February sweeps are racing toward the finish line on General Hospital, and Port Charles is about to feel the aftershocks. The week of February 16–20 promises emotional reunions,

dangerous secrets, and a looming departure that already has fans bracing themselves: Jason Morgan is heading out of town, with Steve Burton set for a temporary break from the canvas.

If the last few episodes proved anything, it’s that the writers intend to wring every ounce of drama from Jason’s exit while detonating multiple storylines at once.

Lives are changing, alliances are shifting, and one long-absent heroine is waking up to a reality she never could have imagined.

Jason’s Clock Is Ticking

For weeks, Jason has been operating like a man who senses time slipping through his fingers. His instincts are sharper, his warnings more urgent, and his protective streak is in overdrive. Whether he’s trying to shield Danny from choices that could haunt him or quietly strategizing how to secure Britt’s future, Jason is moving chess pieces at a furious pace.

Insiders say his departure will be framed as a mission — something that pulls him away from Port Charles for months, possibly connected to Anna and the spiraling threats surrounding her. But that explanation doesn’t make the emotional fallout any easier.

What about the promises Jason has made? What about Britt? What happens to the people who rely on him as their anchor in the storm?

The tragedy of Jason Morgan has always been duty versus connection. This time, duty is about to win again.

Maxie Awakens to a New World

While Jason prepares to vanish, another fan favorite is finally opening her eyes.

Maxie Jones’ long-awaited awakening should be a miracle, a moment of unfiltered joy for her family. And it is — at first. James is thrilled. Spinelli and Felicia are overwhelmed. The relief in the room is almost too big to contain.

But Port Charles doesn’t do uncomplicated happiness.

Because waiting just outside Maxie’s hospital door is a truth that will rock her to the core: Nathan is back, and his renewed closeness with Lulu has been quietly blooming during Maxie’s absence. What started as comfort between two people bound by grief has evolved into something far messier.

By the time Maxie starts asking questions — Where is he? Why hasn’t he been here? — the clock on secrecy will already be running out. Anyone who knows James understands the kid won’t be able to keep quiet for long.

Maxie is waking up. And heartbreak may be waking up with her.

Carly’s Risky Games

Elsewhere, Carly continues to juggle a strategy that could explode at any moment. Her attempt to manipulate situations around Jack Brennan, Valentin, and the mysterious cold fusion plot is growing more precarious by the day.

Lucas is already suspicious of her sudden attempts at reconciliation. Others are starting to notice the gaps between Carly’s words and her intentions. If the wrong person connects the dots, she could find herself isolated — or worse, exposed.

And in Port Charles, exposure is currency.

Sonny Draws a Line

Lucy wants revenge. She wants Sidwell handled. She wants justice served loudly and publicly.

But Sonny Corinthos is cornered by leverage that limits how boldly he can move. Instead of launching an attack, he may choose a subtler tactic — encouraging Lucy to fight her own battle, perhaps even nudging her toward further conflict with Ava.

It’s classic Sonny: protect the empire, shift the battlefield, let someone else throw the first punch.

The DNA War

Curtis, Portia, and Isaiah remain locked in a painful standoff over the truth about the baby. Test results may arrive, but belief is another matter entirely. Trust has eroded so completely that even hard evidence risks being dismissed as manipulation.

Jordan watches from the sidelines, knowing every outcome carries collateral damage. No matter what the envelope says, someone’s heart is going to break.

Romance Under Siege

Valentine’s Day in Port Charles should mean candlelight and hope, but for Michael, even love comes with legal peril attached. As he tries to build something genuine with Joss, the possibility of charges threatens to tear it all apart.

Sonny is determined to keep his son out of prison, yet every move the family makes seems to tighten the net rather than loosen it.

Meanwhile, Dante is facing a crossroads of his own. The police commissioner job would change his life — and the balance of power in the city — forever. Accepting it could place him at odds with people he loves. Refusing it could mean surrendering a chance to make real change.

Jason’s Final Moves

Before he goes, Jason is still hunting for answers, particularly where Britt is concerned. His plan to obtain and analyze her medication shows just how far he’s willing to push boundaries for someone he cares about.

But can he finish what he started before he disappears?

That question may haunt the show well into spring.

A Town Bracing for Impact

By the time the week ends, Maxie’s joy could curdle into devastation, Michael’s future may hang by a thread, and Jason Morgan will be closer than ever to walking out of Port Charles once again.

Fans already know Burton is expected back later this year, but in soap time, months can feel like lifetimes. Relationships will shift. New loyalties will form. Old wounds will reopen.

And when Jason finally returns, he may discover the town he sacrificed everything for no longer looks the same.

Sweeps are ending — but the real chaos is just beginning.