General Hospital's Nixon Falls Story From Start To Finish
On "General Hospital," Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) has a checkered past, according to Soaps in Depth. After awakening from a 20-year coma, Nina eventually sought out the nurse who had cared for her, Phyllis Caulfield (Joyce Guy), with the help of her then-boyfriend, Jasper "Jax" Jacks (Ingo Rademacher). She learned that Phyllis lived in a small town in Pennsylvania called Nixon Falls.
Meanwhile, mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) was dealing with west coast gangster Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober), who was trying to move in on his territory and bring drugs into Port Charles — something Sonny forbids. Cyrus blackmailed Sonny's nemesis, mobster Julian Jerome (William deVry), into planting a bomb in a local restaurant. The damage and death toll were devastating, and Julian fled.
Per Celebrating the Soaps, Sonny and his enforcer Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) pursued Julian to New Jersey. After a shootout with Cyrus' men, Jason was waylaid by the police, but Sonny continued chasing Julian. The two had a showdown atop a footbridge, and although Sonny swore to Julian that he would protect him if he helped take down Cyrus, Julian was too afraid to take him up on the offer. As they fought, the footbridge collapsed, and both men were seemingly killed.
Fortunately, Sonny didn't die, though he had no idea that his and Nina's paths were about to cross in Nixon Falls, changing their lives forever.
Sonny wakes up with amnesia
After the accident, Sonny was washed miles downriver, awakening on an unknown shore, according to Soap Central. With a head injury, no memory, and half freezing to death, Sonny Corinthos saw a vision of his father, Mike Corbin (Max Gail), encouraging him to get up. After getting help from a hiker named Eddie, who happened through the area, Sonny was checked into the hospital in nearby Nixon Falls, where he met nurse Phyllis Caulfield. She gave him some lost-and-found clothes and assumed his name was Mike since it was inscribed on his watch. Phyllis then took "Mike" to the Tan-O, a pub she owned with her husband, Lenny Caulfield (Rif Hutton).
Soon after, a gunman entered, looking to rob the place, but "Mike" chased him off. The couple was grateful and let "Mike" stay in a room above the bar and gave him a job there. After a while, "Mike" started acting manic by overworking and brainstorming ideas to improve the establishment (via Soaps). When "Mike" overheard the couple discussing that he might be bipolar, he left but was brought back by a policeman after causing a scene in town. "Mike" agreed to visit a doctor, where he learned he had bipolar disorder.
Meanwhile, in Port Charles, Nina Reeves felt the need to talk to her friend Phyllis after learning that the late Nelle Benson (Chloe Lanier) was her daughter, and Sonny Corinthos was declared dead (via Soap Central).
Mike helps Lenny and Phyllis
In Port Charles, Sonny Corinthos' wife, Carly Corinthos (Laura Wright), held a funeral for her husband as a show of strength for his enemies, while Phyllis Caulfield helped Nina Reeves deal with the loss of her daughter (via Soap Central). Meanwhile, "Mike" was accused of committing robberies by the police in Nixon Falls. Lenny vouched for "Mike," who later dreamt about a blonde woman whose face was hidden, later telling Phyllis he believed it was a memory.
The next day, "Mike" and the couple found the Tan-O ransacked and looted. The police suspected "Mike" was the culprit, and Phyllis asked him to leave before changing her mind. "Mike" believed that the Tan-O was being targeted by criminals.
The Caulfields had financial issues and were worried that the Tan-O would be foreclosed on. An old friend of theirs, land developer Elijah Crowe (Dan White), offered to buy the pub from them, but "Mike" had a bad feeling about the man, per Soaps. "Mike" later returned from an errand with enough money to give to the Caulfields so they wouldn't have to sell the Tan-O. His errand turned out to be a poker game in which he won the cash to save the bar. Disgruntled, Elijah called someone to check "Mike's" background.
Mike and Nina become friends
Per Soaps, "Mike" and Phyllis continued to bond as he told her of his plan to win back the rings he pawned in the poker game, and she shared a story with him about how she and Lenny's only child had died in infancy. Then, Nina Reeves arrived in Nixon Falls to continue seeking Phyllis' advice and was stunned to run into "Mike," who she recognized as Sonny. Deciding not to tell Sonny about his true identity, Nina immediately called Carly Corinthos to tell her that her husband was alive, but the other woman wouldn't hear her out (via Soaps in Depth).
According to Geeks, Elijah Crowe showed up and was smitten by Nina. Because "Mike" thwarted his plans to buy the Tan-O, the conflict between the two men escalated as Elijah couldn't find any information on him. Suspecting Nina and "Mike" knew more than they let on, he made another phone call asking someone to investigate her.
As their friendship grew, "Mike" asked Nina to write about Nixon Falls in her magazine, Crimson, to increase tourism and help boost the local economy (via Soaps). Nina considered it, although Crimson was a fashion magazine. She asked "Mike" questions about his past, but he wasn't interested in finding out about it, preferring the simple life he'd been building.
Meanwhile, another familiar face was headed to Nixon Falls.
Jax arrives in Nixon Falls
Nina Reeves had recently broken up with Jasper "Jax" Jacks because he and Carly Corinthos had kept the secret that Nelle Benson was Nina's daughter (via Soaps in Depth). In an attempt to win back his ex's affection, Jax brokered a deal with Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) to allow Nina to visit her grandson Wiley – Michael and Nelle's child — and decided to tell her in person.
According to Soap Central, Jax arrived in Nixon Falls in time to attend an annual community dance, and Nina was able to keep him from seeing "Mike" and recognizing him as Sonny. During the festivities, two gunmen showed up to rob the place. One of the robbers confronted Jax and Nina, while elsewhere at the dance, "Mike" and Phyllis were accosted by the second thief, who demanded money from the cash box. Jax overpowered the first gunman but was shot during the struggle. The shot was enough to distract the other robber, whom "Mike" then took down.
