General Hospital spoilers: Michael returns with a shocking secret?

When Chad Duell parted ways with the role of Michael in General Hospital, many fans wondered how long before a recast would occur. Michael is a huge part of the fabric of Port Charles, and he’s needed to help flush out this storyline with Drew (Cameron Mathison) and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), especially with the brewing custody war. As much fun as it has been to see Carly (Laura Wright) take up her son’s fight and verbally spar with Willow, Drew and Nina (Cynthia Watros), Michael’s presence really is required.

Thankfully, The Young and the Restless alum Rory Gibson officially picks up the mantle of Michael Corinthos on May 23, right in the midst of the 2025 Nurses Ball, a move we predicted would happen a while ago.

Considering the ball has already seen Tracy (Jane Elliot) arrested for a crime she didn’t commit, Gio (Giovanni Mazza) find out that he’s Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Dante’s (Dominic Zamprogna) son, Gio tell a ballroom full of people the news and Portia (Brook Kerr) and Curtis’ (Donnell Turner) marriage crumble, Michael’s arrival seems like icing on an already chaotic cake.

Now once Michael arrives, you better believe Port Charles will do a collective gasp. While Sonny (Maurice Benard), Josslyn (Eden McCoy) and most of the Quartermaines will be pleasantly surprised, #Drillow is likely to be rather unhappy. Drew, in particular, won’t be pleased to see his nephew, as Michael’s presence threatens the sick hold he has over Willow. Heck, Drew has already shown that Michael makes him feel insecure by scheming to ensure Willow didn’t see Michael in Germany.

Having said all of that, we have a nagging suspicion that while Michael’s return will catch Port Charles off guard, he has a secret from Germany that would make jaws truly drop should it be revealed. Time and time again, when characters return from a hiatus offscreen, they reemerge with new bones in their closet. Jason (Steve Burton) was an undercover operative for the FBI after his last revival from the dead, Sonny was in love with Nina after Nixon Falls and Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) had a major Sidwell (Carlo Rota) problem.

If we had to guess what Michael’s new secret may be, it’s one of two things. First, we believe it’s possible that Michael has returned a little more jaded and willing to stop at nothing to get revenge for all those who have wronged him recently.

Given Drew stole his wife and we suspect Sidwell planted the bomb that placed Michael in his predicament, we won’t be surprised if Michael goes to morally questionable lengths to make both men pay. We once speculated about the possibility that Michael would become the new Don of Port Charles. So could that be in the works? Even with Sonny’s likely disapproval? In this scenario, Michael’s vengeful feelings wouldn’t be much of a shocker, but the plans he sets in motion may be.

Our other guess is that Michael found love with someone in Germany. Someone he’ll keep hidden for a while until he thinks it’s the perfect time to show off his romance. We think it would be rather poetic if a new romance is debuted shortly after Willow learns that Drew and Nina slept together and realizes the huge mistake she made tossing Michael to the side. Then, as she pines away for Michael, he rejects her pleas. Heck, maybe he hears her pleas, but Carly interferes to prevent Willow and Michael from ever becoming an item again.

While we can’t say for certain at this juncture if Michael will return hiding something, we can say we are glad to have the character back.

New episodes of General Hospital air on weekdays on ABC. If you miss an episode, you can catch up on Hulu.