Jasper "Jax" Jacks (Ingo Rademacher)

Jasper "Jax" Jacks is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.

He is 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, but has subsequently made returns to the show.

Casting
The role of Jasper "Jax" Jacks was originated by German born, Australian native actor Ingo Rademacher who debuted in the role in January 31, 1996.

In April 2000, Rademacher announced his decision to not sign a new contract with the series, and would vacate the role of Jasper.

On his departure, Rademacher said in a statement, "I haven't really built up my resumé. I think [daytime] was a good move. And especially being on General Hospital, the best daytime show, I think. But there are other things I'd like to do." Following his departure, the actor signed onto the NBC primetime series, Titans.

In April 2001, it was rumored that Rademacher would make his way back to General Hospital, despite being interested in the role of "Colin" on the NBC Daytime soap opera , a potential love interest of the character.

That month, further speculation led to many to believe that Rademacher would return to his daytime home following the cancellation of Titans and his rumored deal with Days of our Lives failing to provide any truth. It was later confirmed that Rademacher was to return to the series in June 2001. He returned on-screen July 30, 2001.

In September 2004, following being quoted as being "burned out", Rademacher was rumored to be making an exit from his daytime home once again, however the rumors turned out to be false.

In May 2011, it was announced that Rademacher had been fired from the series following a noticeable decline in Jasper's airtime on the series. Rademacher last aired in July 2011, before returning in August in what he stated was expected to be the first of many guest appearances on the series.

In November 2011, it was announced by ABC announced that Rademacher would make another scheduled guest appearance on the series, this time lasting three weeks. Rademacher returned on December 30, 2011 and left the series once again on January 23, 2012.

In August 2012, following the surprising return of Jerry Jacks, it was announced that Rademacher would once again make a return to the series in the role of Jasper Jacks. Rademacher made his on-screen return on August 23, 2012. He finished his guest series the following month, making his final appearance on September 26, 2012.

Rademacher, along with co-star Vanessa Marcil, was invited back for the show's 50th anniversary. An official announcement was made on March 5, 2013. He appeared back on-screen on April 1, 2013.

On June 2, 2016, Soap Opera Digest broke the news that Ingo Rademacher would return to the show as a "guest star" for a big "story" and is set to start airing on July 29. Ingo returned for his short stint, which ran from August 1-16, 2016.

Storylines
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.
 * -|1996-2000=

Jax learns that his father and brother Jerry Jacks started the family empire with mafia money, and they lost 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.

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 Enterprises, 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.
 * -|2001-06=

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.

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.

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.
 * -|2007-10=

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.

In spring 2011, Jax becomes convinced that Carly is an unfit mother due to her constant association with Jason and Sonny and decides to fight her for full custody of Josslyn, though Carly merely wants joint custody. He hires Alexis as his defense, but Alexis repeatedly tries to convince him to compromise with Carly; recalling that her own attempts to keep Kristina safe from Sonny's world did nothing but convince Kristina that Sonny didn't love her. Despite Alexis' advice Jax refuses to listen, and after several arguments, finally demands that Alexis actually start acting like his attorney and tell him how to beat Carly in court. Jax asks both Robin Scorpio and Olivia Falconeri to testify on his behalf and against Carly but they both refuse. Jax quickly resorts to underhanded tactics to improve the odds of winning custody of Josslyn, digging up dirt on Shawn Butler, who had been hired by Jason a bodyguard to Josslyn and Carly, and provoking Shawn into attacking him in public, forcing Carly to fire him. He also went so far as to issue subpoenas for Brenda, Michael, and Morgan to testify on his behalf.
 * -|2011-13=

Sonny threatens Jax to back off and begins to suspect that Jax paid off the court appointed mediator Grace Yang in the custody case. When Brenda is forced to testify she inadvertently lets it slip that she and Alec were just shot at the night before on Sonny's property, strengthening Jax's case. Outside the courtroom, Sonny, Jason, and Carly realize that Jax did indeed pay off the mediator since she never saw Carly interact with her kids, and still passed judgment on her. Sonny tells her he'll take care of it as Jason and Carly walk off. Sonny goes on to confront Grace and got her on his side through blackmail. Sonny and Grace create a scenario to frame Jax for drug possession and attempted rape. Jax returns to his suite that night and Grace was there to discuss his case. She serves him drugged coffee as they talk. When Jax realizes the coffee is drugged, Grace locks herself in the bathroom and calls the police, while Jax bangs on the door, yelling.

Jax regains his senses at the police station, where he is handcuffed to a table. Detective Ronnie Dimestico tells him that in addition to assault, they found drugs in his room and he resisted arrest when the police came. Jax pleads his case, saying that Sonny set him up, but Ronnie tells him that the evidence points at him. Brenda later comes over and Jax tells her to somehow get Sonny to confess. While Jax is at the station, Michael shows up to pay a parking ticket, and Jax tells him to tell Carly to pay his bail to prove she wasn't involved. After he's released, he goes to Carly's place and threatens her, promising she'll lose Josslyn. Carly denies she was involved, but Jax doesn't buy it and leaves. The next day, the judge came to a decision, and Jax was devastated when Carly received sole custody of Josslyn. On July 21, 2011 Jax says goodbye to Michael, Morgan, and Josslyn and left Port Charles. Jax leaves town with Brenda, who had also decided to leave Sonny as a result of him framing Jax. Jax drops Brenda and Alec off in Rome and then heads to Paris.

