The fate of Shawn Butler on "General Hospital" has troubled fans since 2015. He was wrongly imprisoned for the attempted murder of Hayden Barnes, who has since left Port Charles. Shawn has been wasting away in Pentonville, while his portrayer, Sean Blakemore, has been acting in the BET series "The Quad," which has been canceled. Rumors are flying that Blakemore may reprise his "GH" role and interfere with the upcoming nuptials of Jordan and Curtis. Considering that Butler is T.J.'s biological father, this could play right into Aunt Stella's hands as she is bitterly against her nephew deciding to marry his brother's wife.

A report by Variety contributed details to this article.

Shawn Butler returning to 'GH' would bring closure

"General Hospital" fans have been waiting for three years to see Shawn Butler acquitted of the attempted murder of Hayden Barnes. Instead, his character has languished away in Pentonville prison as life in Port Charles has gone on without him. Shawn found out, while incarcerated, that T.J. is his biological son, but the teen never mentions visiting his dad. His girlfriend Jordan has moved on with Curtis and they are planning a wedding. Sean Blakemore would shake things up and also bring closure to several storylines should he decide to return.

Aunt Stella would probably love it if Shawn came back to Port Charles and disrupted things between Jordan and Curtis.

She was less than pleased when they announced their engagement at the Nurses Ball, so this would be the ideal time for some added tension in the relationship. Butler coming back to town would give T.J. a chance to bond with his father and also force the issue of who really shot Hayden to be addressed. Although Ms. Barnes and Nikolas are no longer on the scene, Jason, Spinelli, and Sam might work together to find out the truth and clear Shawn's name.

The 'Quad' cancellation might open a door

The cancellation of "The Quad" after only two seasons opens the door for Sean Blakemore to return to Port Charles, but as of yet the actor has not addressed the issue. "GH" fans, however, are jumping on the opportunity to point out the fact that no other character has spent so much time in jail for a crime they did not commit.

If Shawn gets out of jail, there are several possibilities regarding the storyline. Spencer Cassadine is slated to return to Port Charles this summer, which will no doubt resurrect rumors of a Nikolas recast. If this pans out, the prince will have to answer for his crimes.

There is also the fact that Hayden left town pregnant with Finn's child. Should she come back to Port Charles, things could become difficult for the doctor and Anna, who only just found their way back to each other on Tuesday (May 22). In addition, Ms. Barnes would probably be charged with withholding evidence that sent an innocent man to prison. "General Hospital" fans would be elated, but for now it's all just conjecture. Viewers can only continue to believe that Shawn Butler will return and set things straight.
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