SPENCER CASSADINE

'Spencer Cassadine' (full name 'Spencer Alexi Nikolayevich Cassadine' ^[1], born 'John Michael Jacks') is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. Born on Valentine's Day 2006, he is the only son of Nikolas Cassadine and his now deceased fiance, Courtney Matthews. He was formerly known as John Michael Jacks, but was renamed by his father in honor of his uncle and aunt, Lucky Spencer and Lulu Spencer.

Contents

Brief fictional details

Lifeline

Aliases

Fictional Character History

Birth and life with Jax

The Kidnapping

Family and relationships

Parents

Grandparents

Great-grandparents

Aunts and Uncles

Cousins

Notes

Brief fictional details

Lifeline

★ Date of Birth: February 14th, 2006 (Valentine's Day)

Aliases

★ John Michael Jacks {name at birth}

★ Spencer Alexi Nikolayevich Cassadine {name change after paternity was revealed/current legal name}

★ Nikolas Mikkos Nikolayevich Cassadine II {name given to him by Helena Cassadine}

★ Randy McHenry {name given to him by Colleen McHenry}

Fictional Character History

Birth and life with Jax

Before John Michael Jacks a.k.a Spencer Cassadine was born both of his parents were on the heels of messy divorces and a question remained as to whether Nikolas or Courtney's ex-husband Jasper "Jax" Jacks was his father. A DNA test was run that showed that Jax was the baby's biological father. However at this point Nikolas and Courtney were engaged and decided they would raise the child together as a family.
Jax was not happy about this and did whatever he could to undermine their relationship. Eventually Courtney decided to leave town to collect her thoughts. While she was away, she was kidnapped by Nikolas' evil grandmother, Helena Cassadine who wanted to raise her child as the Cassadine heir. Courtney managed to escape and returned in secret to Port Charles. As the due date neared an outbreak of encephalitis hit the city leaving both Nikolas and Courtney ill. The two were reunited and planned to continue with their plans to get married and raise her child. As her condition worsened Courtney learned that in order to save the baby, she had to undergo an emergency C-section and that it would come at great risk to her life. Despite the risks, Courtney had the operation and gave birth to her son. However before she could even hold him she died as a result of complications from the operation.
Thinking that Jax was the baby's father, Courtney named him John Michael after Jax's father John Jacks and her own father, Mike Corbin. But before Courtney's death, Jax admitted to her that he had rigged the paternity test to make him appear to be the child's father, when in fact it was Nikolas. Angered, she wanted to tell Nikolas the truth but died before she could speak the words. Jax made the decision that he would raise the child himself. Still reeling from his split with Courtney and the revelation that Nikolas was Spencer's father, Jax decided to keep the child's paternity a secret. He continually toyed with Nikolas, who was grieving for Courtney, by permitting him to see her child and then changing his mind. Despite continually being plagued with doubt over his decision, Jax convinced himself that he was doing what was best for the baby by keeping him away from Helena. When he became involved with Carly Corinthos Jax had made the decision that the two of them would raise the baby together.
As the months passed Jax and Carly's behavior in regards to the baby they called John raised the suspicions of Courtney's physician, Dr. Meadows, who secretly ran another DNA test on the child. Robin Scorpio, a doctor and longtime friend of both Jax and Nikolas, discovered the truth about John. Robin continually struggled with whether to keep Jax's secret, and therefore keep him safe from Helena, or to tell Nikolas, who secretly wished that John was his son. Her decision was made easier by Carly, a bitter rival of Robin's, who would continually attempt to undermine her relationship with Patrick Drake. It was Carly's behavior that eventually lead Robin to tell Nikolas the truth after learning she rigged a DNA test that Nik had ordered on Spencer to make Jax appear to be the father. During Spencer's christening Robin told a shocked Nikolas the truth and despite Carly's many attempts to convince everyone Robin was lying, a cornered Jax confessed.
Angry and betrayed that he was denied the precious moments of his son's first months, Nikolas blasted Carly and Jax for their behavior and reclaimed custody of his son. Heir apparent of the Cassadines, Spencer is a Russian prince standing to inherit a long and complicated legacy.

The Kidnapping

Nikolas hired a new nanny called Colleen McHenry, who was a bit psychotic. She was also secretly hired by Helena Cassadine so that she could provide her access to Spencer. Colleen developed a crush in Nikolas and also grew very close to Spencer. She tried many things to grow closer to Nikolas and keep Emily out of her way. Eventually, she held Helena hostage in a tower at Wyndemere. Colleen was fired by Nikolas and Helena eventually escaped. Colleen returned to Colorado to get everything ready to carry out her plan of kidnapping Spencer.
On Christmas Eve 2006, Spencer was kidnapped by Colleen, his former nanny, when he was playing Baby Jesus at a play. They play was held by the school his cousins, Michael Corinthos and Morgan Corinthos attend. Colleen took him to Colorado and started working at a Day Care Center. Emily and Nikolas followed her trail and found where she had been. But, Colleen realized they were there and left with Spencer. As she was trying to escape, Helena Cassadine found her and took Spencer to Saint Petersburg, Russia. There she formed an alliance with the Russian mafia for protection. Nikolas followed her to Saint Petersburg and paid off the mafia. He found her at a church just as she was about to baptize Spencer as Nikolai Mikkos Nikolyevich Cassadine.^[2] When Helena threatened Spencer with a knife if they tried to move, Emily offer herself in exchange for Spencer. Helena accepted the trade. But, Emily successfully wriggled herself free and Helena ran away. Emily and Nikolas baptized Spencer as Spencer Alexi Nikolayevich Cassadine while in Saint Petersburg.^[3] They returned to Port Charles and celebrated Spencer's return with their friends and family.

Family and relationships

Parents

★ Nikolas Cassadine (father)

★ Courtney Matthews (mother; deceased)

★ Emily Quartermaine (godmother)

Grandparents

★ Stavros Cassadine (paternal grandfather; deceased)

★ Laura Spencer (paternal grandmother)

★ Mike Corbin (maternal grandfather)

★ Janine Matthews (maternal grandmother)

Great-grandparents

★ Mikkos Cassadine (paternal great-grandfather; deceased)

★ Helena Cassadine (paternal great-grandmother)

★ Gordon Gray (paternal great-grandfather; deceased)

★ Lesley Webber (paternal great-grandmother)

Aunts and Uncles

★ Lucas Lorenzo "Lucky" Spencer Jr. (paternal half-uncle)

★ Lesley Lu "Lulu" Spencer (paternal half-aunt)

★ Michael "Sonny" Corinthos Jr. (maternal half-uncle)

★ Alexis Davis (paternal half great-aunt)

★ Stefan Cassadine (paternal great-uncle; deceased)

★ Anthony Cassadine (paternal great-uncle; deceased)

★ Victor Cassadine (paternal great-uncle; deceased)

Cousins

★ Michael Corinthos III (maternal adoptive half first cousin)

★ Morgan Corinthos (maternal half first cousin)

★ Samantha "Sam" McCall (paternal half first cousin once removed)

★ Kristina Davis (maternal half first cousin/paternal half first cousin once removed)

★ Molly Lansing (paternal half first cousin once removed)

Notes

1. Stated on-air on August 30, 2006.
2. Stated on-air on January 24, 2007.
3. Shown on-air on January 26, 2007.