Character history Ethan Winthrop

1 character history

1.1 life
1.2 crane heir
1.3 paternity reveal , fallout
1.4 marriage gwen

1.4.1 sarah s stillbirth
1.4.2 jane s birth , custody battles
1.4.3 jealousy of jared


1.5 divorce , return theresa
1.6 nbc finale
1.7 directv storylines

character history
early life

ethan child of sam bennett , ivy winthrop. born during mid-1970s. mother in love father, ethan s grandfather, former governor harrison winthrop, saw young lovers stay separated. ivy , sam discovered father s treachery on ivy s wedding night julian crane, , 2 made love, resulting in ethan s conception. when ivy learned have nothing if remained sam, chose stay julian , pass ethan off crane.

as crane, ethan lived life of luxury , power. being julian s first-born son, bred heir crane fortune. this, coupled mother s favoritism of ethan on other 3 children julian, caused ethan s half-siblings resent him, half-brother, fox.

unknown him @ time, ethan , theresa lopez-fitzgerald once met each other when children, wasn t revealed until later, , unknowingly in love since childhood.

at age of twelve, ethan met gwen hotchkiss @ joint mixer both of schools. 2 became fast friends, , started dating. 2 went on attend choate rosemary hall boarding school.

once out of high school, ethan went on attend unknown undergraduate school , harvard law school.

crane heir

after graduating hls in 1999, ethan, twenty-four, decided move hometown of harmony gwen. took job lawyer gwen s parents, spent time in private practice, , went work crane industries. , gwen left , later returned harmony summer of 1999.

ethan had loved gwen time children, reluctant , commit relationship, until aunt sheridan pushed him it. knowing proposing wrong reasons, gwen turned him down— not marry him, except love, , opted wait more sincere proposal. however, prospective engagement pushed back-burner when ethan began being victim of mysterious accidents, , became determined learn stalking him. of private detective frank lomax, discovered stalker theresa lopez-fitzgerald, daughter of crane family housekeeper pilar. theresa s teenage crush on ethan made clumsy , accident-prone in presence. ethan befriended theresa without knowing depth of feelings him, oblivious starry-eyed ingenue assigned cosmic meaning every encounter , every off-handed comment.

theresa s conversational preoccupation true love backfired on her, , moved ethan propose gwen; although engagement non-starter when engagement ring ethan had insisted try on became stuck on finger—one of several small-time plots stall ethan marrying gwen—but eventually, ethan , gwen celebrated engagement.

not long after becoming engaged gwen, ethan began questioning feelings theresa; doubts culminated in admission of love @ hospital bedside struggled life after motorcycle accident. become central motif of triangle date emerged when ethan struggled reconcile how fulfill affection , obligation gwen , answer inexorable pull toward theresa.

ethan canceled wedding gwen mere hours before ceremony (and disinherited alistair crane doing so); proposed theresa in church, in front of of harmony, on christmas eve.

paternity reveal , fallout

early in new year, gwen s mother, rebecca, discovered theresa had information on computer proving ethan not crane and, gwen s consent, sent information tabloid, timing announcement coincide ethan , theresa s engagement party. gwen , rebecca believed theresa gold-digger, , once money no longer part of package, theresa leave ethan. rebecca assured gwen she, rebecca, marry julian crane , convince him reinstate ethan family, easing gwen s guilt.

theresa, convinced momentary setback, stood ethan after stripped of crane rights , privileges, struggled learn had outed him tabloids, never revealed had known before newspaper had created scandal, nor did suspect gwen , rebecca blame until later. summer, desperate prevent theresa , ethan s wedding, gwen once again contacted tabloid , told them information had come theresa s computer, implying theresa, rather gwen , mother, 1 had revealed ethan s true paternity.

the news broke on have been ethan , theresa s wedding day, , ethan s mother, ivy, consequently angry @ theresa crashed car church stop wedding. gwen s quiet insistence theresa had known truth , hadn t told ethan prompted theresa run away, down aisle; , ethan, maintained faith in theresa, tried convince still wanted marry theresa refused listen him , went bermuda, determined julian adopt ethan , reinstate him crane heir no matter had do.

