John McBain (Michael Easton)


 * John redirects here. For other uses of the name, see John (disambiguation).

Det. John McBain is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. The character was originated on the now-canceled ABC soap opera One Life to Live in 2003 by actor Michael Easton, who previously played the character Caleb Morley on Port Charles. On February 4, 2013, Easton began playing a dual role on General Hospital, reprising the role of Caleb.

Natalie Buchanan
John first arrived in Llanview, Pennsylvania as an FBI agent posing as a billiard scout for crime lord Flynn Laurence. He asked Natalie Buchanan, a billiards champion, to throw a game, but she defied him. She was then kidnapped by Flynn, but later rescued. Natalie later became friends with John.

John then decided to quit the FBI and stay in town to work with the local police department. He was working the Music Box Killer case, and Natalie nearly died at the serial killer's hands, and she and John admitted to each other that their friendship was turning into more. John eventually captured the killer.

John and Natalie grew closer, but he wasn't over his dead fiance Caitlyn Fitzgerald, who had been murdered by the Music Box Killer, yet. Natalie then moved on with Paul Cramer, and John later started a relationship with Evangeline Williamson. Natalie and John still had feelings for each other, but even after Natalie left Paul, John stayed with Evangeline. The two did finally start a relationship, but it soon folded.

In 2006, Natalie's uncle, Todd Manning (who years later would be revealed to actually be Todd's twin brother Victor Lord, Jr.), was convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of a woman named Margaret Cochran, who was pregnant with his child at the time. Margaret had shot, kidnapped, and raped Todd; and he had tried to kill her. The body of a pregnant woman had been found, but Todd insisted he was innocent. Natalie took a job with the police department, working in the forensics department, and she and John grew closer as they worked together to prove Todd's innocence. The eventually found an alive Margaret Cochran and were able to exonerate Todd.

Marty Saybrooke
John and Natalie broke up again, and he moved on with Marty Saybrooke, the mother of Cole Thornhart. In the fall of 2007, Marty and Cole were kidnapped by Irish terrorists who had supposed killed Cole's father and Marty's husband Patrick. John found them, but shots were fired into the van holding Marty and Cole. The van rolled down a hill and into a quarry. John ran down to it, and found Marty alive, but Cole missing. Marty insisted John find Cole, and he did; but when he got back to rescue Marty, the van exploded, seemingly killing her. John brought Cole back to Llanview, and he became a close friend and mentor to the teenage boy.

In the spring of 2008, John became suspicious of a man named Ramsey, who was keeping an unidentified woman in his penthouse. He found medical records showing the woman was injured and mentally handicapped. To pay for her treatment, Ramsey had masterminded the theft of the crown jewels of the country of Mendorra. John planted a bug in Ramsey's apartment, but he only heard the woman say "help me." He recognized the voice, but couldn't place it. Unbeknownst to John, however, the woman was actually Marty, who had not died after all.

Ramsey was killed, and Todd found Marty. Seeing as Marty had amnesia and didn't know who he was or remember anything from her past, he took her back to his house where he hid her. Marty found out that she had been gang raped in college, but didn't know the names of the men who did it. Todd kept her in the dark that one of the men was none other than Todd Manning, the man he believed himself to be. He filled Marty's head with lies that John was a bad guy, having left her to die. Meanwhile, John started up a relationship with Todd's ex-wife Blair Cramer. Eventually, however, John figured out that Todd was holding Marty. He was denied a warrant, so he broke into Todd's home to rescue her while Todd was away.

John found Marty and told her the truth about Todd, that had been one of the guys who had raped her in college. This made Marty sick to her stomach, especially since she had fallen in love with Todd and made love to him. Hearing this, when Todd came home, John beat him to a pulp.

