Jasper "Jax" Jacks (Ingo Rademacher)

Jasper "Jax" Jacks is a character on General Hospital portrayed by Ingo Rademacher, who has been on the series since 1996. In 2008, Gideon Emery replaced Ingo Rademacher for three episodes. Ingo left in August 2011.

Arrival (1996-2000)
Corporate raider Jasper "Jax" Jacks is born in Australia, though his family eventually moves to Alaska. As a young man, he marries Miranda Jacks, who appears to die in an explosion. He comes to Port Charles at the behest of Lois Cerullo to help her get her company back from Edward Quartermaine. Despite Lois' happy marriage to Ned Ashton, Jax pursues her romantically. To keep Jax occupied, Lois introduces him to her best friend Brenda Barrett who uses Jax to make her mobster ex-boyfriend Sonny Corinthos jealous. Despite her love for Sonny, Brenda develops feelings for Jax, and the two eventually wed on his private yacht. When the two decide to renew their vows, Sonny interrupts the ceremony by bringing in Miranda, who revealed her death had been faked to hide scars she suffered in the explosion. Jax ultimately decides to move on with Brenda, who has become engaged to Sonny. Brenda, who has been battling an addiction to pain killers, is left at the altar by Sonny in an attempt to protect her from the dangers of mafia life, and Jax helps her recover from her eventual breakdown. The two become engaged yet again, though Brenda appears to die when her mentally unstable mother drives their car over a cliff.

Jax learns that his father and brother Jerry Jacks started the family empire with mafia money, and they lose all of their money. After winning money in Monte Carlo, he begins to rebuild his fortune and also meets fashion designer Chloe Morgan. Chloe is in danger of losing her design company, and must be happily married to retain the seed money her eccentric uncle left her. Originally planning to marry a now divorced Ned in Las Vegas, Chloe's aunt Gertrude objects and Jax marries his best friend Alexis Davis to help cover the ruse. Though Chloe eventually loses her company, she and Jax grow closer and eventually fall in love and Jax buys her company back for her. Chloe is severely injured when Helena Cassadine runs her over in an attempt to kill Alexis. Chloe develops psychic visions tied to Helena, and Stefan Cassadine intends to use these to help destroy his devious mother Helena. Stefan shows Jax a woman who looks just like Brenda, and Jax leaves Port Charles in search of his former love.

Return (2001-2004)
While searching for Brenda, Jax meets Kristina Carter and he realizes that she is Alexis' sister. He reunites the sisters, though Chloe refuses his advances when she learns he left her to pursue Brenda. Stavros Cassadine murders Chloe, who has become involved with Stefan, leaving Jax heartbroken. Returning to corporate raiding, Jax teams up with Skye Chandler Quartermaine and her brother AJ Quartermaine to take over ELQ, their family company, and to destroy Sonny. Jax also goes into business with Carly Corinthos, Sonny's wife, opening a nightclub in an attempt to free her from the mafia lifestyle. Despite initially disliking Skye, Jax becomes attracted to her, and she in turn plays the damsel in distress to lure him to her. The two make love, and are both concerned when AJ becomes involved with Sonny's sister Courtney Matthews. The two briefly split, when Jax learns that Skye had been working with Edward behind his back, but they are able to overcome this obstacle and marry.

The night of his wedding to Skye, Jax is shocked to see a very much alive Brenda in his cottage. Brenda explains that she faked her death, fearing that she suffered from the same fatal mental illness as her mother and that she had been taken in by arms dealer Luis Alcazar. When she attempts to leave Luis, he shoots Jax, leaving him paralyzed. Depressed over his condition, Jax pushes Skye away and pretends to be in love with Brenda still. Skye learns that Brenda is not dying, and when Jax discovers that she is keeping this information from Brenda, he ends their marriage. Overjoyed, he tells Brenda the truth, and the two become engaged again. Alcoholic Skye begins drinking again and also starts an affair with Luis. When Luis is murdered, Skye implicates Brenda and mobster Jason Morgan, forcing Brenda and Jason to marry so they cannot be forced to testify against each other. Initially found guilty, Brenda is cleared of the charges when it is revealed that Alexis killed Luis, who was responsible for the death of Kristina, in order to protect her newborn daughter. Once her marriage to Jason is annulled, Brenda and Jax prepare to wed, though Jax leaves her at the altar when he learns that she kissed Sonny the day of their wedding. Brenda leaves town, and Skye again pursues Jax. Unable to recapture their past love, Skye begs him to impregnate her, but Jax chooses to leave town again.