He eventually returns to Port Charles in August 2011 determined to get Josslyn away from Carly. He sneaks into the house he used to share with Carly and takes Josslyn. He is stopped by Shawn but manages to get past when Shawn has a PTSD attack. Jax heads toward the airport but his car breaks down and he heads to Robin's house instead. Shawn manages to follow Jax to Robin's house. After a meeting at Robin's, Shawn convinces Jax to give Josslyn back to Carly. Later on, Sonny comes to Robin's house, intent on killing Jax because he blames him for Brenda leaving him. Just as he holds the gun up, Robin stops him and gets hurt in the process. Jax leaves so that he won't get arrested by the police. At the airport, Jax is waiting for takeoff, but flies into the air without permission from air traffic control to avoid the police. As he starts flying, his plane starts to shut down, and he realizes that Sonny messed with his plane. Dante later reports that Jax's plane crashed into the harbor and he is presumed dead.

Skye later finds Jax passed out at a warehouse amid a parachute. When he wakes up, he says that he barely made it out of the plane before it crashed. He asks Skye for help to get out of town. When Skye leaves to find him what he needs, Carly shows up, and Jax hides from her. He listens as she begs for Jax to be alive. Shawn later joins her, and they talk about Jax during the better times of his marriage to Carly. Jax is surprised when he hears Shawn say that Carly wants to cut Sonny out of her children's lives once and for all. Carly tells Shawn she now understands why Jax wanted to get custody of their daughter, and doesn't know how to tell Josslyn that her dad is never coming home. Shawn tells her to hold onto hope that he's still alive, and they leave. Skye returns with cash and some fresh clothes for Jax. With one last look, Jax, now confident that Josslyn will be safe in Carly's care, departs Port Charles.

Jax returns to Port Charles again in December 2011-January 2012 and the truth that he is still alive is revealed to everyone. Carly is attacked by all of Jax's friends and enemies for keeping the secret that she suspected Jax was still alive. Jax returned to comfort Michael over the loss of his girlfriend Abby and also to convince him to stay away from Sonny's business. Michael finally decides to head in a different direction in life after some fatherly advice from Jax and he gives up his desire to enter the mob business. Shortly thereafter Jax leaves town again.

Jax returns again in late summer 2012 when he hears that his daughter Josslyn is ill. It is later revealed that his brother Jerry Jacks had kidnapped Josslyn and given an antitoxin to the upcoming deadly pathogen that he was going to release. Jax helps in taking down his brother and aided in the process of securing a cure of the pathogen. Jax is injured from the explosion which presumely killed Jerry. Jax leaves and returns to Australia. Jax returns again on April 1, 2013 as part of the 50th anniversary of General Hospital. He knocks on Carly's door with something to tell her. The divorce papers never was recieved by the State of New York, so Jax and Carly are still married.


 * -|2016=

Crimes Committed

 * Unintentionally committed bigamy when he married Brenda Barrett on a boat, not knowing that his first wife was still alive [May 1996]
 * Illegally purchased the Dead-Man's Hand from Luke Spencer [Oct 31, 2003]
 * Locked Tracy Quartermaine in a closet to prevent her from following him to Azure Key [Jan 9, 2004]
 * Changed the results of Courtney Matthews' paternity test twice to indicate he was the baby's father [2005-06]
 * Adultery; slept with Kate Howard while married to Carly [Nov 25, 2008]
 * Punched Sonny Corinthos in the face [Apr 29, 2009]
 * Bribed a court appointed mediator [Jul 2011]
 * Kidnapped his daughter (he changed his mind and gave her back) [Aug 5, 2011]
 * Disarmed a police officer and freed his brother, Jerry from a jail cell [Sep 2012]
 * Tried to pull a gun on Jerry (Joe Scully, Jr. stopped him by assaulting Jax) [Sep 2012]
 * Tried to shoot Jerry in a struggle for the gun [Sep 2012]
 * Threatened Carly with a lawsuit if she didn't back down on Josslyn's donor search [Aug 5, 2016]

Health and Vitals

 * Threatened by Jason Morgan [1997]
 * Shot by Luis Alcazar while trying to protect Brenda; left paralyzed, but later made a full recovery [Sep 2002]
 * Threatened to get shot by Sam [Oct 2003]
 * Slapped by Sam [Oct 2003]
 * Shot by a pirate while on a treasure hunt in Azure Key [Jan 20, 2004]
 * Rendered unconscious after someone opened fire on him and everyone in the Metro Court [Mar 2005]
 * Shot in the leg by Faith Rosco [Aug 2004]
 * Bitten by a non-poisonous snake on Sonny's island and bumped his head [Sep 3, 2004]
 * Ran into a burning building to save Elizabeth Webber and her son, Cameron [Aug 3, 2005]
 * Held hostage in Caracas by Irina, a jilted lover of his brother, Jerry Jacks, and forced to have sex with her [Aug 2007]
 * Punched in the face by Sonny Corinthos [Apr 29, 2009]
 * Punched in the face by Shawn Butler [Jun 3, 2011]
 * Accused of drug use and assaulting a court mediator (framed by Sonny Corinthos) [Jul 14, 2011]
 * Presumed dead after his plane went into the harbor [Aug 2011]
 * Held at gunpoint by Sonny Corinthos, and then had a shot fired at him which hit Robin in the arm instead [Aug 8, 2011]
 * Sickened with a fever after ingesting the toxin that his brother, Jerry Jacks had placed in the Port Charles water supply [Sep 2012]
 * Assaulted by Jerry Jacks' associate, Joe Scully, Jr. when he tried to hold Jerry at gunpoint [Sep 2012]
 * Held at gunpoint by his own brother [Sep 2012]
 * Almost got shot by Jerry during a struggle for a gun [Sep 2012]
 * Injured in an explosion at the harbor [Sep 2012]