What happened to AJ Quartermaine on General Hospital? Explained

AJ Quartermaine, or Alan Jr., was a complicated character in the ABC daily soap, General Hospital. Born to doctors Alan and Monica Quartermaine, AJ has had a troubled life, often going off the lawful road.

However, viewers of the soap retain sympathy for him despite his delinquent actions as the character retained a vulnerability in the portrayal. AJ has exited the show after he was shot dead in 2014.

For the uninitiated, General Hospital is a long-running soap opera on ABC which premiered in 1963. The backdrop for the storyline is the fictional place of Port Charles.

The plot mainly revolves around the Quartermaine family, the Spencer family, and others interacting with them. As of July 29, 2024, the soap completed 15,585 episodes. It is currently in its 61st season.

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General Hospital: Who was AJ Quartermaine in the show?

Sean Kanan and Billy Warlock played AJ for the longest times (Image via Wikipedia and Instagram/@sean.kanan)

As mentioned before, the character of AJ Quartermaine met with his end in the show in 2014. His death on General Hospital was as controversial as his life had been. Introduced in 1979, AJ's birth had a questionable paternity issue. However, DNA tests proved him to be the son of Alan Quartermaine.

Named Alan Junior, shortened to AJ, he was packed off to boarding school. When a grownup AJ returned to Port Charles, he got embroiled in drunk driving, numerous romantic relationships, and other criminal activities.

AJ had difficult relationships starting with his father, Alan, who he shot in a tussle. His relationship with his son Michael was that of a tug-of-war with Sonny Corinthos, the mobster, who kept Michael away.

He was determined to go to any unlawful length to punish Sonny. On one hand, AJ was depressed after causing his brother, Jason's brain trauma. On the other hand, he was jealous of Jason and tried to frame him for murder.

Considered murdered by Dr. Asher Thomas in 2005, AJ was secretly smuggled out of the hospital, into a rehab facility by his mother Monica. Steve Webber helped Monica by faking AJ's autopsy to let others believe he was dead. He returned to General Hospital in 2012 and decided to be a good father to Michael while working in ELQ.

Despite working hard towards a new life with Elizabeth Webber and Michael, AJ was ousted from ELQ due to a story published by Connie Falconeri. A drunk AJ threatened Connie and later Connie was found murdered with AJ's initials next to her.

Arrested, but found not guilty of Connie's death, AJ remembered seeing Ava in the crime location. However, as he was pressuring Ava into confessing, Sonny shot AJ.

Before dying, AJ told Carly about Sonny's role in his death. However, despite a successful surgery, he died in 2014. General Hospital showed him being escorted by his deceased family members into the afterlife.

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Is AJ likely to return to General Hospital?

AJ's character is not likely to return to the soap (Image via Instagram@generalhospitalabc)

There is no news about AJ's return to Port Charles. While he had seemingly come back from death once before, in 2012, after a seven-year hiatus, this time his death and journey to the afterlife seemed conclusive. Most of his relations including Carly, Monica, and Michael have moved on.

AJ Quartermaine was played by Sean Kanan during the period of his return in 2012 and his exit in 2014. Sean had also portrayed the character between 1993 and 1997. In 1997, Billy Warlock stepped into the role and played it till AJ's supposed death in 2005.

Some of the other actors who reprised the role of AJ over the years are Jason Marsden, Justin Whalin, Gerald Hopkins, and Christopher Nelson. While AJ Quartermaine will likely not return to the show, look out for the story arcs of the remaining characters on General Hospital airing on weekdays.