Blair Cramer
Seeing as Marty was alive, John had a difficult time staying in his relationship with Blair. Marty kept getting in the way of their relationship, making Blair jealous. Eventually, Blair broke up with him. Soon after, Blair was repeatedly stabbed and nearly died. With Blair in the hospital and Todd wanting custody of their kids, Blair's attorney Téa Delgado suggested that she marry John so that John could get custody. They were then married. John began looking for the person who attacked Blair. John was arrested for the attack after the knife used in the crime was found in his apartment with his fingerprints. He escaped police custody though, and then realized Marty was the next target. John and Marty went off to find the attacker, and found Powell Lord III, Todd's cousin, who had been another one of the men who had raped Marty in college. Powell kidnapped Marty, Téa, Blair, and Todd and took them to the frat house where the rape had taken place. Meanwhile, John was being held at a sanitarium by Powell's accomplice, Rebecca Lewis. John managed to escape and then rescued Todd and Marty and shoot and kill Powell. The house then exploded, killing Rebecca and badly injuring Téa.

During the ordeal at the frat house, Marty got back her memory and wanted to be with John. John and Blair divorced, and he went back to Marty. Marty, however, was still bothered by the memories of being with Todd. Eventually, John and Marty did make love, but then John found himself drawing back to Natalie. He then found out, however, that Marty was pregnant and she moved in with him. Marty, however later lost the baby when she was pushed down a stairwell at the hospital. After losing the baby, John and Marty broke up.

Natalie and Liam
Natalie was about to move to London, but John rushed to the airport and professed his love for her. Natalie stayed in town and they began dating. Later, Natalie told John she was pregnant. What she didn't tell him though, was that she wasn't positive he was the father. Natalie had also slept with her sister Jessica's fiance Brody Lovett, and he have possibly been the father.

John and Natalie later became engaged, but Marty was suspicious of Natalie. As they were about to get married at the courthouse with Jessica and Brody serving as their witnesses, Marty barged in saying she had something to tell Jessica, who was also pregnant with Brody's baby. Jessica then went into labor. John went to the hospital with Jessica and Brody, and Natalie stayed behind with Marty. After John couldn't reach Natalie for hours, he tracked them down to a cabin, where he found Natalie in labor as well. Liam Asa McBain was born January 11, 2011.

John and Natalie then planned to marry on Valentine's day in a double wedding with Jessica and Brody. Just before they were to be married, someone barged in, announcing that one of the DNA tests of the babies (they had both had DNA tests done) had been switched. Jessica's son, Ryder, was actually Robert Ford's son, not Brody's. John had not known that Natalie had had a DNA test done on their baby until then, and he demanded answers from her. She then confessed to having slept with Brody, and that his DNA test revealed that Liam was Brody's son, not John's. John then left Natalie.

Marty had gone insane, and she was obsessed with John. She later kidnapped Liam. Brody got a tip from Jessica's alter Bess that Todd was the key to finding Liam. The police went to Todd's house, where they found the baby, but Marty was gone. Todd and Téa's brother Tomás had arranged for her to leave town with her presumed dead husband Patrick, who was actually alive. John went to the airstrip hoping to catch Marty, but only found Todd.

The real Todd; and Liam
Later, John investigated that death of an unknown man that had been found murdered at Blair's house. Blair and Todd's young son Sam told John that his friend had killed him to save his life. Sam identified his friend from a photograph of Todd Manning, before his plastic surgery. They couldn't understand how a man who looked like Todd before his surgery could have possibly be in town, when the Todd they know is there with a new face.

Sam was then kidnapped by a man who had stolen a Spider-Man costume from an entertainer. The real entertainer also identified the original-face Todd as the man who knocked him out and stole his costume. John later got a call from the man with Todd's original face and met with him. The man claimed to John that he was in fact the real Todd Manning, and that the other Todd was an imposter.

John then took a DNA sample from this man, and broke into Todd's office and stole his toothbrush for a DNA sample from him. He had the two sets of DNA tested against DNA the police had on file of Todd Manning from Marty's rape case years before. Shockingly, both samples came back as positive matches.

They then decided to get a second DNA test done. While they were waiting for the results, John and Tomás tracked a CIA agent down to Louisiana, where they found Todd's presumed dead mother, Irene Manning, and they brought her back to Llanview.

Irene explained that they two men were actually identical twins, and that the man with the new face was actually Victor Lord, Jr. She had held Todd captive for eight years, and had brainwashed Victor into thinking he was Todd. She had given Victor plastic surgery to make him look like the brother of Mitch Laurence, an enemy of Todd's, so that he would be off Mitch's radar. Later, Victor was found shot to death, and Todd was the key suspect.