when theresa returned bermuda having drunkenly wed julian, ethan forgave , restored relationship under condition there no more lies; theresa kept 1 more huge secret him—she pregnant! secret of baby, presumed @ time julian s since not far enough along ethan s, final straw ethan; broke off relationship.

ethan renewed relationship gwen , remained bitterly angry time @ theresa — until pregnant theresa confessed killing julian crane. ethan knew innocent , covering someone, never realized believed covering him (thanks fake videotape made rebecca, showing ethan killing julian). when theresa found guilty , sentenced death, ethan helped run law, taking crane cabin, went labor. hid labor pains, using time had convince ethan still have future; took arrival of gwen, realized theresa in labor, allow delivery of theresa s son, whom named ethan. ethan later became godfather little ethan .

the police took theresa harmony, theresa executed ; execution in fact ploy convince still-living julian, believed theresa had shot him, safe come harmony. ethan had been devastated, , relieved theresa alive, , became enamored son; although d purchased engagement ring gwen, began imagine future theresa again... until revelation of gwen s pregnancy spurred ethan reassess , commit gwen , unborn child. gwen didn t want marry baby alone; ethan convinced feelings theresa over, , loyalty thereafter gwen. despite last-minute attempts @ interference theresa, ethan , gwen married in december 2002.

marriage gwen
sarah s stillbirth

gwen s difficult pregnancy led couple travel l.a. in summer of 2003 (a summer lasted october, in real time) visit specialists; unluckily of them, theresa, had been trying on ethan , give them space while gwen s health fragile, had left harmony l.a., well.

ethan s devotion wife shaken proximity of theresa, , found himself repeatedly drawn her, jealous of new relationship brother fox crane , tortured memories of past. 2 shared passionate kisses on beach in l.a., unfortunately caught on camera news reporter; when gwen saw husband theresa on camera, left hospital looking husband. confrontation theresa led gwen being hospitalized. doctors @ hospital informed ethan had choose between wife , unborn child before ethan choose, doctors came , told him had lost baby. gwen , ethan later named daughter sarah. upon returning harmony, ethan swore grief-stricken wife on daughter s casket theresa out of life good.

jane s birth , custody battles

gwen, angry @ theresa role in causing daughter s death (which prevent carrying further children), colluded mother in causing courts take theresa s son her; ethan, bound promise on daughter s grave, powerless openly theresa, , contented himself working theresa s lawyer secretly regain custody. once julian (then considered little ethan s biological father) , wife, rebecca, gained custody, ethan agreed gwen inappropriate parents, , agreed , gwen should take custody of boy in stead of rebecca , julian; , rebecca , gwen s plan of giving gwen theresa s son raise accomplished. around same time, gwen attempting find surrogate mother herself , ethan (after fight/accident theresa in l.a., of gwen eggs no longer viable, , not carry baby herself...however, woman carry child if of gwen s eggs fertile).

theresa, believing without ethan s d never regain custody of son, resorted stealing ethan , gwen s embryo , having herself implanted it, intending exchange child hers once born. when believed had miscarried baby, sank still more desperate measures; after slipping dangerous date rape drug ethan s drink, dressed gwen, climbed bed , had sex him. though ethan knew , denied until after jane born.

it discovered theresa in fact carrying twins, although, because theresa had had one-night stand fox, both maternity , paternity of twins in question. after being informed dr. eve russell body unable carry both children term given option of medical abortion, kill 1 fetus, while ensuring other live. @ gwen , ethan s insistence, theresa agreed have baby best chances of survival saved.

after delivering healthy baby girl prematurely less month later, dna testing proved theresa biological mother of little girl, , ethan father, gwen s outrage. theresa later decided name daughter jane winthrop after novel jane eyre.

gwen became mad grief, , stabbed theresa in hospital scalpel. arrested , put in jail, while theresa fell coma. ethan devastated both women, , torn once again love , obligations each. theresa woke, paralyzed.

