Stairway to hell

Karma was a busy bee this week, as Peter's reign of terror came to an abrupt end and Cyrus found himself cornered by the police. Justice was served, but trouble soon followed. So let the joyous news be spread, this week's Two Scoops is just ahead!

Ding-dong, the Henrik is dead! Which old Henrik? The wicked Henrik! Ding-dong, the wicked Henrik is dead!

If I had a pair of ruby slippers, I would have been doing the happy dance as I sang that little ditty. I can't tell you how happy I was when Liz checked for Peter's pulse and found nothing. Nada. Nichts. It was the moment I'd been wishing for ever since Peter ordered that hit on Drew in the summer of 2019. Yup, that's right. Nearly two years of waiting for Peter to tango with the Grim Reaper. However, my elation quickly turned to frustration when, in nearly the next breath, Liz suggested that she and Finn leave Peter's corpse in the stairwell for someone else to find.

Sigh. Leave it to soap characters to unnecessarily muck things up.

I get it. Liz despised Peter because he murdered her husband, and she likely feels that Peter got exactly what he deserved. I can't disagree on that point. I also can't argue with her reminder that Finn needs to focus on finding a cure for Chase, especially now that Peter is dead. Peter's death means that Finn really is Chase's only hope for recovery -- unless Chloe was stashing the vials under the rock from whence she crawled. Liz's reasoning was perfectly valid, yet if you're going to lie, why not make sure that it covers your behind?

Peter's body being found will only raise questions and start an investigation, even if it looks like an accident. The law requires certain information for a death certificate, so it's really unavoidable.

Yes, Finn shoved Peter, but he could easily claim that it happened during an altercation that Peter had initiated. Liz could back that up by saying that she had appeared at the bottom of the steps in time to witness Peter grab Finn, and Finn reacted by shoving Peter away. No one would question that story, especially given Peter's violent history and his efforts to escape via helicopter just minutes earlier. His text messages from the pilot would confirm that.

Not a single soul would have cared enough to dig any deeper than Finn and Liz's version of events. Even Anna, who is arguably the only person who has any tender feelings left for Peter, would happily cover for Finn if she had even an inkling that Peter's death was the result of anything other than self-defense.

That brings me to the evidence. Things like DNA under the fingernails, trace evidence like hair strands, and of course Liz's fingerprints all over the two fake passports she pawed might come back to haunt both Finn and Liz. Why not weave a story that might account for those things?

For the record, I do acknowledge that Finn killed Peter, but I know that it wasn't Finn's intent. He snapped, and in a moment of pure rage, he lashed out. Finn wanted Peter to feel his wrath as well as his fear. The shove was meant to frighten Peter as much as it was to stop him from leaving, because Finn did need Peter alive to get more of that serum that Peter was holding over Chase's head.

At worst, it was manslaughter. In my eyes, it was justice.

Then again, there is a very slim chance that Peter isn't as dead as Liz was led to believe. Yes, she's a nurse and knows how to take a pulse, but I wouldn't put it past Peter to have used some kind of evil villain yoga technique that slowed his breathing and his pulse to make it appear that he was dead. It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone who was declared dead turned up alive down the road.

Soap villains tend to have nine lives. Unless Peter's body is found, I'm not counting him out, just indisposed.

That brings me to Maxie.

Kirsten Storms was absolutely phenomenal during Maxie's showdown with Henrik. It was everything that I had hoped for and more. It was downright masterful how Maxie pretended to be the blind fool Peter believed her to be until she dropped the hammer of truth on his thick head.

I honestly don't know which part I enjoyed more -- Maxie admitting that Henrik made her skin crawl or her use of "Henrik" rather than Peter as she went off on him. Oh, wait, I changed my mind. My favorite part was when Maxie revealed that she had recorded their entire conversation -- including his confession -- and sent it to Mac.

Well played, Maxie! The look of stunned disbelief on Henrik's face was priceless.

Unfortunately, Maxie is paying the ultimate price because she had to hide her daughter in plain sight by following through with her plan to hand the newborn over to Brook Lynn. Brook Lynn is finally free of the fake baby bump, but now she has a little girl (Bailey Lois Quartermaine; BLQ II, if you will), and I can already see her falling as deeply in love with the tiny babe as Valentin is.

