Brenda Barrett

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Brenda Barrett was a fictional character on the soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Vanessa Marcil from 1992 to 1998 and again from September 2002 to February 2003. Her most notable storyline involved a love triangle between her, mobster Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and corporate raider Jasper Jacks (Ingo Rademacher).

1 Brief Character History
2 Family, Marriges, and Romantic Entanglements

[edit] Brief Character History

In 1992, Brenda dropped out of boarding school and came to Port Charles to live with her sister Julia, who withheld her trust fund from her until she agreed to finish school. She then moved in with Jagger Cates. She also became very good friends with Robin Scorpio. She was extremely jealous of Karen Wexler who Jagger became attracted to and ended up splitting from Brenda to be with. When her sister left town, Brenda then moved in with the Quartermaines.

In 1993, she met and became instantly attracted to mobster Sonny Corinthos. She helped Sonny after he was shot breaking Frank Smith out of jail. Unfortunately everyone told her that Sonny was a mobster and she didn't believe it so she agreed to wear a wire to prove everyone wrong. Lily Rivera overheard and warned Sonny who through Brenda out and told her he never wanted anything to do with her again. Brenda was devastated and began to try anything and everything to get him back. She finally managed to get Sonny to admit that they belonged together and agree to leave his wife Lily and they would leave town together but when he tried to tell Lily she told him that they were going to have a baby. Knowing what having a child meant to Sonny, Brenda realized things were then over between the two of them.

Standing in the rain completely devastated Jax picked Brenda up and they left town and were married on a yacht. As they were sipping champagne toasting their wedding Lily was blown up in a car bomb ordered by Lily's father for betraying his daughter with Brenda. When Brenda and Jax were about to have a wedding ceremony in Port Charles that all their friends could participate in Sonny showed up with Jax thought-to-be deceased wife Miranda. Months later Sonny was being set up for drugs and Brenda was kidnapped and brought to the catacombs to lure Sonny there to rescue her there.

There was an explosion that sealed off all exits to the cave. Brenda and Sonny thinking they were going to die admitted their undying love for each other and made love. Jax then rescued them and ultimately Brenda admitted that she had made love with Sonny. Brenda realized that until she was able to sort out her feelings she wasn't being honest to Jax or to Sonny so her and Jacks separated.

She was finally reunited with Sonny and then she was set up for the murder of Dr. Dorman. Unbeknownst to Sonny and Brenda, Lily's father Rivera had not died and was behind setting Brenda up. Sonny killed Rivera in self defense and Brenda was cleared of all charges. Sonny finally asked Brenda to marry him and she was delighted. They agreed that after they were married they would have to leave town and never return, as he was leaving the mob life behind him.

On their wedding day Brenda left for the church and Sonny began to realize that she would never be safe with him so he sent Jason to the church to tell her that he had left without her. Needless to say, she was completely devastated. She despised Jason, hurling insults at him whenever they ran into each other, until they had to work together to stay alive after a plane crash. Thereafter, they were civil towards each other.

Brenda temporarily moved back in with the Quartermaines, and then lived in the penthouse suite with Jax (platonically) until she could put her life back together again. Jax sent for Julia, and after years of bitterness, the sisters managed to patch up their differences. After Sonny's departure, Brenda began slipping into mental illness. Distraught by her true love's betrayal, she had paranoid delusions that he was out to get her. Her condition deteriorated and Jax and Julia (returned from London) were forced to institutionalize her for a while. Eventually, Brenda pulled herself together and realized that Jax, not Sonny, was her true love. The two reunited, and they planed to marry in November. Sonny returned for a few weeks in the spring of 1998, having a bittersweet reunion with Brenda and realizing she had moved on.

In 1998, Brenda's mother, who Brenda never really knew, showed up in Port Charles. She had a mental illness that can be hereditary and cause those who suffer from it to be suicidal. Brenda got tested to see if she had inherited this illness, but she never lived to see the test results. Her mother drove both Brenda and herself over a cliff, and into the ocean. They were both presumed dead. Jax burned the results of the test that were mailed to him after Brenda's death, without ever opening them.