gwen, hospitalized after suicide attempt , suffering elaborate delusions unborn children, later kidnapped jane , hid in crane cabin before absconding on crane jet katherine crane. ethan , theresa led frantic search child, growing closer while attempting locate gwen , daughter. @ same time, ethan began growing closer father , paternal half-siblings. after learning half-sister jessica bennett had been assaulted, he, along chad harris, , fox crane tarnished , destroyed nightclub in occurred.

soon ethan, theresa , fox learned gwen, jane, , katherine being held prisoner alistair @ crane compound. rescued them compound, reuniting ethan , theresa daughter. ethan had planned sue custody of jane, offered let theresa keep daughter if end war gwen. theresa pressed charges against gwen hoping ethan turn gwen in prison, , ethan sued custody had intended. gwen acquitted once revealed drug interaction had caused behavior, , judge gave custody ethan , gwen, in part because of method theresa used conceive child.

shortly after court decision, heartbroken theresa accused ethan of stealing baby her; ethan admitted theresa loved , wanted , 2 children, never break marriage vows it.

that summer, harmony struck earthquake , tsunami, , ethan saved theresa s life numerous times; theresa s belief proved connection , commitment, though, met ethan s insistence keep love bottled in deference marriage.

while ethan served eve russell s lawyer (she on trial attempted murder; mistrial declared), desperate theresa married alistair crane in order move crane mansion clues prove innocence in old matter of tabloid scandal , regain contact jane. ethan appalled actions, considering marriage alistair deal devil. softened however, after learning theresa being raped night after night alistair, , offered leave harmony, refused after alistair adopted son. theresa s many attempts kill alistair thwarted, ethan became victim of final one; had poisoned guacamole aspirin , ethan, after eating it, collapsed, became comatose, , declared brain-dead.

gwen decided take ethan off life support per wishes, theresa wouldn t hear of , enlisted of noah bennett kidnap ethan. when s backs turned theresa , noah took ethan hospital , took him crane cabin. gwen found them , took ethan hospital still planned let ethan go, decided wait until after christmas. @ christmas eve service theresa prayed god if bring ethan leave gwen , ethan alone forever. service began ethan entered church alive , well. ethan forgave theresa accidentally poisoning him, , revealed supposed brain-dead state had been trick of alistair s, how ethan became 1 of suspects @ alistair s new year s eve murder party when man found stabbed. cleared, , discovered (only julian) liz had been 1 stab alistair, raping many years before.

ethan found himself in position of having resist theresa s constant advances, theresa, realizing ethan never leave wife her, offered become mistress. gwen urged ethan make total break , couple resolved move india, stopped when theresa named in alistair s heir crane empire; used newfound resources ground plane gwen , ethan had boarded india, , prevent ethan getting jobs elsewhere.

ethan, gwen , jane set house @ grace s b&b out of theresa s sphere of influence; move no avail. theresa arranged demanding job gwen @ collier & co., drive wedge between gwen , ethan, while ethan, refusing theresa s extravagant offers of co-chairmanship of crane industries—which have allowed him fulfill idealistic plans d once had crane heir—resorted working in garage. mysterious events drawing residents of harmony rome. theresa found out jessica, paloma, , simone in danger there , asked ethan accompany italy save half-sister, , ethan agreed. ethan , theresa forced stay in hotel suite when theresa received e-mail telling harmony die in rome. ethan wanted near theresa protect her. theresa found j.t. cornell, editor of tabloid in ethan s paternity revealed. theresa got evidence needed show him gwen , rebecca set truth of ethan s paternity tabloids. rebecca called j.t. , convinced him take evidence , run. j.t. managed away theresa in time. ethan convinced lying , stormed out on her.

