Sonny Vs. Mystery figure
Credit: ABC Screengrab

Round up the usual suspects!

We’ll admit it: General Hospital surprised us all at Luke’s memorial when Frank Smith’s mob daughter, Jennifer, showed up as one of the mourners. And then the show surprised us again when they had her leave so soon! We were sure she’d be the next Big Bad to show up in town and tussle with a vulnerable Sonny.

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Instead, it turns out, she seems to be working for that threat. Before she skips town, Jennifer calls someone to inform them that Sonny’s not planning on expanding, so they’re free to consolidate power on the West Coast. Naturally, we’re now dying to find out who that someone is. Because if the show made it a point to bring Jennifer out to reveal this power grab, you know that sooner or later, the West Coast won’t be enough. Eventually, they’ll come gunning for Sonny’s East Coats territory.

holly gagnier, jennifer smith, abc, gh

So we thought we’d compile a list of folks who could be behind Jennifer’s visit and plotting a nationwide mob takeover. Some of them seem more likely than others, but in the world of General Hospital, nothing is off the table!

Frank Smith

Anthony Geary, Genie Francis, joe cortese, luke, laura, frank smith, jpi, gh

Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first. Jennifer’s dad was Port Charles’ mobster decades before Sonny, but he’s probably also the least likely one. That’s not because Frank’s dead — it wouldn’t be the first time he’s come back to life, and half the people on this list are dead — but because when last we saw him back in 2015, he was already in rough shape.

Even if he was alive, it would be hard to imagine someone of his advanced years doing much more than enjoying the good life in a retirement home. Then again, maybe he was just biding his time until his nemesis, Luke, was out of the way to pull the strings of a new plot.

Julian Jerome

This one also seems just a tad unlikely, as Julian just died a little over a year ago and his body was recovered — but stranger things have happened. After all, he died during a tussle with the Sonny. Yes, he was shot by one of Cyrus’ men, but that was just after Sonny threatened to shoot him, so the trauma of the whole experience could have addled his memories and made him hell-bent on revenge.

Plus, he’s no stranger to the mob life, having gone back in a few times after trying to go legitimate. Though the last time it happened, it was under the control of his sister. Speaking of whom…

Olivia Jerome

Tonja Walker, Maurice Benard, olivia jerome, sonny, jpi, gh

Olivia may be completely bonkers, but she was such a ruthless head of the Jerome mob family that she managed to keep Julian beneath her thumb. Though she had other motives for returning to Port Charles at that time — like reviving Duke through his son, Griffin — she incurred Sonny’s wrath when she blew Morgan up with a car bomb.

When last we saw her, she was alive… but being hauled off by what appeared to be Sonny’s goons after he promised she’d pay. If she survived, she could be hungry for some of her own revenge now.

Jonny Zacchara

Brandon Barash, johnny zacchara, jpi, gh

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This is one possible suspect who most definitely is alive and very much hates Sonny. But while he’s also the mob boss to the Zacchara crime family having taken over from his twisted father, Anthony, he’s never quite been that evil. There’s always been something a bit redemptive about him — enough that after his last round in Port Charles working for “Fluke” against Sonny, Maxie helped him escape into the sunset. Then again, she’s never been the best judges of character. Still, we’ll chalk Johnny into the somewhat likely category.

Ric Lansing

sonny ric Maurice Benard, Rick Hearst"General Hospital" Set The Prospect StudiosABC Studios01/29/15© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com310-657-9661Episode # 13255U.S. Airdate 03/05/15

This wouldn’t be the first time Sonny and his brother butted heads. And though he’s never quite become a mob boss, he’s never shied away from the life. During his last visit, Sonny suspected Ric of being the man behind Julian, though that was eventually proved to be Olivia. It made sense, though. Between working for the Zaccharas and essentially handing over a kidnapped Carly to Lorenzo Alcazar, it wouldn’t have been beyond Ric’s M.O. So maybe now he really is the one behind Jennifer.

Jerry Jacks

Sebastian Roche, Nancy Lee Grahn gh jerry alexis kidnap hw

When it comes to Big Bads, Jerry Jacks is right at the top. Money laundering, kidnapping, murder, terrorism — you get the point. If there’s been a threat in Port Charles, he’s usually either behind it or mixed up with whoever is. He’s tussled with Lorenzo Alcazar and the Zaccharas and plotted with the likes of Faison and Helena. Plus, he’s tried to kill Sonny a time or two. Betting money would say he’s most likely tied to this some way. But since we mentioned Alcazar…

Lorenzo Alcazar

GENERAL HOSPITAL, Tristan Rogers, Ted King (aired week of August 14, 2006), 1963-, photo: Adam Larkey/©ABC/courtesy Everett Collection

This one’s iffy. Between blaming Sonny for brother Luis’s death and trying to yank Carly away from him, there’s been plenty of bad blood between Alcazar and the Corinthos family head. But he’s dead at the hands of Jason. Possibly.

During the One Life to Live crossover period in 2012 before Prospect Park took ABC to court over using the characters, Skye and Carly saw a photo of Blair Kramer’s beau, Tomás Delgado, and thought he looked exactly like Alcazar. Was it him? Luis? A third triplet? We never found out, but since ABC is back in possession of the One Life to Live characters, maybe this is the answer we’ve been waiting for.

Carlo Hesser

ONE LIFE TO LIVE, from left: Anthony D. Call, Tonja Walker, Thom Christopher, Alex, Carlo Hesser, OLTL, ABC, EC

While we’re on the topic of One Life to Live and the characters being free reign again, here’s a bonus: Llanview mob boss Carlo Hesser. He’s faked his death a few times, had a twin, Mortimer, assume his identity a time or two (and vice-versa!) and had his own brood of sociopathic kids. After his last appearance in 2008, he simply did what he does best and vanished.

Maybe he’s been over on the West Coast this whole time? Heck, team him up with Olivia for the ultimate crossover power couple. She’s played, after all, by Tonja Walker, who played Carlo’s onetime wife, Alex, so we know they’ve got a demented chemistry!

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So what do you think? Is it anyone on the list? Someone new? Is there any Big Bad that we forgot? Sound off below, then check out our gallery of daytime’s greatest villains ever. Maybe you’ll spot someone we could add on!