Maxie did not ease back into consciousness on General Hospital. She awoke from a coma and walked straight into a collision with the man she buried seven years ago. Nathan stood there; alive, breathing, and complicated. Their first real encounter after she woke up felt both overwhelming and important. But underneath the relief, there’s a hesitation because something doesn’t feel quite right. Would Maxie notice if something with Nathan were truly off?
Key Takeaways
- Although Ryan Paevey is back on contract, Nathan’s return doesn’t feel as permanent as other recent comebacks.
- Nathan grew close to Lulu while Maxie was in a coma, creating emotional fallout.
- Spinelli fears losing the family he rebuilt with Maxie.
- The reunion may not lead to a fairy-tale ending, and Maxie could be headed for another heartbreak.
The Return That Doesn’t Sit Right
Nathan’s (Ryan Paevey) return checked off all the necessary boxes: a DNA test confirmed his identity. He’s back at it at the PCPD. He’s still the nicest guy in the world. On paper, it works.
But in practice, it feels somehow off. His behavior seems distant. His timing feels wrong. Even Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), upon seeing him alive, reacted with a hesitation that lingered longer than comfort should. When a character returns from the dead, and the energy around him feels unsettled, that’s rarely an accident.
And although Paevey is back on contract, Nathan’s presence does not feel as permanent as Britt’s reentry or even Jason’s (Steve Burton) from two years back. It feels temporary. As if the door is open, but he hasn’t fully crossed through yet.
A Triangle Built on Grief
During Maxie’s (Kirsten Storms) coma, Nathan grew close to Lulu. That emotional proximity now hangs in the air like unfinished business. Maxie is awake, but the space she left did not remain empty. Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) sees it and worries that the family he rebuilt while Maxie fought for her life is suddenly fragile. His anxiety is not unfounded because he knows Maxie’s heart still beats in Nathan’s direction.
The problem is that this reunion may not be the rescue Maxie imagines. If Nathan carries altered memories, buried trauma, or something darker beneath the surface, then Maxie’s not reclaiming her great love. She’s stepping into uncertainty.
Maxie fought her way back to consciousness, but could her resilience have been all for naught? What if she decides to get back together with Nathan, and he turns out to be a villain? They could even become simply friends while she continues her life with Spinelli, but her disappointment if Nathan’s somehow not himself would be insurmountable.
The question now is whether the show is preparing her for a fairy-tale reunion, or subtly arranging for her already fragile heart to be broken.
