Brendon Byrne

**Brendon Byrne** is a fictional character on the ABC Soap opera *General Hospital*. He is the brother of the late Dr. Neil Byrne.

He was portrayed by former *One Life to Live* alum, Joshua Cox on September 25, 2020. Cox returned as Brendon from March 31 to April 19, 2022.

## Casting

On September 25, 2020, former *One Life to Live* alum Joshua Cox joined the cast of *General Hospital* in the role of Neil Byrne's brother Brendon Byrne. His initial run on *GH* was for that one episode.

Cox returned as Brendon on March 31, 2022. Although his character was killed off on April 15, 2022, Cox made his final appearance on April 19, 2022 as a corpse. (He also appeared in a flashback on April 20, 2022.)

## Storylines

On September 25, 2020, Valentin Cassadine went with Alexis Davis to Neil Byrne's memorial at the Eternity Room East. Alexis wanted to leave but Valentin wouldn’t let her. She had been kind to him after he found out he wasn’t a Cassadine and he was going to return the favor.

Valentin asked Alexis if Neil had any immediate family. Alexis said he had a brother who lived in New Jersey. She then saw a man seated who she figured was Neil’s brother. Valentin told her to speak to him. Alexis and Valentin made introductions to the man, Brendon, and said how sorry they were. Brendon told Alexis that he knew who she was as his brother had talked about her all the time.

She was Neil’s first serious relationship in years. Neil said he had met his match regarding Alexis. She agreed they had a special connection and she was lucky to have known him.

Brendon suddenly stated that he wished Neil had never met Alexis. Valentin told Brendon that comment was uncalled for. Brendon explained that the one night with Alexis in New York City cost Neil his career and as a result he got into drugs and overdosed.

Valentin explained that Neil was a grown man who could make his own decisions. It wasn’t Alexis’ fault. Brendon told Alexis to leave. He didn’t want the celebration of Neil’s life to be tainted with her presence. Alexis ran out of the room in tears.

On March 31, 2022, Brendon came to Port Charles and was seen spying on Esme Prince at Charlie's Pub while reading an article from The Invader and he saw a picture of Alexis. Brendon later went to see Alexis at The Invader and she was surprised to see him. Brendon figured out that Alexis remembered him and she said she could never forget a face - especially the man who blamed her for Neil’s death. Brendon said that he heard she’s lost her law license and she was drinking up to the point where she stabbed a cop and went to prison and Alexis sarcastically said that she was flattered that he kept up with her life.

Brendon said that he was grieving and he wasn’t ready to face up to Neil’s “failings” so he lashed out at her. When Alexis asked if that was an apology, Brendon claimed that it was. He also complemented her by acknowledging that she got a new career, is no longer drinking and is a respectable member of the community. After Alexis reminded him that he was harsh to her at Neil’s memorial, she wondered what he wanted. Brendon said that as two people who loved Neil, he hoped they could come to an understanding. Brendon revealed that his marriage and his business failed and he needed help paying for Neil’s funeral.

When Alexis was skeptical, Brendon suddenly dropped the pretense and tried to emotionally blackmail her by saying that Neil getting involved with a destructible alcoholic led to his death. Alexis knew that Brendon’s “nice guy” act was just an act and she went to show him the door. Brendon said that she contributed to Neil’s death so she needed to make things right before Alexis stood up to leave and went to kick him out. As she did that, Harmony Miller suddenly appeared and wondered if everything was okay. After Brendon and Harmony introduced themselves to each other, Brendon asked Harmony why her name sounded so familiar and wondered if they met before. Harmony claimed that they hadn’t but she did reveal that she was once part of Dawn of Day and he might have seen her on TV. Alexis eventually got Brendon to leave after he said that he would give her his contact information.

Later on, Brendon was going through a box in his suite at the Metro Court and he found a folder with Harmony’s name on it. Brendon knew that he heard Harmony’s name from somewhere.

On April 8, after sending a threatening text to Harmony to meet him at the pier and after meeting her, Brendon told Harmony that he found his brother Neil's notes with his sessions with her and learned what she had done, it was then revealed that she and Madeline Reeves stole Nina Reeves and Silas Clay's twin daughters, Nelle Benson and Willow Tait and sold them to the black market. Nelle ended up with Frank Benson in Florida with Phyllis and Willow ended up with Harmony and her husband Douglas Miller. Then Brendon told her to give him the money or he is going to see Nina and Willow to tell them the truth.

On April 15, Harmony agreed on the phone to meet Brendon at Rana Point. Once there, Harmony pulls a large syringe out of her purse and hides it behind her back as Brendon arrives. She gives him $1000 and he says that isn’t enough. They fight and the syringe falls out of her purse when he pushes her away. Brendon suspected it had heroin like his brother's overdose. He realizes Harmony killed his brother and she attempts to strangle Brendon until he accidentally falls off the edge of the point to his death.

On April 18, Harmony took her medical file from Brendon's Metro Court suite by using the key card he had in his bag that he left on the ground at Rana Point. Alexis runs across Brendon's body floating facedown in the water at Pier 54.

## Crimes Committed

* Spied on Esme Prince at Charlie's Pub [Mar 31, 2022]
* Blackmailed Harmony Miller into paying him money by threatening to tell Nina Reeves and Willow Tait that they're mother and daughter and that she got Willow from Madeline Reeves, who sold her and her twin sister, Nelle Benson on the black market [Apr 8-15, 2022]

## Health & Vitals

* Strangled by Harmony Miller, who also accidentally caused him to fall off Rana Point cliff to his death [Apr 15, 2022]