All this time, we’ve been assuming that General Hospital will be killing Michael in the blaze at Sonny’s penthouse to facilitate Chad Duell’s exit. But it ain’t necessarily so. The soap could be just disfiguring the character so badly that he needs to be shipped off to a burn center for extensive treatment. After that — especially if Duell winds up booking a movie role that turns him into the next Ryan Gosling — A.J. Sonny and Carly’s son could return as a whole new man.

It’s not as if General Hospital is afraid to recast even its most popular stars. It did so with Carly after Sarah Joy Brown left (and after Tamara Braun did, too). Upon Steve Burton’s departure in 2012, the late Billy Miller was brought aboard to play Jason. Heck, even Brooklyn Rae Silzer, who grew up before our eyes as Emma, just got replaced (with newcomer Braedyn Bruner).

So, although Duell has said that executive producer Frank Valentini has “left the door open” for him to come back, he may never walk through it. In that case, another actor could find opportunity knocking. The obvious choice to succeed Duell as Michael would be Young & Restless vet Robert Adamson (ex-Noah), who has often filled in as the baby-faced exec — and has been warmly received by viewers.

But Adamson is far from the only option. His Young & Restless replacement Rory Gibson would also make a fine Michael. Bold & Beautiful fave Darin Brooks (ex-Wyatt) would bring untold energy — and some welcome humor — to the part. Peter Porte (ex-Dimitri, Days of Our Lives) would mix a very different flavor into the character — to be expected, right, after what Michael has been through.

General Hospital could even tap a former cast member to step in as Michael; it does, after all, have a habit of assigning actors new roles. (See also: Michael Easton, Roger Howarth, Tamara Braun… ) In particular, we could see Dillon’s former portrayer Robert Palmer Watkins returning to the show to play his old character’s cousin.

Another option: The soap could bring back Drew Garrett, who played a teenage Michael. You’ll recall that on-screen dad Maurice Benard was such a fan of his that he was, by his own admission, not very nice to Duell was he was hired to take over the role. As you can see below, Garrett has gotten older and handsomer, just like Michael has.

What do you think? Can you imagine General Hospital ever recasting? On your way to the comments, stop off at the below photo gallery, a preview of all the characters who will be impacted by Michael’s dire fate.