It's not going to end well for Brook Lynn. Valentin will be the least of her problems. It's her heart that is going to lead to all the tears. Valentin will forgive Brook Lynn -- perhaps even admire her diabolical plot to get her hands on the controlling shares of ELQ. He carries a lot of guilt over Henrik's twisted childhood, and I believe it will matter to him that Maxie had been a willing participant in the ruse because she was desperate to safeguard her daughter from a dangerous sociopath who was off the rails. Valentin might even view playing daddy to Bailey/Louise as some kind of atonement to keep an innocent life safe from a monster that he helped to create.

I'm hopeful. Valentin seems to have turned a corner ever since he realized that Charlotte had seen him shove Ava over the parapet. It shook him to realize that his daughter had seen a side of him that he had never wanted Charlotte to know existed. Ever since, he's been working to be a better version of himself than he was.

I don't think learning that Bailey/Louise is not his will be a catalyst that sends Valentin back to the dark side. Now, if something were to happen to Charlotte, Nina, or Anna there might be a concern, but in the end, I think Valentin will take the news that Bailey is Louise pretty well.

Charlotte will be ecstatic because she's already made it clear that she's not keen on sharing her papa with a sibling.

It's Brook Lynn that I suspect will have the most trouble letting go when the time comes for Maxie to reclaim her daughter. It's clear that BLQ is falling fast and hard for the little cherub, and that's only going to continue as her family begins to fawn over the baby and Brook Lynn. If they start treating BLQ like an adult, it will be game over. Brook Lynn has longed to be taken seriously for years, and to be treated with respect instead of like a misfit child who is forever messing things up.

Not that I blame anyone for thinking of Brook Lynn as a perpetual teen. Brook Lynn is endearing, but she's also impulsive, easily hurt, and reluctant to forgive, and she can be quite spiteful. It's why she tends to land in hot water time and again, and it's how she ended up returning to Port Charles with a fake baby bump and half-baked plan to persuade Valentin to sign over control of ELQ.

I like Brook Lynn, but I'm hoping that this storyline will be what finally makes her grow up. Maybe falling in love with and losing a baby will help set her on the right path.

Peter wasn't the only one who had an encounter with karma this week.

Cyrus' luck ran out when Jason returned just in time to give Carly the upper hand during a mob showdown with Cyrus on the piers. When the smoke cleared, Cyrus was left wounded and looking for a place to get treatment without a whole lot of questions.

Naturally, Cyrus headed to Portia's place. Portia had no choice but to comply with Cyrus' demands, since he threatened to kill Trina if Portia didn't do exactly as he instructed. Before long, Curtis sussed out that Portia was in trouble when a phone call to Portia raised alarm bells.

That's when I knew that Curtis and Portia are going to be a thing.

Yeah, yeah, I know that Curtis rebuffed Portia's advances and even apologized for sending her mixed signals, but I don't buy it. His lips might say no, but his actions are that of a hero saving his heroine. I think Curtis stopped Portia from kissing him more out of fear of being on the rebound than a lack of attraction.

I'm not worried about Curtis succumbing to his injury. It's not his time. Not only do I believe that he has a new romance on the horizon, but I'm still convinced that Portia has a secret to share about Trina's paternity.

Folks, Curtis sneaking into Portia's house to -- unsuccessfully -- confront Cyrus with a gun is a perfect example of what went wrong with his relationship with Jordan. There Jordan was, in the middle of a hostage situation with a SWAT team on standby, while Curtis stood next to her as if he had every right to be a part of police business. She even included him on some of the discussions about how to proceed, and because he knew what was about to happen, Curtis seized an opportunity to sneak into the house, without Jordan's knowledge, to confront Cyrus.

I understand why Jordan didn't object to Laura being there. Not only is Laura the mayor, but she's also the suspect's sister. Even Kevin, who has worked with the police on numerous occasions, had an excuse -- albeit razor thin -- to be there. However, why was Curtis there when Taggert, an actual ex-cop, was ordered to stand back or face being arrested for his interference? Jordan has always blurred the line with Curtis, and she continues to. Had she ordered Curtis to join Taggert on the sidelines, perhaps he might not have gotten shot.

I don't know how Laura can say that Curtis saved her life. He didn't. Jordan is the one who shot Cyrus. If anything, Curtis' actions only further endangered Laura's life. Would Cyrus have shot Laura? I don't think so. He seems desperate for her approval and love, and that, I believe, would have kept him from pulling the trigger.

Since Cyrus is expected to make a full recovery, he's almost certainly headed to Pentonville, which means he'll be walking straight into Nikolas' hands. Nikolas already has an axe to grind with his uncle because of the threats that Cyrus made against Alexis. Holding Laura hostage and threatening her life is going to be one more strike against Cyrus.