Later, John was disappointed when he learned Natalie and Brody were getting married. He quit the force and planned to move to Seattle, where his brother Michael lived. At the airport though, Natalie showed up wearing her wedding dress and confessed that John was in fact Liam's father, not Brody. Natalie had just found out herself and left Brody at the alter. Brody had known for months that Marty had switched the DNA results, and had been covering it up.

They went back to Natalie's house to see Liam, only to find the butler knocked out and Liam gone. Brody had kidnapped him and ran to Michigan to his sister's house. John and Natalie eventually tracked him down and got Liam back. John and Natalie then got back together.

Later, Tomás went missing, and John found the gun used to kill Victor hidden in his Tomás' bedroom with his prints on it. John suspected Todd of actually killing Victor and framing Tomás for it. He eventually tapped Todd's cell phone, and was able to get Tomás' location. He then barged in and arrested Todd for his brother's murder. The only thing was that Victor was not actually dead; he was being held captive by an escaped prisoner named Allison Perkins.

Arrival
John arrives in Port Charles to arrest Todd for jumping bail for the apparent murder of Victor and bring him back to Llanview to stand trial. After bringing Todd back to Llanview, John returned to Port Charles to begin his vendetta against Sonny Corinthos, a mobster he holds a personal grudge against. He teams with Anna Devane to bring down Sonny for causing his sister Theresa's death. While in town, he begins to bond with Sam Morgan, the pregnant wife of mobster Jason Morgan, Sonny's enforcer. John agrees to help Sam arrange a DNA test on her baby, to determine who the real father is. When she finds out that Franco, her rapist and Jason's twin brother, is the father of her baby, it puts a strain on her marriage, and she leans on John. The night Sam gives birth, John delivers her son, but when he goes to get help, he is beaten up by Jason's hired thugs. He's upset when he finds out Sam's baby died. Meanwhile, Téa arrives in town, pregnant, and John finds out she also gives birth to a baby boy the same night as Sam.

While in Port Charles, John's relationship with Natalie begins to strain over his continued absence. After confronting Sonny, he is told that it was an associate Joe Scully, Jr. who caused his sister Theresa's death. He then goes to find Joe Scully Jr. He finds Joe and gets tied up and held hostage. Jason shows up and saves John, taking Joe back to Port Charles and leaves John tied up. Jason takes Joe back to Sonny. Sonny interrogates him about Kate Howard's rape. John shows up hoping to find answers about his sister's death. He finds them, but not the ones he was hoping for. Joe claims he saw Theresa talking to John, and realized he was a cop. He killed Theresa to protect his business. Joe is arrested. Sam finds John drunk on the dock, they watch Fourth of July fireworks and then kiss. After catching themselves, Sam chalks it up to the alcohol intake. John confesses there is something between them but he can't put his finger on it. John resolves to return to his family in Llanview.

John returns home to find Natalie and Liam gone. Clint's driver arrives at the house and tells John that he took them to the airport. John immediately calls Natalie and finds out she's on a plane with Liam, to London. Natalie stole John's passport to prevent him from following her. John finds a note in the trash from Todd. John realizes that Todd sent the photo of him and Sam kissing on the docks to Natalie. John heads to Port Charles where he proceeds to assault Todd. Todd has John arrested but later drops the charges. After finding out Natalie has issued a restraining order against him after returning to Llanview, he and Alexis Davis, Sam's mother, talk about the best course of action. John later assists Sonny, Todd, Johnny Zacchara and Jasper Jacks in foiling Jerry Jacks' plan to poison the PC water supply.

Investigating Suspicion about Sam's baby
After the water supply is saved, he's approached by Jason, who suspects that Sam's son was switched at birth with Téa's son. Jason says Heather Webber was the one who switched the babies, but John suspects Todd was involved in the switch, because he was with Téa that night. John travels to Llanview and gets a DNA sample from Victor, Téa's son, and hands it over to Jason. The DNA results come back, and Jason tells John that the baby is not Sam's.

