“General Hospital”'s Chad Duell Leaves Series with a Shocking Ending: See What Happened in the Fiery Explosion Finale

Chad Duell is leaving General Hospital with a bang.

The Jan. 6 episode of the long-running soap opera marked the beginning of the 37-year-old actor's exit storyline when his character Michael Corinthos caught fire after a shocking explosion.

After Michael served Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) divorce papers in D.C. with her lover Drew (Cameron Mathison) by her side, she grew angry and fearful that Michael was looking for vengeance when he asked for full custody of their children, Wylie and Amelia.

Related: Chad Duell Announces He's Leaving General Hospital After Nearly 15 Years: 'This Wasn't an Easy Decision for Me'

Michael eventually broke the news to his dad Sonny (Maurice Bernard), who encouraged him to punish Drew.

"Diane's advice was to go for an aggressive first strike so I did," he told Sonny. "The hope is that after my initial demands, Willow and I can negotiate and I can settle for what I really want, which is which is shared custody."

"I don't want to punish Willow. I just want what's best for me," he continued, to which Sonny replied, "I understand, but you're going to start getting angry, right? Because I know you will. That's when you take it out on who deserves it the most, Drew."

Related: 'General Hospital' Star Chad Duell and Girlfriend Luana Lucci Expecting Baby Boy

"What kind of man goes after his nephew's wife?" he asked, before Michael suggested he deserved to have his company taken away from him.

"I spent many nights trying to figure out how we went so wrong," Michael theorized. "I'm starting to believe that Willow survives by becoming whoever other people want her to be."

Eventually, Jason (Steve Burton) arrived at Sonny's apartment to go over business matters and offered to help with whatever Michael may need during this challenging time. "You're not alone in this, son. Not by a long shot," Sonny told Michael before leaving the room with Jason.

As Michael wandered the place alone, he heard a sudden ticking before an explosion broke out and he was set on fire. Sonny and Jason rushed back into the room, but it was too late — Michael was engulfed in flames and screaming in pain, kicking off the tragic end of his character's storyline.

Related: Why Chad Duell Decided to Leave General Hospital After Nearly 15 Years: 'I Feel Like I Stifled Myself'

In November, Duell announced he would be leaving General Hospital with an emotional post shared to Instagram.

"After many incredible years with General Hospital, I’ve decided to step away from the show," he wrote. "This wasn’t an easy decision for me, but it feels like the right time in my life. I’m beyond grateful to [executive producer] Frank Valentini, the cast, crew and everyone behind the scenes who have been like family to me throughout this amazing journey."

"To all the fans: thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support and for letting Michael Corinthos be a part of your lives. Your love and encouragement has meant the world to me," he concluded, adding, "This isn’t a goodbye — it’s a see you later. Much love, Chad."

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General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC (check local listings).

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