5 Reasons GH’s Charlotte Should Return to Valentin (and 5 Reasons She Should Stay With Lulu)

In the aftermath of the explosive Spoon Island storyline, GH’s Valentin Cassadine returned to town, cleared of all charges against him. As fans know, Josslyn Jacks made a deal with WSB Director Z to have Valentin and Jason Morgan released in exchange for her tampered statement. While Charlotte was over the moon at having her “papa” back, Lulu Spencer tried to control the father-daughter interaction.

However, Valentin showed the mirror to Lulu in no uncertain terms when he pointed out that she was her own problem. Since Charlotte prefers being with Valentin but Lulu wants her to stay safe, there may be a standoff between Charlotte’s parents over her.

5 ways Valentin may be the perfect guardian for Charlotte on GH

1) Close bond of love and trust

Charlotte is delighted to have her father back | Image: ABC

After having a disturbed childhood, Charlotte Cassadine (now played by Bluesy Burke) developed a close bond of love with her biological father, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart). Throughout her growing years, she turned to Valentin for love, particularly after her mother fell into a long coma. Later, when Valentin needed to flee Port Charles, he took Charlotte with him, but returned her to Lulu Spencer’s (Alexa Havins Bruening) care when he faced prison time.

Moreover, when he returned to town as a fugitive, the two reunited secretly. As such, they share much trust and affection needed for a healthy parent-child relationship. Charlotte is comfortable with Valentin, while the latter shows confidence in his daughter’s decisions.

2) Valentin is Charlotte’s ultimate protector

Charlotte looks up to her father as her protector | Image: ABC

As mentioned before, Valentin remained Charlotte’s chief caretaker when Lulu was in a coma. Fans have witnessed Valentin struggling with the typical parent issues of having to raise a bully and over-sensitive Charlotte into a confident teenager. While staying abroad, he kept her safe and close to him. However, when the authorities were ready to bring Valentin in, he arranged for Charlotte to be taken to safety. When Lulu woke up from her coma, Valentin had Charlotte sent to her through Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and Jason Morgan (Steve Burton).

Moreover, he kept Charlotte away from him and warned her about the dangers of being seen with her fugitive father. As such, time and again, Valentin has put Charlotte’s safety above his and has protected her from all dangers. Charlotte also sees him as her ultimate protector.

3) Acceptance of freedom and dark tendencies

Valentin is understanding about Charlotte's tendencies | Image: ABC

Unlike with her mother, who judges Charlotte for having dark intentions and for her Cassadine connections, the teenager receives complete acceptance from her father for who she is. As fans may have noticed, Charlotte tends to have a fiery temper and a tendency towards independent actions. While her mother tends to curb these in the name of care and protection, her father allows her the leverage to have the freedom to have opinions and actions.

Moreover, longtime fans may remember a younger Charlotte being a bully in school and acting difficult as a pre-teen. These may point towards her dark tendencies connected to the Cassadine heritage. While Lulu dislikes this side of Charlotte, trying to ground her for unfavorable behavior, Valentin accepts them and helps her tame her negative propensities.

4) The Cassadine legacy and mutual need

Valentin and Charlotte have much in common and need each other | Image: ABC

In an extension of the previous argument, both Charlotte and Valentin share behavioral leanings and other qualities that align with their Cassadine heritage. Charlotte shares her superior intelligence and disregard for codes of conduct with her father. As such, they have their family attributes in common. However, as a WSB agent, Valentin has learnt to tone down his Cassadine proclivities and become a responsible parent.

As such, he may help Charlotte control her Cassadine tendencies. Moreover, Valentin is on a redemption arc, and his daughter may help him stay grounded. Charlotte manages to bring out the softer side of Valentin.

5) Common ally in Carly

Both father and daughter trust Carly | Image: ABC

In the last few months, both Charlotte and Valentin have found a dependable ally in Carly Spencer (Laura Wright). While the latter had reached out to Valentin to collaborate in bringing down Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna), she ended up hiding the fugitive Valentin in her attic. Close interaction and shared interests brought the two together into an unexpected romance.

At the same time, Carly recognized the love between Valentin and Charlotte, and secretly got the girl to meet the fugitive father. She also helped give Charlotte the best advice whenever the teenager needed. Moreover, Carly helped Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn) handle his father’s arrest. Since Charlotte and Danny are close friends, as are Carly and Danny’s father, Jason, Charlotte trusts Carly as much as her father does.

5 ways Lulu makes a better parent for GH's Charlotte

1) Biological connection and maternal guidance

Lulu is an over-protective mother | Image: ABC

As viewers already know, Lulu is Charlotte’s biological mother. Lulu is known as a possessive, helicopter mother who wants to keep her children under her wings for protection. Understandably, when she awoke from her coma,she worried about Charlotte being on the run with Valentin. More so, after there was a shooting incident when she met Charlotte and Valentin in Prague. Believing Valentin to be a bad influence on Charlotte, when Lulu got her daughter back, she tried to keep track of Charlotte’s movements and keep her away from Valentin.

While tending to be stifling, Lulu genuinely cares for Charlotte’s well-being and wants safety for her daughter. She is aware that Valentin has a dangerous past and carries the Cassadine legacy. Lulu wants to keep Charlotte away from the same.

2) Firm boundaries and family stability

Lulu can provide Charlotte with a complete family setup | Image: ABC

As opposed to the vagabond life on the run that Charlotte has been living with her father, Lulu can offer her stability. Living with Lulu would mean the regular and steady life a teenager needs. Moreover, she will have a home to come back to and a sibling with a step-father to care.

Additionally, as a strict parent, Lulu always sets boundaries for her children. Since teenagers need boundaries to know how far they can go, Lulu’s parenting approach may be considered more rational than that of Valentin’s. Staying with Lulu may help Charlotte develop a balanced personality.

3) Normalcy and safety in everyday life

Charlotte with Danny and Rocco in a scene from General Hospital | Image: ABC

As mentioned before, Lulu considers Valentin’s influence bad for her daughter and prefers to keep Charlotte away from the latter’s father. Moreover, she wants to give both her children a normal life away from the mob culture, the spy organization, and other dangers in Port Charles.

As such, if Lulu chalks out Charlotte’s life, the latter will have everyday things like school, game nights, and outings with friends like other teenagers, instead of being on the run or worrying about her or her parents’ safety.

4) The Falconeri support and sibling connection

Rocco and Dante can provide emotional and legal support to Charlotte | Image: ABC

As viewers already know, Lulu’s home with her children holds Charlotte, her half-sibling, Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr), and Rocco’s father, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna). While mostly staying out of her hair, Dante is a careful parent. He looks out for both his son and Charlotte’s safety. Moreover, Dante is currently the PCPD Commissioner, making him a safe family member to seek legal aid.

On the other hand, Charlotte shares a great rapport with her brother, Rocco. Although Rocco’s recent arc surrounding shooting Cullum and fleeing town has brought some distance between the siblings, they may eventually navigate the differences.

5) Extended family and Laura’s influence

Laura is a positive influence in Charlotte's life | Image: ABC

Staying with Lulu gives Charlotte the advantage of interactions with other important members of Port Charles, including the town’s esteemed mayor, Laura Collins (Genie Francis), who is Lulu’s mother and Charlotte’s grandmother. As a responsible and wise person, Charlotte finds Laura easy to listen to and dependable.

She will also receive support from Laura’s husband, Dr. Kevin Collins (Jon Lindstrom), her uncle, Lucky Spencer (Jonathan Jackson), cousin Aiden (Colin Cassidy), and Aiden’s mother, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst).