TEAM NATHAN VS TEAM SPINELLI—WHO IS MAXIE’S TRUE SOULMATE?
TL;DR: Nathan West (Ryan Paevey) is back from the dead on General Hospital, but his wife Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) isn’t in Port Charles to react. As Nathan reunites with his son James and reintegrates into his family, longtime fans are REIGNITING the debate: Who is Maxie’s true soulmate—Nathan or Spinelli (Bradford Anderson)?
We’re breaking down why Nathan’s return forces this loyalty debate to resurface, comparing both relationships, analyzing whether Maxie and Spinelli can survive Nathan coming back, and predicting what happens when Maxie finally returns to discover her dead husband is alive!
Nathan’s Back—But Maxie’s Not There
Nathan West returned to General Hospital in September 2025, seven years after Cesar Faison shot and killed him. Ryan Paevey is back on contract, Nathan’s reuniting with his family, and Port Charles is reeling from the resurrection of a beloved character.
But there’s one HUGE problem: Maxie Jones—Nathan’s wife—isn’t in Port Charles. Kirsten Storms took a temporary leave from the show for personal reasons (she’s stated she plans to return), and the timing of Nathan’s resurrection happening during her absence is… awkward.
Nathan woke up with amnesia about the past seven years. He doesn’t know where he’s been or who kept him alive. And when he asks about Maxie, he’s told she’s not available to see him right now.
Meanwhile, Maxie has moved on with her life. After years of mourning Nathan, she eventually reconnected with Damian Spinelli—her first love, the father of her daughter Georgie, and the man many fans believe is her TRUE soulmate.
Nathan’s return—when Maxie isn’t even there to react—is forcing GH fans to revisit the age-old debate: Team Nathan or Team Spinelli?
Maxie and Nathan: The Love That Was Cut Short
Nathan and Maxie were General Hospital’s golden couple for years. They met in 2013 when Nathan joined the PCPD as a detective. Their chemistry was INSTANT. Ryan Paevey and Kirsten Storms had undeniable on-screen magic.
Nathan was everything Maxie needed after her tumultuous relationship history. He was stable, supportive, honest, and deeply in love with her. He accepted her past mistakes, supported her dreams, and treated her like a queen.
They got married. They had a son, James. They were building a beautiful life together.
And then Cesar Faison shot Nathan in February 2018. Nathan died in Maxie’s arms while declaring his love for her. She was pregnant with James at the time, which made his death even more tragic. Maxie had to give birth to their son knowing Nathan would never meet him.
It was DEVASTATING. Fans mourned Nathan’s death alongside Maxie. The loss felt permanent and cruel.
But here’s the thing: Nathan and Maxie’s relationship was CUT SHORT. They never got to experience the long-term challenges of marriage, raising a child together, or navigating life’s ups and downs as partners. Their love story was frozen in time at its most romantic, idealized phase.
That’s why some fans wonder: Was Nathan really Maxie’s soulmate? Or was he just the right person at the right time before tragedy struck?
Maxie and Spinelli: The First Love That Never Really Ended
Damian Spinelli was Maxie’s FIRST real love. They met years before Nathan entered the picture, and their relationship was quirky, passionate, complicated, and deeply emotional.
Spinelli worshipped Maxie. He called her “Maximista.” He loved her when she was at her worst—selfish, manipulative, and making terrible decisions. He saw the good in her when she couldn’t see it in herself.
They broke up and got back together multiple times. They had a daughter, Georgie. They tried to make it work but kept falling apart because the timing was always wrong or they were in different places emotionally.
Spinelli eventually married Ellie Trout and moved away. Maxie married Nathan. They both moved on with their lives.
But after Nathan died, Spinelli came back into Maxie’s life. He supported her through her grief. He helped raise James. He was THERE—constant, loyal, and still in love with her after all these years.
And slowly, Maxie and Spinelli found their way back to each other. They reconnected as co-parents raising Georgie and James. The old feelings never really went away—they’d just been buried under years of other relationships and life circumstances.
Many fans believe Spinelli is Maxie’s TRUE soulmate because their connection spans DECADES. He knew her first. He loved her through her worst. He came back. And he’s been building a life with her and their children.
Team Nathan vs. Team Spinelli: The Great Debate
Nathan’s return is forcing GH fans to pick sides in a debate that’s raged for years:
Team Nathan argues: Nathan was Maxie’s husband. They were married. They had a child together. Nathan died PROTECTING her. His death was tragic and unfair, and he deserves a chance to come back and reclaim his family. Maxie never stopped loving him—she only moved on because she thought he was dead. If he’s alive, she belongs with him.
Team Spinelli counters: Spinelli is Maxie’s FIRST love and the father of her first child. He’s been there through EVERYTHING—her mistakes, her growth, her grief, her healing. He didn’t abandon her when things got hard. He came BACK for her. Maxie and Spinelli have a foundation that spans over a decade. Nathan was important, but Spinelli is her soulmate.
Both sides have valid points. And Nathan’s return is about to force Maxie to make an impossible choice.
What Happens When Maxie Jones Returns?
Kirsten Storms is expected to return to General Hospital at some point, and when she does, Maxie will walk into the most shocking, heartbreaking, complicated situation imaginable.
Her DEAD HUSBAND is alive. Nathan—the man she mourned for seven years, the father of her son, the love of her life—is standing in Port Charles asking about her.
But she’s with Spinelli now. They’ve built a life together. They’re raising Georgie and James as a family. She’s moved on.
What does Maxie do?
Here’s how this could play out:
Option 1 – Maxie chooses Nathan: Maxie feels obligated to give Nathan a chance. He’s her husband. He’s James’s father. She never wanted to lose him in the first place. She breaks Spinelli’s heart (AGAIN) and tries to rebuild her marriage with Nathan.
But there’s a problem: Nathan has amnesia about the past seven years. He doesn’t know anything that happened after he was shot. Maxie has changed. James is seven years old and doesn’t know his father. Can they really pick up where they left off?
Option 2 – Maxie chooses Spinelli: Maxie realizes that while she loved Nathan, she’s built a NEW life with Spinelli. She’s grown. She’s healed. And she’s finally found happiness with the man who’s ALWAYS been there for her. She tells Nathan she’s sorry, but she’s moved on.
This would devastate Nathan, who just came back from the dead expecting to reunite with his wife. But it would honor Maxie’s growth and the relationship she’s built with Spinelli over the past few years.
Option 3 – Maxie is torn: The most REALISTIC option is that Maxie doesn’t know what to do. She loves BOTH men for different reasons. Nathan is her husband and James’s father. Spinelli is her first love and the man who helped her heal. She can’t choose, and the triangle drags out for MONTHS while fans debate and argue.
Can Maxie and Spinelli Survive Nathan’s Return?
The real question: Can Maxie and Spinelli’s relationship survive Nathan coming back from the dead?
History suggests NO. Maxie and Spinelli have broken up SO MANY TIMES over the years. They’ve never been able to make it work long-term because something always gets in the way.
And Nathan returning from the dead? That’s the ULTIMATE obstacle. How can Spinelli compete with the ghost of Nathan—especially now that the ghost is ALIVE?
Spinelli will be devastated but understanding. He always puts Maxie’s happiness first, even when it destroys him. If Maxie feels obligated to give Nathan another chance, Spinelli will step aside—again.
But Team Spinelli fans are PRAYING that this time is different. That Maxie has finally grown enough to recognize that Spinelli is her TRUE soulmate. That she chooses the man who’s been there through EVERYTHING rather than the idealized memory of a relationship that was cut short.
The Bottom Line
Nathan West is back from the dead on General Hospital, and his return is forcing the Maxie Jones loyalty debate to resurface: Team Nathan or Team Spinelli?
Nathan was Maxie’s husband—stable, supportive, and tragically taken too soon. Spinelli was her first love—loyal, constant, and always there when she needed him most.
When Maxie returns to Port Charles and discovers her dead husband is alive, she’ll face an impossible choice. Does she honor her marriage to Nathan and try to rebuild what they lost? Or does she choose Spinelli—the man who’s been by her side through her grief, healing, and growth?
Fans are divided, passionate, and ready to FIGHT about who Maxie belongs with. And General Hospital is about to give us the most heartbreaking, complicated love triangle of 2025.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. Tune in to watch Nathan’s return unfold and to see how Maxie navigates this impossible situation!
Are you Team Nathan or Team Spinelli? Who is Maxie’s TRUE soulmate? What should Maxie do when she returns and discovers Nathan is alive? Tell us in the comments!
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