I kind of look forward to Cyrus getting a little taste of his own medicine.

Speaking of which, Michael and Willow just can't seem to keep their hands off of each other. They are in love and eager to start their new life together. They just need Chase to get well enough so they can crush his dreams and break his heart.

I'm so over this tired old plot twist. It's stupid and rather juvenile.

The only person who seems to have learned the error of their ways in the whole debacle of Wiley's custody hearing is Sasha. Her pregnancy didn't concern Cyrus, so lying to him was not a big deal . He had no right to the truth, but Brando was a different matter. As uncomfortable -- and downright dangerous -- as it was to be honest with him, Sasha chose to come clean to Brando when he asked about the baby. It wasn't easy, but she did it because it was the right thing to do.

Michael and Willow might be growing closer, but they are distancing themselves from this viewer. It feels like they want to have their cake and eat it, too. They act like they are making a great big sacrifice for Chase, but then they are stealing kisses or sneaking off to make love. It makes them look selfish not selfless. I get it -- they are in love, but have some integrity.

If they can't tell Chase the truth, then at least don't hook up behind his back. That's not romantic; it's tawdry. I was actually rooting for Michael and Willow, but I find myself doing less of that the longer this lie drags on, especially since both Michael and Willow know what it feels like to be lied to by someone you love and trust.

Finally, Jason showed his romantic side by calling Dr. O to let Liesl know where to find Britt. Britt was touched that he had thought to send her mother to keep her company. I admit, I was a little surprised, too. Jason had a lot going on, between saving Carly from Cyrus' nefarious plans and sorting out his legal troubles, all while Carly remained stuck to his side like a barnacle. It says a lot about Jason's feelings for Britt that he worried about her being alone in the lighthouse.

I can't wait for Britt to return to Port Charles. With any luck, she and Jason will soon be steaming up my television set like they did the first time they made love. Steve Burton and Kelly Thiebaud have incredible chemistry, and I'm so happy that their characters have found their way into each other's arms. I really didn't expect to like them as much as I do, but they are one of my favorite couples right now.

I'm hoping that, despite carrying the genetic marker for Huntington's disease, Britt remains healthy. I like that she is one of the few people who isn't intimidated by Carly and that she has a successful career as a doctor. I think she challenges Jason in a way that he hasn't been challenged in a long time, and that's a good thing in my book.

It's nice to see Jason actually make an effort for someone other than Sonny and Carly. Will it last? I don't know, but I'm going to enjoy the ride while I can.

I was curious why Jordan and Cyrus bothered to use a phone during their negotiations, since they were literally separated by an open window and thin set of blinds. At one point, Curtis could have simply reached past those blinds to snatch the gun right out of Cyrus' hand. That would have been a better plan than the one that Curtis ultimately went with.

Why are there no security cameras in the hospital's stairwell? I find that incredibly odd, given all the terrible things that have gone down at GH over the past five decades.

Did anyone else feel a bit disappointed that Dr. Austin barely gave Liz a second glance? Luckily, Liz more than made up for that. I kept waiting for her to say something like, "You look exactly like my dead husband," but, alas, she didn't. Oh, well, I guess it's just the viewers who see the resemblance.

Please, never, ever again let Nina and "Mike" share a kiss. It's like watching Mrs. Brady smooch with Sam the butcher. It's downright unsettling.

The John Reilly tribute made me think of Sean as Police Commissioner. Robert was actually the ONLY Port Charles Police Commissioner who was squeaky clean. Sean went from head of the WSB to international criminal to Police Commissioner, Anna was a double agent who somehow was taken back into the WSB, Mac had a shady past before he came to Port Charles and had no background in law enforcement, Jordan framed Cyrus when she was with the DEA, and who can forget co-police chief Burt Ramsey who was "Mr. Big?" -- JDF

Chase is a man child. He was coming off just a little too pushy before this poisoning ever happened. He was obnoxiously sure that Willow had already chosen him and there was no way she'd ever choose Michael. Chase is gorgeous and all but he's a little too full of himself for my tastes. Then again, Michael is a tad too full of himself at times. -- Leslie

Willow needs to come clean with Chase. She and Michael must have a very low opinion of Chase's emotional maturity. If he's lucid enough to argue with Finn, he's strong enough to hear the truth that he and Willow are over. He's a big boy. He can take it. -- Scrimmage

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to leave a comment below or email me.

Take care and happy viewing,Liz Masters

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