5 reasons General Hospital’s Sonny and Ric are better as brothers (and 5 they’re doomed to fallout again)

In an unexpected turn of events on General Hospital, half-brothers and former sworn enemies, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst), buried the hatchet and decided to come together. With Sonny appointing Ric as his attorney, Ric has promised to fight his brother’s legal battles. On the one hand, a surprised Alexis warned Sonny, while on the other, Diane wondered whether she had been fired. However, Sonny assured her that he meant to protect her from the upcoming mob clash. Meanwhile, fans are speculating about the siblings’ change of hearts.

5 ways Sonny and Ric’s brotherly bond works on General Hospital

1) Connection by blood and same mother

General Hospital's Sonny and Ric share the same mother | Image: ABC

The brothers have a biological connection through their mother, Adela. While Ric missed Adela growing up, he always wanted to connect with her, and Sonny was his last connection to her. The brothers realized that their mother would have wanted them to have peace between them. As such, the two brothers appreciated the importance of family ties and decided to shake on it.

As Ric expressed, his hostage situation at Alexis’s was the turning point that led him to realize that, besides Molly, the only other family he had was Sonny. On the other hand, Sonny seemed to have moved past sibling rivalry and welcomed Ric back into the fold.

2) Mutual safety and having each other’s backs

The half-brothers have pledged allegiance on General Hospital | Image: ABC

As mentioned before, Ric’s hostage situation opened his eyes to the importance of family. As such, he wanted to seek out his brother and patch things up with him. In the process, Ric helped with Michael’s case and secured Rocco’s freedom, impressing Sonny.

Sonny, on the other hand, decided to look out for Ric’s safety, even from his close people like Jason. With the mob clash with Sidwell looming large, Sonny and Ric have decided to look out for each other and also their families.

3) Helping their daughters’ relationships

Sisters Molly and Kristina from General Hospital | Image: ABC

Ric’s daughter, Molly, and Sonny’s daughter, Kristina, are sisters from their mother’s side. The long-running dispute between the brothers has at times affected the relationship between Molly and Kristina. Things could deteriorate further if Molly discovers that Kristina caused Ric’s accident by mistake or that she participated in holding Ric hostage in Alexis’s basement.

With a more congenial bond between Sonny and Ric, Molly and Kristina can also put aside their petty differences and bond with love. Since they will not need to defend their fathers to each other, they can build a better, more peaceful connection.

4) Professional cooperation and combined strength

Ric and Sonny in a scene from General Hospital | Image: ABC

Sidwell’s actions spell trouble for Sonny, and he needs someone with the strength to withstand danger while fighting his legal battles. Sonny shielded Diane from getting exposed to Sidwell’s nefarious moves and hired Ric, who can stand up to the mobster.

In return, Ric will use his legal expertise to handle Sonny’s illegal dealings and below-the-radar businesses. With Sonny’s courage and crime-world acumen and Ric’s legal knowledge, the brothers may make a formidable force against Sidwell and WSB.

5) Onscreen chemistry between the actors

Rick Hearst and Maurice Benard share great chemistry on General Hospital | Image: ABC

Actors Benard and Hearst have played the opposing siblings for years. Both are great actors and play their parts with precision of sentiment. They share a great chemistry that makes their portrayal both entertaining and relatable. The offscreen friendship and trust that the actors share translates onscreen into genuine chemistry.

As such, when they play the reconciled brothers, they will bring the right emotional touch to the relationship, helping them connect with the viewers.

General Hospital: 5 reasons Sonny and Ric will not click for long

1) Ric’s childhood resentment

Ric Lansing in a scene from General Hospital | Image: ABC

As General Hospital fans know, Ric was raised by his father, Trevor Lansing, as he felt like his mother had abandoned him. However, Adela chose to care for Sonny when forced by Trevor to choose between him and Ric. While this was the result of Trevor’s hostility and jealousy towards Sonny, Ric learned to blame Sonny for his mother’s decision.

Although the brothers have buried the hatchet, whether Ric has forgiven and forgotten the past remains to be seen. Since he has been harboring the pain for years, any small dispute can bring it to the surface again, renewing the contention between the brothers.

2) The Jason effect

Steve Burton as Jason Morgan on General Hospital | Image: ABC

Longtime viewers have seen the rivalry between Ric and Jason for years. They have vied for Sonny’s love and attention. In their dispute, they did not hesitate to put each other down and even consider harming the other. Although Sonny and Ric have reconciled as brothers, the Jason factor will remain between them. Since Sonny loves and trusts Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), Ric will need to align with the henchman.

If Ric fails to meet expectations or if Jason points out his shortcomings, Sonny will likely judge his brother accordingly. One move against Jason may destroy the reunion again.

3) History of betrayal and ulterior motives

Ric has a history of betrayal on General Hospital | Image: ABC

As fans know, Sonny has a guarded nature and does not trust easily. However, he reached out to Ric, and they are planning to show a joint front. This has been a huge leap of faith for the Corinthos patriarch. This time around, Ric must tread carefully to earn Sonny’s trust. If he senses a hint of disloyalty, he would discard any ally, including his brother.

On the other hand, Ric has a past record of extreme betrayals. He has often shifted loyalties and worked for his own benefit and convenience. One of the examples of his past crimes includes kidnapping Carly when she was pregnant to steal her child. Many viewers believe that Ric might have some ulterior motives for joining hands with Sonny.

4) Alexis, Sidwell and other outside factors

General Hospital's Ric with former onscreen spouse Alexis | Image: ABC

Outside pressure beyond the sibling bond may affect the newfound relationship. Firstly, Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn), who has two daughters from the two brothers, warned Sonny against trusting Ric. She specifically insisted that Ric rarely makes any moves for goodwill and may be hiding vital facts from Sonny. Alexis knows Ric as a former spouse and as a professional adversary.

Elsewhere, Sidwell has been spreading his net over Port Charles. If he finds out that Ric and Sonny are getting closer, he may blackmail or threaten Ric to get to Sonny. Whether Ric can stand up to severe danger or crumble under pressure remains to be seen.

5) Rivalries from the romantic angle

Ric wants to woo Elizabeth of General Hospital | Image: ABC

Recently, Ric has been reaching out to Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst), wanting to get back with her. He also has Molly’s blessings for this relationship after his traumatic experience with Ava. As such, they spent a great Valentine’s Day date, followed by some romantic dinners. On one such dinner date, Ric opened up to Elizabeth about wanting to settle down with her.

At the same time, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) seems to be gravitating towards the head nurse. Following his medical care, Dante and Elizabeth were seen opening up about their worries and problems in town. If Dante proves to be a romantic adversary for Ric, the latter will likely direct his anger towards Dante’s father, Sonny.