A History of Patrick Thornhart

History is but the nail on which the picture hangs.
Alexandre Duma

Thorsten Kaye was the perfect embodiment
of Patrick Thornhart.

How It Began

Patrick Thornhart...Irish poet and teacher...first made his appearance on "One Life to Live" in October 1995, bursting into the Wild Swan Inn on the Irish island of Inishcrag, and changing visiting Llanview resident Marty Saybrooke's life forever. The following month, he arrived in Llanview, in search of Marty, with whom he'd so memorably made time stop on the romantic isle...

Would that it were that simple, though. Patrick's story had become less of a poem, more of a thriller, and despite the fact that he was a writer, Patrick could never have fashioned a more incredible tale than the one he had gradually revealed to Marty. Patrick was a man on the run, not knowing who he was running from, or why. But whoever it was, was in dogged pursuit of him and had nearly chased him to ground on Inishcrag.

Where It Began

But Patrick did know what they wanted. He had in his possession a blood-soaked piece of sheet music entrusted to him, with her dying breath, by his former lover, Irish Special Branch agent Siobhan Connelly. Siobhan begged Patrick to give the sheet music to Inspector Quilligan of the Irish Special Branch, whom he would find on Inishcrag - it was a key, Patrick would learn only later, to a nefarious plot. In fulfilling Siobhan's request, Patrick found adventure, danger...and love, with Marty Saybrooke, who reluctantly became enmeshed with him. He loved her from the first and, though suspicious of him, she too lost her heart as the wild weather prevented their departure from the island and a twist of fate had them sharing the same room. Their romantic fates were sealed the night they finally took advantage of it and made love. Patrick and Marty formed a bond on Inishcrag that had something of the mystical about it, a timeless love that redefined their existence.

When Patrick met Margaret Saybrook (Susan Haskell)
on Inishcraig, his heart was hers forever.

More alarmingly, Patrick also found Inspector Quilligan on Inishcrag, and discovered the identify of his pursuers - a terrorist group called the Men of 21. Their long reach had even infiltrated the ISB, and before Patrick knew it - but after Marty had returned to Llanview - Quilligan was dead....Todd Manning, a friend of Marty's who was in Inishcrag to facilitate her return to Llanview, had been mistaken for Patrick and shot.... and a desperate Patrick used Todd's passport to flee to the States...and Marty.

Trouble With A Capital "T"

The memory of the love that so profoundly blossomed between Patrick and Marty on Inishcrag was all that Patrick had to hold onto when he came to Llanview; he had lost everything else and faced danger at every turn. But Marty, once on her home soil, feared the depth of her feelings for him, choosing to believe that Patrick was dangerous. She rejected him in favor of her previous lover, Dylan Moody. Patrick's character, however, and the truth of his plight, were fortunately for him more obvious to other Llanview residents, and he made other friends in town. 

Bo Buchanan, the police commissioner, believed in him, worked with him to foil the Men of 21's bombing attempt at the Palace hotel, and found him a job at the Llanview Country Club stables. Maggie Carpenter, a teacher of deaf children who was about to become a nun, encouraged Patrick to apply for a position at Llanview University.

The second time they were marooned together, Margaret finally admitted to Patrick that she loved him.

But Patrick also made an enemy - Blair Manning, the widow of Todd, who held both him and Marty responsible for Todd's death. In revenge, the white widow spider spun a web for him...

Between pining for Marty, who broke his heart by marrying Dylan, working at the stables, teaching at Llanview U., and unsuspectingly becoming friends with Blair, Patrick was a busy man. But when the "formerly dead" gangster Carlo Hesser returned to town, Patrick became convinced that Carlo was the brains behind the Men of 21. In his efforts to prove his theory, Patrick narrowly escaped drowning (in a boat sinking arranged by Carlo), along with Marty who, despite her marriage to Dylan, had stowed away to be with him.