As Jax was being loaded into an ambulance, he saw Sonny in his haze, but Nina was able to convince him it was a dream.
Elijah is finally taken down
Per Soaps, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) and Trina Robinson (then Sydney Mikayla) went to pick up Jax in Nixon Falls after learning of the shooting. There, Trina accepted a jar of spaghetti sauce from Phyllis, not realizing it had been made by the presumed-dead Sonny. Meanwhile, Sonny's absence in Port Charles had created a vacuum in the mafia world, leaving his territory vulnerable. Carly Corinthos was forced to proclaim herself head of the criminal organization so the other mob families wouldn't try to move in on their territory (via TV Season & Spoilers).
Back in Nixon Falls, "Mike" overheard one of the robbers from the dance blackmailing Elijah, according to Soap Central. Convinced Elijah was villainous, Nina distracted him while "Mike" stole information from his computer. They found clues leading to the town of Corinth, where criminals caused the once prosperous community to fall into dilapidation –- just like Nixon Falls. Elijah would then buy up the land and sell it (via Daytime Confidential).
According to Soaps, as his schemes crumbled, Elijah invited Nina to the town's Founder's Day celebration. He lured her to a secluded pond, and Lenny and "Mike" tracked them down. Just as Elijah realized Nina had evidence against him, he threatened her, and "Mike" came from out of nowhere to knock Elijah out.
Nina and "Mike" gave the police the evidence against Elijah, getting him arrested. In a moment of relief, "Mike" kissed Nina, but she quickly pulled back and ran away.
The death of Lenny
Nina Reeves and "Mike" disagreed about the importance of the kiss they shared, although they admitted to having feelings for each other, per Soaps. Soon after Michael Corinthos called to tell her she could visit with her grandson Wiley, Nina left for Port Charles.
In Nixon Falls, after collapsing in the Tan-O, Lenny Caulfield confessed to his wife Phyllis that he had been diagnosed with heart trouble, according to Soaps in Depth. She insisted they go to a specialist in New York City, and at the hospital, Lenny confessed to "Mike" that he had pancreatic cancer.
At the same time, Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) were hot on the trail of evildoer Peter August (Wes Ramsey). Clues led them to the same hospital in New York, and while Phyllis and Valentin ended up having a conversation, Anna almost accidentally found "Mike" but was blocked by a nurse while trying to enter Lenny's room (via Soap Central). "Mike" then called Nina, telling her the Caulfields needed her. Lenny returned to the Tan-O, took a rest on an outdoor chair, and died peacefully watching the sunset, per Michael Fairman TV.
Then, Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) arrived in Nixon falls, unaware Peter was following her.
Evil arrives in Nixon Falls
After following Maxie Jones to Nixon Falls, Peter August entered the Tan-O, where he found Nina Reeves and, surprisingly, Sonny Corinthos. He then blackmailed Nina, threatening to expose that "Mike" was really Sonny if she didn't help him find his and Maxie's baby. Nina called her aunt Liesel Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), pleading for help (via Soaps).
In Port Charles, Josslyn Jacks made dinner for her dad Jasper "Jax" Jacks using the sauce Trina Robinson acquired in Nixon Falls, per Soap Central. Josslyn thought it tasted just like Sonny's marinara, which triggered Jax's memory of seeing "Mike." Jax decided to return to Nixon Falls and was shocked to see Sonny alive and well. Jax confronted Nina about her deception, appealing to her benevolence and chastizing her for lying to Sonny and his grief-stricken family (via Canyon News). Jax asked "Mike" about his past, and the other man replied that he didn't care who he was before and just wanted to be with Nina.
Peter then returned to Nixon Falls for revenge after realizing Nina and Liesl had deceived him. He tied Nina and Phyllis to chairs, revealed "Mike's" secret, and then set the Tan-O on fire before escaping (via Daytime Confidential). Per Michael Fairman TV, "Mike" ran in, rescuing the women. However, part of the ceiling collapsed and knocked him out. As "Mike" woke up in the blaze, his memories started returning, and a vision of his father appeared, telling him he could die as this fake persona or choose to go back to his old life.
"Mike" decided to live, regained his memories as Sonny, and escaped the inferno.
Sonny Returns
Nina Reeves was happy "Mike" was alive, but he soon revealed he'd regained his memories as Sonny Corinthos and was furious at her deception (via Soaps). Jasper "Jax" Jacks quickly brought Sonny back to Port Charles, where Sonny's wife Carly Corinthos and best friend Jason Morgan and Carly Corinthos had just gotten married. As the newlyweds were about to consummate their marriage, Sonny walked in (via Soap Hub). Reeling with shock, they informed Sonny about what happened during the time he was presumed dead. In the aftermath of the events, Carly and Jason discussed what to do next, while Sonny confronted Nina about her lies, per Soaps.
According to Soaps in Depth, Michael Corinthos then pressed charges against Nina, and during the trial, Sonny confessed that the two fell in love in Nixon Falls. Carly was devastated. Sonny wanted to put Nixon Falls in the past, but when it looked like Carly had finally given up on him, he slept with Nina –- and of course, Carly walked in on them. This was the end of Carly and Sonny's marriage. Sonny started drinking, didn't take his bipolar medication, and began spiraling out of control until Nina recognized what was going on and helped him.
Some fans are glad that Sonny and Carly have split again and that he's with Nina now. While Sonny's personality is now slightly different than before, many viewers still love Sonny and Nina together.