New Loves (2004-2006)
Jax returns to town in pursuit of a set of five cards called the Dead Man's Hand, allegedly held by Wild Bill Hickok the night he was killed. Jax's father had them for most of his life, and believed them to be responsible for is success. Upon losing them, his father lost the will to live, and as Jax searched he met a grifter named Sam McCall who was also searching for the cards in Port Charles. Initially at odds, the two become attracted to each other while simultaneously sabotaging each other's quest for the cards. After they become lovers, Sam distracts Jax who has regained possession of the Dead Man's Hand, and Jax is unable to return the cards to his father in time to prevent his death. Jax blames her for his father's death, though he begins to suspect he is the father of Sam's unborn child. The relationship ends when Jax learns that his enemy Sonny is actually the father.

Jax begins to flirt with Sonny's sister Courtney, and the two make a $10 million dollar bet that she won't be able to resist his sexual advances. Courtney wins the bet, but the two make love and fall in love. Courtney and Jax marry, but learn that Courtney cannot conceive a child. The decide to use Elizabeth Spencer as a surrogate, though Courtney regrets this as Jax begins neglecting her in favor of Elizabeth and their child. Courtney in turn begins a friendship with Nikolas Cassadine that blossoms into love. Courtney sleeps with Nikolas, and becomes pregnant, though Jax changes the paternity test to say that he is the father. Courtney gives birth to a son, but dies shortly afterwards. Carly, Courtney's best friend, helps Jax raise his son, and the two begin dating. Carly discovers that Jax is not the father, but keeps quiet to protect the baby from the Cassadines. Carly's longtime nemesis, Dr. Robin Scorpio, learns the truth and when she reveals it to Nikolas, Jax is forced to give him the baby who Nikolas names Spencer Cassadine.

Carly Corinthos Jacks (2007-2011)
Jax and Carly continue their relationship, and eventually become engaged. Their wedding is delayed several times, and Jax is forced to leave town to help his wayward brother Jerry. When Sonny shoots mobster Lorenzo Alcazar, Carly marries him to avoid testifying against him. After she and Sonny are held hostage at the Metro Court Hotel by the mysterious Mr. Craig, the duo have sex, which Jax learns about. Jax resolves to fight for Carly, and though initially torn, Carly chooses a life with Jax. Carly and Sonny divorce, and Jax and Carly finally marry with her sons Michael and Morgan blessings. When they return from their honeymoon, Jax learns that Mr. Craig is actually his brother Jerry with plastic surgery. Jerry sends Jax out of town, where Jax is kidnapped by Jerry's former lover Irina. She rapes Jax twice, though he is able to escape and return to his life with Carly.

Jax begins a new business venture with fashion editor Kate Howard, who Carly immediately dislikes. The two learn that Kate is actually Connie Falconeri, Sonny's high school girlfriend, and she begins dating Sonny. Young teen Michael, fearful of the violence that surrounds his family, purchases a gun and accidentally shoots Kate. He runs away, leaving Carly, Jax, and Sonny fearful that he has been kidnapped by Anthony Zacchara, a mafia boss newly arrived in Port Charles. Adding to their stress, Carly and Jax learn that she is pregnant. Michael returns to town, but he and Carly are injured in an explosion caused by Diego Alcazar in retaliation for the deaths his family suffered. Ric Lansing rescues Carly, who is suffering from hypothermia. In the hospital, Anthony's daughter Claudia threatens Carly and her family in an attempt to protect her brother Johnny from Sonny and his organization. The stress surrounding her family and her injuries suffered in the explosion cause Carly to lose her baby, though she and Jax vow to keep trying.