In August 2000, Stefan lured Jax out of town by hiring a Brenda look-alike to appear in magazines and in Jax's presence, but when Jax returned in August 2001, he told Ned and Sonny that Brenda was gone for good.

Brenda returned to Port Charles under mysterious circumstances in September 2002. She was staying on a yacht owned by a ruthless arms dealer named Luis Alcazar. Alcazar had rescued her from the water when her car went off the bridge with her mother. Leading her to believe that she had inherited her mother's fatal mental illness, Alcazar promises to care for Brenda during the time she has left. Realizing she will never forget her past in PC and the men she loves, a ealous Alcazar plans the murders of Sonny & Jax. As her sedatives wear off, Brenda discovers that Alcazar has brought her home to PC. Confined to the yacht and guarded by Alcazar's men Brenda begins to feel imprisoned. While snooping around the yacht, Zander Smith is caught and imprisoned as well. Brenda keeping her identity hidden,uses her nurse to question him about Sonny and Jax's life. She is upset to find out that Sonny has married Carly Benson, Jax is engaged and is soon to be married himself. Overhearing Alcazar making plans to kill both Sonny and Jax, Brenda plans her escape. Locked aboard the yacht Brenda fires a flare gun inside the room. A fire and explosion result causing the yacht to sink with Brenda aboard. She escapes and manages to swim to shore. Convincing a stranger to call on her behalf, Brenda sets up a meeting with Sonny at a church while keeping her identity hidden. While Sonny debates whether he should attend the meeting, Brenda waits at the church reminiscing with the parish priest. Sure that Sonny is not going to show for their meeting Brenda steps out of the church and comes face to face with a shocked Sonny.

As Brenda steps toward him; Sonny is riddled with bullets. Jason arrives to find Brenda crying next to a wounded Sonny. Sonny orders Jason to take Brenda away for safekeeping. With in the confines of the safe house Brenda blames herself for Sonny's death, not realizing that Sonny is very much alive and in the next room. She tries to escape Jason in order to warn Jax of Alcazar's murderous plans. She succeeds when Jason leaves Benny, Sonny's accountant, to watch over her. She shows up at the church in time to see Jax marry Skye Quartemaine. Both saddened and happy that Jax has moved on Brenda follows him and his bride to their cottage. Concerned with his safety she waits outside. Jax reunites with Brenda outside his cottage. Explaining her illness and impending death, she warns Jax of Alcazar's plans. At Jax's suggestion Brenda hides in her former home, a cottage near the woods. Alcazar recalling a conversation with Brenda about the cottage shows up and shoots Jax. As Brenda attempts to shield a wounded Jax from Alcazar, Sonny arrives in time to shoot Alcazar saving Jax. He then explains to a confused Brenda how he faked his own death to lure Alcazar out into the open.

Jax paralyzed from Alcazar's bullet, turns to Brenda in order to protect his new wife from his injury. Brenda comforts a distraught Skye, promising not to interfere with her marriage to Jax. She explains to Skye about her fatal illness and vows to help Jax recover. As Jax recovers he and Brenda grow closer. Skye sensing something afoul, discovers that Alcazar has been lying to Brenda and that she does not have her mother's fatal mental illness. Worried about how close she and Jax are becoming, Brenda enlists Jason to marry her. Jason agrees hoping to prevent Brenda from going after Sonny. Alcazar having avoided jail for shooting Jax, convinces Skye to help him kidnap Brenda. Fearing for her marriage, Skye agrees.

