It looks like General Hospital is due for a big shift in the Quartermaine family dynamics. The legendary Leslie Charleson, who played Monica for nearly 50 years, has unfortunately passed away. She’s bravely led the Quartermaine clan now for years, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking on that role of family matriarch. Even when Monica was off-screen due to Leslie’s poor health, her presence was felt.
With that being said, to me, it appeared as if the show has been quietly laying the groundwork for Tracy (Jane Elliot) to take on the role of the Quartermaine matriarch and step into her frenemy Monica’s position.
Despite the long history of animosity between Tracy and her sister-in-law, the two were foes worthy of each other’s steel. And in recent episodes, Tracy has voiced her grudging respect and even affection for Monica. Will Tracy be able to hold the family together and oversee the raising of the next generation of Quartermaines though? Right now, that’s looking like an almost impossible job.
Dealing with Drew
If Tracy is going to become the new matriarch, one of the first issues that she’ll have to deal with is Drew (Cameron Mathison). Even before the debacle with Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), Tracy was looking for ways to push Drew out and separate him from the family. But now that Michael’s kids are involved, Tracy can’t wait to take action. She needs to get control of this situation immediately because it’s spiraling out fast.
Wiley (Viron Weaver) and Amelia (Sequoia & Serenity Mork Macko) are part of the next generation of Quartermaines. Tracy has sworn to protect the Q kids and wants to keep them at the Quartermaine mansion where she can influence their upbringing, even though she’s not a fan of children in general. However, now that Drew is practically obsessed with getting custody of Wiley and Amelia for Willow, Tracy is going to have a real fight on her hands.
Her commitment to keeping the children at the mansion may be tested because Drew wants to take Willow and both of the kids to Washington, D.C. with him. Now that Michael (Chad Duell) is incapacitated there doesn’t seem to be much that Michael’s family, including Tracy, can do to stop Willow from taking the kids in the long run.
I thought that possibly Tracy would team up with Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Carly (Laura Wright) to make a united front against Willow and Drew. But when Sonny wanted to take the kids and Tracy wouldn’t let him, that killed any hope for an alliance. Sonny is going to take it personally that Jason (Stever Burton) chose Tracy over him, so I don’t think Sonny is going to be willing to work with Tracy anytime soon.
Tracy does have the video of Michael and Willow that she can use as leverage. But does Drew even care if Tracy leaks the video and ruins his career in Congress? He’s already totally abandoned his job to play the hero for Willow.
Does Tracy have what it takes?
If Tracy takes over as the new family matriarch, will she have what it takes to bond the family together? One of the reasons that Monica was able to keep the clan intact for so long was that despite all the things she’d done in the past, the family genuinely loved and respected her. Well, respected her authority even if they didn’t always love her.
Tracy doesn’t quite command that kind of love and respect, yet. But it’s possible that she could. Her close relationship with Lulu shows that she can have good relationships within the family. If she is a daily presence in the lives of the Q kids as they grow up, she may be able to position herself as the beloved matriarch who rules with an iron fist in a velvet glove.
The kids don’t know her history, so she has still a chance with them. However, will the adults who know of her long history of criminal acts, petty tempers and anger-driven decisions ever accept her as the head of the family?
Tracy is one of the few viable characters to step up as the head of the family. Ned (Wally Kurth) certainly isn’t strong enough to do it. And Jane Elliot has a wonderful way of making Tracy a character that is charming and captivating, even when she’s being a villain. It would be a lot of fun to see her take on even more power in the family and see how she plays on the existing family dynamics to get her way.
Assuming, of course, that when Monica is written off, she leaves Tracy the house. As much as Tracy likes to throw her weight around in the mansion, she’s just a guest there like everyone else. For now.
A legacy for the ages
Tracy will be an interesting matriarch for the Quartermaines, but no one could ever replace Monica. It’s a testament to Leslie Charleson that Monica has been such a driving force on General Hospital for nearly fifty years. The show will go on, but Leslie will never be forgotten. Monica Quartermaine raised the bar for strong, complicated and intelligent female characters on soaps. Rest in peace, Leslie Charleson.
New episodes of General Hospital air on weekdays on ABC. If you miss an episode, you can catch up on Hulu.
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