesn’t even bother to ask her son and immediately sides with Drew. It’s truly despicable and hard to watch. For many of us, it was enough to turn us against Willow. Indeed, the character is in serious need of a wake-up call. She has become dangerous, convoluted, and, ultimately, unlikable. We sincerely hope that she begins to understand that being with Drew has made her an awful mother, and an all-around, detestable character. What’s more, is that it gives the actress behind Willow some of her best material yet.

It’s often hard to stand out on a series when a show has a cast as large as that of General Hospital, but actress Katelyn MacMullen has always been one of the series’ most gifted performers. From the time she debuted as Willow, she received positive fan reaction and has twice been nominated for Daytime Emmys. That being said, the show has kept her largely in the same mode since her affair with Drew began. That all changed with the verdict. MacMullen is absolutely brilliant in the sequence. Opting for a slow-burning approach to her anguish, MacMullen’s explosive grief manages to pull on our heartstrings, despite the fact that most of us have been rooting for Michael’s victory all along. She goes from being confused and reserved to full-out panicked, desperate, and finally defeated, falling into a silent state. While the performance is brief, it promises an exciting future for both the actress and the character. Indeed, MacMullen’s spectacular mix of desperation and nuance has kept her character’s new chapter from becoming an overdone soap stereotype, and, this is only the beginning! We’re so excited to see what MacMullen continues to do with the character as Willow’s world crumbles around her.