John and Sam end up alone at Alexis's house, and nearly take the next step, but Sam stops the interaction. Afterwards, John gets a call from Jason, who tells him he was given the wrong results, and Téa's son is Sam's baby. John leaves to go tell Téa, but before he can, Téa realizes her son and nanny are gone. When Téa tells him that her nanny's name is "Susan Moore," John figures out the woman is actually Heather, who has kidnapped the baby. He lets Jason know, and returns to Port Charles to let Anna know what he found out. He also confronts Todd about his involvement, but Todd denies it, and John tells him Heather has kidnapped the baby.

John goes back to Anna, sharing his suspicions, and they have Todd's phone tapped. Heather contacts Todd, and John & Anna head to the motel where she called from, trying to find her. She's gone, but they realize she's coming back. Todd comes to the motel with Téa, claiming he got a call from his P.I. However, John & Anna punch holes in his story, making Téa question his story. John is about to tell Téa the truth, but Anna interrupts, saying that Heather is holding the baby hostage on the roof of General Hospital.

John, Anna, Todd, and Téa arrive at the hospital, where they find out Sam and Jason are on the roof with Heather. Téa tries to head to the roof, but John stops her. Anna calls to Heather, saying the police have surrounded the hospital, and telling her to surrender. Heather becomes unhinged, and jumps from the roof, but the baby is saved by Jason. John goes to the roof after and accompanies Sam, Jason, and the baby into the hospital, and when Téa comes and tries to take her "son" back, John stops her, and he & Todd explain that her son was switched at birth with Sam's, and he never made it. Téa doesn't believe him, and John shows the DNA test, and shares that the baby who died had hemophilia, a condition in Téa's family, she finally accepts the truth. He consoles Téa afterwards and is intent on making Todd pay. Todd is arrested, but his lawyer gets him released on lack of evidence.

Investigating Faison and Jason's disappearance
John goes over to tell Jason about Todd being released, and instead finds Sam and her son, Danny. Sam says she has decided to stay with Jason, which John accepts. Meanwhile, Jason is presumed dead in a shootout involving Joe Scully, Bernie Abrahms, and Duke Lavery. Jason goes to the pier to help Bernie, who was shot by Scully. Jason shoots Joe, but before he can help Bernie, he is shot by Duke and thrown into the harbor. Jason's body is never found, but he is presumed dead. John later comes to Sam's place, and hears her express how she doesn't believe Jason is dead. John agrees with her, and says that he's going to look for Jason's shooter.

John leaves to investigate, and returns to Port Charles soon after. He finds Sam, and tells her that Jerry Jacks had Joe Scully released from prison. Sam thinks Jerry is holding Jason, but John disagrees, saying whoever shot Jason and killed Bernie is someone much higher up with a bigger agenda. Sam tells John that Heather switched her paternity test, and Jason is Danny's biological father. Sam is upset that John doesn't share her belief that Jason is alive, and sends him away. John, though, realizes Sam is grieving and in denial about Jason being gone.

In December John returns to Port Charles and asks Anna for a job with the PCPD. Anna gives him the position of detective as Dante Falconeri's partner. He ends up arresting Robert Scorpio, Anna's ex-husband, when she catches him breaking in. He convinces John that Anna's recently returned husband, Duke Lavery, is actually Cesar Faison, a career criminal obsessed with Anna. John gets Robert out after getting proof Faison is alive, and he & Robert head to Switzerland, where "Duke" and Anna went. The two get to the clinic, where they question Dr. Obrecht, and realize she's working with "Duke." Dante contacts John to tell him the hotel Anna is at, and he & Robert head there, exposing "Duke" as Faison, and John goes with Interpol, who take him into custody.

In January 2013, he returns to Port Charles to tell Sam Morgan about what he found in Switzerland, and reveals that Faison was the one who shot Jason, and pushed him into the harbor, watching him sink. He helps Sam realize that Jason is gone, and never coming back. Later, he helps Sam tell Monica Quartermaine, her mother-in-law, what happened to Jason. Later, Lucy Coe sees John, and calls him "Caleb."