A great era in daytime television ended today. Tracy Angelica Quartermane left Port Charles for good. Jane Elliot (who portrayed Tracy for close to 40 years), decided to retire. With Tracy goes the last remaining original Quartermaine. Her father and mother Edward and Lila passed away both on and off screen. Stuart Damon, who played her brother Alan, was written out of the show, dying of a heart attack. Her sister-in-law Monica was Alan's wife and not a blood relative. Tracy's son Ned (who was born Edward Louis Ashton), decided to legally change his last name to his mother's maiden name.
Even so, the Quartermaine mansion will never be the same.
The writers are to blame
One has to wonder what the writers were thinking regarding this grand family on "General Hospital." After Alan's son Jason received a head injury after an auto accident, he changed his name from Quartermaine to Morgan, which was his grandma Lila's maiden name. Jason's personality was altered, and he became a mob enforcer. He basically disowned his family.
Next, the powers that be fired fan favorite Stuart Damon, who portrayed Alan Quartermaine, and had his character die of a heart attack. Finally they made A.J Quartermaine such a loser that actor Sean Keenan wanted out of the role. A.J. was shot and killed, which meant Monica basically lost both her sons.
A.J.'s son Michael was raised as a Corinthos so it looks like someone had it in for Alan and his offspring.
The mansion will be empty
It would have been nice for Jason, and Michael to be Quartermaines, and live in the mansion with family. Somehow Olivia marrying Ned, and Ned's half-brother Dillon bringing Kiki into the mansion does not seem the right way to go.
Kiki and Olivia don't have the stuff that Quartermaines are made of. The mansion will be empty now in more ways than one. It will be void of Alan, Tracy, Edward, Lila, and Alice the cook (who passed away). These were the major players in the house of Quartermaine. Their physical presence as well as their spirits will be greatly missed by longtime fans.
The mansion will also no longer have the same schemes and backstabbing of family members vying to run ELQ. Ned and Michael seem to be the only ones even interested in the family business at this point. Ned's daughter Brooklyn is his only child, so unless Michael has children and gives them the family name, this will be the end of the line -- unless Jason's children come of age and want to claim their inheritance.
The Q's household will now be run by a new generation, marking the end of an era for time soap fans. Lets hope the writers step up and give Ned what he needs to fill the shoes of Tracy and the original Edward. Or better yet, give him the tools to be his own man, and live up to the fans' expectations.
