A guide to the Pentonville fallout, covering episodes from September 29 to October 8, 2026.
Ten days after Curtis and Sidwell were beaten at Pentonville, Sonny keeps saying the same thing: he never gave the order. Port Charles has split over whether to believe him, and on Thursday he admitted who hurts most: “My son has completely given up on me.” Here is where everyone stands.
Quick recap: what happened at Pentonville
On September 29, Curtis and Sidwell ended up at General Hospital “within an inch of their lives.” Curtis named Sonny as the man behind the attack. Sonny told Ric he had sent Vito to his man inside, Sully, to watch Sidwell, because he knew he’d be blamed if Sidwell got hurt. Prison visitor footage then showed Vito and Sully meeting the morning of the attack, and Dante recognized both men as his father’s employees.
Still in Sonny’s corner
- Carly. On October 8 she told him straight out: “Ordering that hit would have been stupid… If you’re trying to get out of the business, why would you want to hurt Sidwell?” Then: “I know you. I believe you.”
- Donna. Sonny warned his daughter that kids at school would say he hurt somebody. Her answer: “I believe you. I always believe you, ’cause you’re the best dad in the whole entire world.”
Turned on him
- Curtis. He named Sonny as the ringleader from his hospital bed (Sept. 29).
- Dante. He saw the footage of Vito and Sully, fought with his father and told Gio, “You should leave with me” (Oct. 2). Sonny on Thursday: “The one who really breaks my heart is Dante.”
- Joss. She vowed to bring Sonny down and said he won’t escape the consequences (Oct. 2).
- Trina. She said she now understands why Joss hated Sonny, and that he disgusts her (Oct. 2).
- Justine. She first argued there was reasonable doubt, but on October 5 she confronted Sonny with the footage, didn’t buy his “someone is setting me up,” and ended things.
- Ava. On October 8 she refused to let Avery see him: “I’d like to spare her from having to hear all of your lies.” Her parting shot: “Why, you going to have me roughed up like you did Sidwell?”
Torn
- Gio. He told Emma he doesn’t think Sonny even believes his own denial, but he still hugged his father and cried when Sonny apologized (Oct. 2).
The ones who actually know the truth
Viewers have seen what the town hasn’t. As Soaps.com laid out on September 30, the setup was Ava’s idea and Drew paid for it. Vito was intercepted and told Sully to beat Sidwell up instead of watching him. That makes Ava’s line to Sonny on Thursday even colder.
The only person who could clear Sonny is Vito, and he has disappeared. “I don’t even know if he’s breathing right now,” Sonny told Carly. His plan for now: “I’m just going to stay quiet, ride it out.”
What’s next
Friday’s official teasers say Sonny reassures Gio, Portia makes her loyalties clear, and “Dante’s investigation hits a roadblock.” Sonny has also warned Ava that if she doesn’t bring Avery next Saturday, “I’m going to get her myself.”
Your turn: Is Carly right to believe him, or is Dante right to walk away? And who should find out about Drew and Ava first?
Sources: General Hospital, ABC, Oct. 8, 2026 (scenes “Carly & Sonny” and “Sonny & Ava”); Soaps.com/SheKnows recaps of Sept. 29 and Oct. 2, 2026 and “General Hospital’s Sonny Has Been Set Up” (Sept. 30, 2026); Entertainment Now, “Justine Dumps Sonny” (Oct. 5, 2026); Michael Fairman TV, GH preview week of Oct. 5–9, 2026.