Kelly Monaco's Sam has fans worried she could be leaving General Hospital after more than 20 years on the series.
The hit ABC drama, which has been on the air for more than 60 years, holds the record for the longest-running American soap opera in production. It focuses on the life and times of a fictional hospital in Port Charles, New York.
In recent years, there have been several big scares regarding some big-name characters leaving the show. While some, like Maurice Benard's Sonny potentially leaving, have proven to be hoaxes, others have not.
General Hospital Leaves Fans of Kelly Monaco Uncertain of Sam's Future
Recent events in General Hospital have audiences scared that Kelly Monaco's Sam could be making her exit from the show.
Sam, who has been in the series since 2003, is seen in the long-running series as the daughter of crime boss Julian Jerome and his ex-wife, attorney Alexis Davis.
During her time on the show, she went through a lot. She discovered her true parentage after growing up as the adopted daughter of Cody McCall. She was kidnapped and also held hostage on multiple occasions and many times broke the law, including a recent instance where she impersonated an FBI officer.
However, her journey may end as the show seemingly prepares to announce her departure.
Recent episodes of General Hospital revealed that Sam is going to have to undergo a life-saving liver transplant (via Soaps).
This came to a head in the October 24 episode of the hit drama, much of which focused on Sam saying goodbye person-by-person to the people she loved.
The last fans saw of her, she was being wheeled into the operating room, her fate in question.
Given that the character has been on the series for more than two decades, killing her off during a procedure such as this would make sense, especially given the gravitas her goodbyes were given leading into her surgery.
Is Sam Leaving General Hospital?
As of writing, Sam's fate in General Hospital has not been confirmed. Kelly Monaco's character hangs in the balance, and no concrete information about whether she lives or dies has been made public.
However, an upcoming episode may hint at what the series has in store for Sam.
According to Soap Central, the November 1 entry into the long-running series will be titled "A Time of Death Is Called." Some have taken this to be a reference to Sam, with the series saying goodbye to the character and the rest of the cast mourning her loss.
The promo for the upcoming episode does not outright confirm any of this, simply teasing the kind of drama fans have come to expect from the series. However, given this brief teaser's heightened tension, one can assume something big is coming; it is just a matter of what.
In August 2024, Soap Opera Network first reported that Kelly Monaco had been let go from the series. This was the first indication that it was only a matter of time before fans would have to say goodbye to the long-standing soap star, but when her exit would happen remained a massive question.
Because of these reports, one can assume Sam is dead in the General Hospital continuity, and Kelly Monaco's time on the series has ended.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC at 2 p.m. ET and is streaming on Hulu. Read more about Violet's potential exit from General Hospital as well.
