Shawn Butler (Sean Blakemore)


 * Shawn redirects here. For other uses of the name, see Shawn or Sean (disambiguation)

Shawn Butler is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Sean Blakemore since January 24, 2011. On April 6, 2011, it is announced that he was put on contract with the series. After Shawn's admission to Carly in February 2012, the character disappeared from screens, leading many to believe Blakemore had been left go. It was later confirmed that Blakemore had taken some time off to shoot a movie

Storylines
Shawn Butler first appears in January 2011 comforting Molly Lansing who is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Shawn opens up about his own PTSD struggles and he helps her deal. Molly’s aunt, Carly Jacks later shows her gratitude by offering him a room at her hotel, which he declines. It soon revealed that Shawn is working for Theo Hoffman who is also secretly operating as the Balkan, an international crime lord. On Theo’s orders, Shawn is sent to kidnap Brenda Barrett on February 18, just before her wedding. However, several visitors get in his way and Shawn can't get to Brenda. He is later confronted by Sam McCall and her boyfriend, Jason Morgan who wanted to know why he didn’t take Brenda. They realize Shawn doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and convince him help bring down Theo. Theo realizes Shawn has betrayed him and attempts to kill him during a shootout. Carly finds a wounded Shawn on the side of the road and helps him recover before he is nearly killed by her ex, and Brenda’s new husband, Sonny Corinthos after Brenda goes missing.

During Shawn’s hospital stay, there is another attempt on his life. When serial killer, Franco begins menacing Carly and her daughter, Josslyn, Jason hires him as their personal guard. When Carly's estranged husband, Jasper Jacks attempts to use Shawn's violent past against Carly during their custody hearing, Shawn quits. Shawn soon begins opening up about his past and family. In July 2011, after Jax is run out of town by Sonny, Shawn believing he’ll be back begins paying more attention to Carly and her daughter. On August 8, Shawn attempts to stop Jax from leaving town with Josslyn, but his efforts are stalled when he has a PTSD attack. Shawn manages to get Josslyn back home before Jax leaves with assistance from Robin Scorpio. Shawn comforts Carly when Jax is presumed dead in a plane crash and he finds evidence that Jax is still alive. Shawn is later hired by Jason to take over his job temporarily while he is preparing to marry Sam. Carly and Shawn continue to grow closer as he becomes more involved in the business when he protects Carly’s son Michael from getting busted with drugs. However, Michael doesn’t approve of his mother’s and Shawn’s budding relationship and even gets Sonny to fire him. In October 2011, after receiving a package from Franco, Carly and Shawn go to Hawaii to warn Jason who is on his honeymoon with new wife, Sam. They bond and ultimately share a kiss on October 27. In November 2011, on Veteran’s Day, Shawn opens up to Carly about his friend and fellow marine Tommy Ashford whom he accidentally killed in Afghanistan and how his father was gunned down in front of him when he was a kid. Carly and Shawn spend Thanksgiving together at Kelly’s but Shawn realizes they are getting too personal and pulls away. When Franco makes contact again, Shawn moves in with Carly temporarily to protect her and Josslyn. For Christmas, Carly gets Shawn a dog to help with his PTSD, whom he names Wilson.

In January 2012, as Shawn is preparing to leave Port Charles, he is forced to take in Tommy’s trouble teenage son, TJ who has run away from home and has to stay. Carly hires him to manage Kelly's Diner. Shawn convinces Alexis Davis, Molly’s mother to let Molly tutor TJ. Shawn is jealous of Carly's new relationship with Johnny Zacchara and TJ calls him out on his feelings for her. Shawn later tries to convince Carly to officially divorce Jax when Jax sells his half of their hotel to Carly's rival, Kate Howard without telling her. In February 2012, Shawn and Michael find common ground when Michael decides to go to college and Shawn ends up being his tutor. At the urging of GH's new resident psychiatrist, Ewen Keenan, Shawn ask to escort Carly to the General Hospital Pulmonary benefit at the Metro Court, but she doesn't return his call. After much probing from TJ, Shawn confronts Carly and tells her he wants to be with her. When she doesn't return his feelings, Shawn backs off. In April 2012, Renelle is attacked by the mystery man attacking the strippers and Shawn brings her to the PCPD to see Delores Padilla.

He was beat up by Jerry Jacks while protecting Alexis, so he and Sonny went to rescue Alexis from Jerry Jacks in fall 2012 because the water supply has been contaminated. He later becomes Sonny's friend and associate after Jason Morgan died in a gunshot by Faison. Shawn appears in the courtroom during Kristina's arraignment to discuss possible courses of action to deal with Connie and his nickname is not yet given by Damian Spinelli.

Crimes Committed

 * Stole a car while intoxicated when he was 15 [pre 2011]
 * Dishonorably discharged from the military after killing fellow Marine Tommy Ashford [pre 2011]
 * Beat up Johnny Zacchara [Jan 25, 2011]
 * Held a gun on Jason Morgan [Feb 21, 2011]
 * Held a gun on Carly Jacks [Feb 24, 2011]
 * Punched Jasper Jacks [Jun 3, 2011]
 * Obstructed a police investigation by creating a bomb and hid illegal drugs [Sep 29, 2011]
 * Kidnapped Connie Zacchara on orders from Sonny Corinthos [Dec 2012]

Injuries

 * Suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder [revealed Jan 24, 2011]
 * Shot in the chest during an ambush [Feb 23, 2011]
 * Went to G.H. for a gunshot wound to the chest to have surgery [Mar 1, 2011]
 * Has mortar fragments near his spine from a previous surgery [revealed June 2, 2011]
 * Knocked out by Jerry Jacks but recovered [Sep 2012]