[Alcazar] flees by plane with Brenda, but not before Sonny manages to get aboard. The plane crashes and the three find themselves stranded in the jungle. Jason and Carly rescue Sonny and Brenda, but not before Sonny and Alcazar attempt to kill each other. Jax discovers Alcazar's lie and confronts Skye. Unable to forgive Skye for hiding the truth about Brenda's illness, Jax leaves her in search for Brenda. Jax reunites with Brenda and explains that her illness was a lie. He then professes his undying love. Seeing Jax and Brenda together sends a drunken Skye into Alcazar's bed. On that same night Sonny has ordered Jason to kill Alcazar. Brenda in a move to protect Jax goes to see Alcazar in his hotel room. A fight ensues as Alcazar tries to force himself on her. Brenda runs from the room after cutting Alcazar with a knife. Jason spots Brenda fleeing Alcazar's room and takes her from the hotel. Jason and Brenda soon discover that Alcazar has been murdered and that they are Scotty Baldwin's prime suspects. Skye happily serves as Scotty's prime witness, pinning the murder on Brenda. Jax fearing for Brenda confesses to the murder, but the charges against him are dropped. Brenda and Jason decide to face their murder charges as husband and wife and postpone their annulment.With the police closing in Jax takes Brenda out of the country. Brenda, unable to leave Jason to face charges alone, returns to PC. In an attempt to remember more about the night of Alcazar's murder, Brenda undergoes hypnosis. She recalls seeing Ric Lansing in the hall outside of Alcazar's suite. Ric denies killing Alcazar. Fearing what the police may find, Brenda dives to search the wreckage of Alcazar's yacht. Gia and Nikolas standing on the docks, find an unconscious Brenda in the icy water. Gia provides mouth-to-mouth as Nik calls 911. In the Emergency room a conscious Brenda gives Jax a key retrieved from the sunken yacht. As Jax and Sonny argue over the contents of the safety deposit box the key opened, the police arrive to take the evidence. On a videotape recovered from the safety deposit box, Brenda is shown trying to stab Alcazar after an argument. Sensing that they will be found guilty, Brenda implores Jason to leave the country with her, as Jax had gone ahead to arrange things. Jason unable to leave his new love Courtney, decides to stay. Brenda stays as well against Jason's wishes. Brenda and Jason are found guilty of murder but due to new evidence provided by the true killer, the ruling is overturned.

Brenda and Jason cleared of charges, travel out of the country to have their marriage annulled. At the last minute Brenda changes her mind and stops the proceedings. A confused Jason listens as Brenda explains how she feels pressure from Jax to marry. She asks Jason if they could apply for the annulment back home where it would take longer. He agrees and they remain married. Jason and Sonny argue about his relationship with Courtney, and an upset Jason is comforted by Brenda. Brenda tells Jason he was right to give Courtney up because of his dangerous lifestyle. After her conversation with Jason, Brenda agrees to let Jax speed up her and Jason's annulment. Jax and Brenda plan to wed immediately. The night before her wedding to Jax, Brenda runs into Sonny on the docks. She tells him that she forgives him and understands why he left her at their wedding. Full of tears Brenda and Sonny say their good-byes followed by a passionate kiss. Carly is horrified to see her husband kissing Brenda and runs from the scene.

On her wedding day a worried Jason confronts Brenda. Brenda assures Jason that she is ready to marry Jax and has put all her fears behind her. Wishing her well Jason leaves Brenda to marry Jax. Jax visits his bride prior to her walk down the aisle. He asks if there is anything she would like to tell him before the ceremony. A happy Brenda assures Jax that all she wants is to marry him. At the altar Jax answers "I don't" instead of "I do". Jax then explains to a shocked Brenda in front of their wedding guests, how he knows about her kiss with Sonny. Sure she would cheat on him with Sonny, Jax states he will not marry her. Brenda attempts to explain the kiss to Jax but he rejects her efforts. Brenda leaves the wedding hurt and broken hearted She waits for Jason outside his penthouse where she runs into Sonny. Sonny explains how Carly has run off after seeing them kiss and Brenda shares her break up with Jax.

Jason returns to his penthouse to find Brenda packed to leave PC. Jax shows up to give Brenda money to leave town never to return. He tells her that he does not love her and that the Brenda he loved drowned that day in the car with her mother. A shaken and tearful Brenda refuses the money and sends Jax from the penthouse. Jason comforts a crying Brenda. Brenda decides to leave PC indefinitely. Jason takes Brenda to the airport where they say their good-byes. Brenda tells Jason that she's changed her mind about Courtney. Reminding him that he deserves to be happy she encourages him to work things out with her. As Brenda waits alone in the airport for her flight she reminisces about Jax and Sonny, smiling to herself. '

After Lila Quartermaine died in the summer of 2004, Robin returned to Port Charles and reported that Brenda was doing well in Europe.