The two were stranded on an island and just when Marty admitted her love for Patrick and her willingness to leave Dylan, Dylan showed up and was injured in a brief scuffle with Patrick. Unfortunately the injury resulted in Dylan's paralysis, and Marty felt she had no choice but to remain with Dylan. Her decision threw a very bitter Patrick further into Blair's clutches. By this time, Blair was caught in her own web - she was no longer faking her interest in the handsome and passionate professor, who was becoming a respected member of the community.

A Midsummer Night's Nightmare:
Patrick and Blair (Kassie dePaiva)

And It Gets Even Worse

Despite the anguish of many viewers, Patrick and Blair eventually made love...just, of course, as Todd returned from the dead (seemingly, enough people rise from the dead in Llanview to establish several new religions on a regular basis) in time to witness them. Todd, no fan of Patrick's to begin with, began seeking revenge against Patrick, including trying to frame him for Carlo Hesser's (most recent) murder. However, Todd's wrath really knew no bounds at the unexpected news of Blair's pregnancy with a child that couldn't possibly be Todd's and could only be Patrick's...

Unfortunately, the Patrick/Blair baby news also threatened to throw a monkey wrench into the Patrick/Marty relationship. For in the meantime, Marty had finally chosen Patrick over Dylan for once and for all. Patrick and Marty had reaffirmed their love when a bogus Wild Swan Inn set up shop in Llanview (complete with innkeeper Thomas Kenneally from the auld sod), and they could not resist the memories it evoked in them of Inishcrag. Unfortunately, they (and viewers) then had to overcome yet more Men of 21 terrorist nonsense at the hands of Mr. Kenneally, who, totally unbelievably, was unmasked as a card-carrying member of the Irish terrorist group. 

But once that was finally out of the way, it almost seemed like small potatoes, compared to the catastrophe of Marty's worst enemy carrying Patrick's child. Marty was none too thrilled to learn Patrick was about to become a Da. Especially with Blair as the Mam. (Where's a good terrorist when you need one? According to Kenneally's parting shot, maybe closer than you think...)

But Blair's baby promised to be a godsend for Blair's first child, Starr, who needed a blood marrow transplant. The new baby was a likely donor, so Marty, having completed med school in record time and was now Dr. Saybrooke, smiled through her gritted teeth.

For his part, Patrick was sensitive to Marty's concerns that the baby would come between them. At times he was even moodier than Marty, as one moment he assured her that their love could withstand anything, while advising her in the next to get out while the going was good. (These conflicting - and conflicted - messages of Patrick's did not - and do not - bode well for viewers, either.) The bottom line, however, was that although Patrick himself had mixed feelings about fatherhood, he was determined to be a devoted father no matter what the cost...a decision (for once, of late) entirely consistent with the original Patrick's character.

Mel Hayes (Stephen Markle) prevents Patrick
from throttling Todd Manning (Roger Howarth)
for framing him for a local bombing.

Todd Manning Strikes Again

Tragically (or not so tragically, depending on your taste for a Patrick/Blair offspring), fatherhood for Patrick - and a quick solution to Starr's dilemma - in the person of a little Patrick Jr., was not to be: Patrick Sr. and a very pregnant Blair were run off the road in Patrick's car one night, the car hit a tree, Blair was badly injured, and the baby was killed. The aforementioned Todd, Starr's father, accused Patrick of deliberately causing the death of his own child (the accident was actually caused by Blair's young cousin, Kelly Cramer) and, although another donor, Alex Olanov Buchanan, was eventually found for Starr, Todd went digging into Patrick's past. He was looking for anything he could use against Patrick. And he found an explosive secret.

