On General Hospital, Ethan shocked Alexis when he admitted that baby Phoebe is his daughter, but the bigger surprise may have been what came next. Rather than step forward as her father, Ethan immediately decided to sign away his parental rights through a closed adoption, allowing Brook Lynn and Chase to raise her without ever knowing the truth. His portrayer, Nathan Dean, is convinced this is the best thing Ethan can do for Phoebe.
Key Takeaways
- Ethan believes Phoebe is better off with Brook Lynn and Chase.
- Tracy’s involvement gives Ethan confidence in the adoption.
- Ethan wants Phoebe’s paternity kept a secret.
- Dean says Ethan isn’t ready to raise a child himself.
- Lulu and Tracy would likely challenge Ethan’s decision if they knew the truth.
Putting Phoebe First
Dean told Soap Opera Digest that Ethan has convinced himself this is the right thing to do, even if it hurts. “This is the best-case scenario, given the circumstances,” he explained.
Ethan never wanted any of this to happen, he stated, adding that Delilah’s (Lilly Cardone) death forced him into an impossible situation. As the actor put it, Ethan believes giving Phoebe a stable home is more important than claiming a place in her life.
Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) are ready to give a child a happy home. Throw Tracy (Jane Elliot) into the mix, and from Ethan’s perspective, Phoebe has a much stronger safety net than anything he could provide on his own.
In fact, Dean said, “Ethan trusts Tracy with his life.” He added, “Tracy wants this adoption to go through,” and that her involvement gives Ethan confidence that Phoebe will be protected.
READ THIS: See what lines are about to be crossed in Port Charles.
The Secret Stays Buried
Of course, the obvious question is why Ethan won’t simply tell the truth. Why hide Phoebe’s paternity from Tracy, Lulu (Alexa Havins), and everyone else who cares about him? According to Dean, Ethan knows exactly what would happen if he came clean.
“Ethan has always played everything close to the chest,” Dean noted.
He also pointed out that both Tracy and Lulu would immediately start asking why Ethan wasn’t stepping up to raise his own daughter. Worse yet, they might remind him that Luke (the late Anthony Geary) never turned his back on him, making the decision even harder.
Right now, Ethan simply isn’t in the headspace to become a parent. Dean explained that Lulu and Tracy would almost certainly try to talk him out of the adoption, but Ethan has convinced himself he’s already found the answer.
As the actor put it, Ethan believes, “I’m going to get this adoption done, then it’s out of my hands, and I’ll know I did the right thing by this kid by taking myself out of it.”
Whether that conviction survives once the secret starts spreading through Port Charles is another matter entirely.