Claudia, teamed with Jerry, orders associate Ian Devlin to kill Sonny. Devlin accidentally shoots Michael, leaving the boy in a permanent coma. On the way to install Michael at a long term care facility, Carly seduces Sonny in order to successfully manipulate him into turning over parental rights to Michael and Morgan. Kate and Jax, feeling shut out of their partner's lives, share a kiss during a romantic business trip to New York. Kate begins manipulating Jax, who leaves Carly when Kate makes it appear that she is sabotaging their business. The two reunite but split again when Jax learns that she slept with Sonny. Jax and Kate almost sleep together, but Carly interrupts them. Though both still in love with each other, the two begin divorce proceedings and Carly decides to sell her stake in their hotel to Jax's rival Nikolas. Jax hires Kate's cousin Olivia Falconeri to work there, and she convinces Carly not to sell her shares to Nikolas. Against the advice of their lawyers, Jax and Carly stop divorce proceedings and reconcile yet again. Sonny, who left the mob for a life with Kate, marries Claudia in order to take over her family's organization when Kate is shot again. Carly decides to host a gala at General Hospital to raise money for research to help Michael and other children suffering brain injuries. Initially leaving Port Charles for a business meeting in Hong Kong, Jax returns to discover that Carly and several of their friends have been quarantined because of a biotoxin that has been released in the hospital. When a fire begins engulfing the hospital, Jax crashes his helicopter in a rescue attempt, leaving Carly to believe he is dead. Jax survives and convinces Alexis and Mac Scorpio to let him fly the police helicopter, and he is able to make several successful rescue flights, though Carly is not among those he saves. Carly is able to escape by one of the stairwells, and the two are reunited. They renew their wedding vows and begin to try and conceive another child. Jerry fakes his death to keep himself safe from Claudia and the Zaccharas, and he also begins sending DVDs to the house she shares with Sonny discussing her role in Michael's shooting.



Carly discovers that she is pregnant, though she does not inform Jax that the pregnancy is extremely high risk for her. Jax and Claudia's lover Ric learn the truth about Claudia's misdeeds, and Jax is stunned when Jerry is revealed to be alive and in Port Charles. Michael returns to Jax and Carly but the two are faced with a new problem—Michael's attitude towards his mother. Jax learns that eventually Michael will remember everything he heard in the coma—even his confession that Jax's brother and Jax were both involved in Michael's shooting. Jax asks Kristina, his former step-daughter, to help him on how to deal with Michael. On October 6, 2009, Carly and Jax decide to name their child Josslyn John Jacks. On October 29, Sonny is holding a birthday party for Claudia when he launches into a speech, ripping her apart for getting Michael shot, now that he has evidence that proves it. Claudia points out that Jax and Olivia also knew the truth, but said nothing about. Claudia takes a pregnant Carly hostage in a desperate move. Moments later, Carly goes into labor. After getting into a car wreck and making her way into a cabin, Carly delivers her and Jax's baby girl, Josslyn. Claudia decides to kidnap Josslyn, but is killed by Michael when she tries to escape. Sam McCall takes Carly and Josslyn to the hospital on November 4, 2009, where Jax meets his daughter for the first time and reunites happily with Carly.

Carly is infuriated with Jax after discovering his involvement in Michael's shooting and throws him out. She later lets him back in for the sake of her children, but still keeps her distance from Jax. During Thanksgiving, Morgan sabotages both Carly and Jax's cars to force them to spend Thanksgiving together for the sake of his baby sister. Jax and Carly do spend Thanksgiving together, and they slowly beging reconciling. Jax has found out that Dominic Pirelli, Sonny's new recruit into the mob, is actually Dante Falconeri, Sonny and Olivia's son who is an undercover cop. He helps Dante build his case against Sonny, wanting him out of his and Carly's lives. When Dante is not able to produce solid evidence, Jax makes a recording of Sonny implicating himself in Claudia's murder and plays it for Dante, but Dante is not impressed. Jax later deletes the recording, as he has just got Carly back and he doesn't want to lose her again, and leaves arresting Sonny "up to Detective Falconeri." Josslyn was christened on January 29, 2010. Jax admits to helping Dante bust Sonny, leading Carly to move out and file for divorce.