Ironically, it seemed that the very same Patrick Thornhart, poet, teacher, sensitive lover, and part-time terrorist-fighter, had a terrorist-related skeleton of his own. It had happened when Patrick was only 17. In seeking revenge on Lord Whiting, a wealthy Belfast publisher who had cruelly left Patrick's beloved sister Granya pregnant, only to die in Patrick's arms from the resulting abortion, Patrick had participated in a terrorist bombing that resulted in Whiting's death. That detail had been omitted from Patrick's history until Patrick's hatred of Whiting came out in an altercation between Patrick, new reporter in town Mel Hayes, and wealthy British publisher Guy Armitage, an associate of Whiting's. Todd was a witness to the scene, and later got Mr. Kenneally to fill in more details.

Todd used this information to set up a similar incident to frame Patrick.. It worked. Patrick was unjustly accused of bombing Armitage's yacht, although a Todd disguised as Patrick was the real culprit. But although Todd's involvement in that bombing has yet to come to light, at least Patrick was cleared. Marty stood firmly by Patrick through all this, as did their closest friends Bo Buchanan and his wife, Patrick's lawyer Nora. Bo was willing to leave Patrick's past to the Irish authorities to discover - or not. This should have been the happiest time in Patrick's life . . . Margaret was pregnant with his child, and they were soon to be married.

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Thornhart

Unfortunately things couldn't be that easily resolved. Michael Mahoney, the leader of the terrorist group from Patrick's past, was still out there - and he wasn't pleased to learn that Kenneally had mentioned his name to Todd Manning. Mahoney and his henchman O'Hara made a little trip to Llanview.

Happily Ever After?

Patrick and Marty's wedding day promised to be joyous. Patrick was ecstatic. At last he was to be married to his Angel, the woman he had never stopped loving through all the obstacles fate had thrown in their way. That made their wedding vows to each other on Llantano Mountain especially meaningful, and most of their friends were gathered to help them celebrate. Unfortunately, however, there were two uninvited guests: Mahoney and O'Hara. With no regard for wedding etiquette, they shot up the reception, critically wounding Mel Hayes and winging the bridegroom on the arm. Before escaping, the ungrateful terrorists were overhead discussing their next move - taking out the Manning family. Todd knew just a little too much about them.

Quickly recovering from his slight wound and fearing for Starr's safety, Patrick rushed to the Manning apartment. He couldn't let any harm come to Todd's daughter . . . But in a bitter twist of fate, after Patrick arrived and confronted Mahoney, Mahoney shot Patrick as Todd watched in horror. Then Mahoney turned his gun on Todd. But before Mahoney could pull the trigger, Patrick jumped to his feet and, with his last ounce of strength, struggled with Mahoney for the gun. During the struggle, the gunman was shot with his own weapon.

Just as Patrick had once owed his life to Todd, Todd now owed his - and his family's - to Patrick. With his dying breath, Patrick told Todd they were quits.

Marty: I love you, Patrick Thornhart.
Patrick: No more than I love you... Margaret Thornhart.

Patrick was barely conscious when Marty arrived with the police, including Bo. As she lovingly cradled him in her arms, begging him not to leave her, Patrick died. He died just as he'd lived, with words of love for his angel on his lips. No one could comfort Marty when Patrick was pronounced dead at the scene. In the ambulance, alone with her husband, Marty held her own wake beside Patrick's body. 

Maybe!

Then, a miracle occurred. Dr. Thornhart realized Patrick was sweating... his hand was warm... 

Patrick was alive!

Some time later, in their room in a quiet country inn, Marty gently tends Patrick's healing chest wound. Thanks to his wife's careful machinations, the rest of the world - except Bo and Nora - thinks Patrick is dead. 

But here in this room with Marty, Patrick is a man who is very much alive. Only his past is dead - and Marty has ensured that that past can never come back to haunt them. She assures him Patrick she has no regrets at leaving Llanview behind. The past is over, but their future is beginning. A future that will soon include their child.

As the full moon shines above, the same moon under which he first kissed her that fateful night on Inishcrag when they were utter strangers, Patrick Thornhart is with his wife, Margaret Saybrooke Thornhart. 

As the curtain closes on their story, Patrick wants and needs nothing else in his life.

© K. A. Brand 2011. All rights reserved.