jealousy of jared

after theresa gave on ethan, ethan became upset , jealous of jared casey. when pilar (theresa s mother) shot ethan went see her, told him leave gwen , go family theresa, little ethan , jane. later on, theresa , jared staying @ same hotel ethan , gwen. ethan accidentally crawled theresa s bed. both drunk , thought gwen , theresa thought jared. ended having sex. not long after 2 knowingly began short affair. ethan admitted love theresa, , convinced jared criminal (but couldn t prove theresa).

divorce , return theresa

early in new year, blackmailer drugged ethan , induced him crawl bed theresa, presumably gwen, upon catching them, leave ethan once , all—which happened. gwen left ethan , jane @ end of january 2007, despairing love theresa, , declaring deserved man loved alone.

the same incident threw wrench in theresa s relationship jared, during time (the day after gwen left him), ethan moved crane mansion theresa him take care of jane. ethan , theresa appeared on track renew old relationship—only secret theresa had been keeping ethan regarding son s paternity stood in way—but before tell him, began being blackmailed same entity had drugged ethan , had framed brother luis multiple crimes hadn t committed (while brother miguel had been set julian , fox crane). ethan forced watch in frustration theresa withdrew him, allowing herself coerced marrying jared casey, because mysterious blackmailer apparently wants ethan himself.

despite ethan s efforts unmask blackmailer , exonerate luis, s been unsuccessful; brothers attorney, frustrated sham court proceedings, controlled blackmailer, culminated in luis being sentenced death , miguel life in prison. theresa has repeatedly underscored necessity, per blackmailers orders, of committing new husband—a claim ethan has repeatedly rejected, going far kidnap theresa , take 1 of alistair s hidden safe rooms make love, hiring look-alike impersonate him alone without fear , draw out blackmailer, , demanding know secret end blackmailers hold on her.

ethan s efforts have not been without risks; continuing see 1 covertly, blackmailer has punished ethan , theresa crushing ethan between 2 walls, threatening theresa @ knifepoint, trapping pair in crane mausoleum , setting fire it, , demanding theresa conceive husband (jared casey) s child. believing die, theresa confessed truth son ethan in crane mausoleum; passed out before heard it, , remains ignorant of secret. secret increasingly in danger, as, rapidly, more people have learned it—pilar, chad, whitney, julian (with whom theresa made business bargain ensure silence), , father lonigan (who set theresa s penance telling ethan truth); secret 1 of many on j.t. cornell s usb stick, discovered gwen , rebecca hidden in theresa s office. they, too, know secret, , have stated intention of using ruin ethan s relationship theresa - , ruin theresa good. despite theresa s secret , fact both , ethan remain married other people, theresa accepted ethan s proposal of marriage on june 27, 2007; upon finding out continued relationship ethan, jared gracefully bowed out of picture , wished theresa every happiness, while ethan s wife, gwen, has signed divorce papers.

nbc finale

on august 17, 2007, revealed alistair in fact alive; established alistair had not been responsible twisting grandson vincent s fragile psyche, had been behind vincent s actions blackmailer. vincent told alistair of secret had learned — little ethan had been fathered ethan, not julian — , alistair enraged theresa had duped him. theresa married ethan on august 20, 2007. gwen tried stop wedding , honeymoon telling ethan truth, stopped alistair, wanted keep little ethan s real paternity secret protect corporate interests. alistair s attempt poison theresa put ethan in coma instead. alistair known alive, rebecca hotchkiss noted in august 23, 2007 episode if alistair s not dead, theresa s marriage ethan not legal. bigamist. alistair reminded theresa legal husband and, fearful of being made laughingstock making non-crane heir, threatened harm if told little ethan s paternity.

on august 29, 2007, theresa revealed unconscious ethan had son during hospitalization poisoning. next day nurse told theresa believed ethan indeed hear theresa said. theresa tested asking ethan squeeze hand, did. after ethan woke coma, revealed had heard theresa s revelation has son (although had failed mention son s name or mother). 2 overjoyed. theresa asked pilar go little ethan. pilar , little ethan walked hospital room, gwen entered surprise. handed ethan baby boy , said, son, our son, yours , mine . nbc run of passions ended ethan holding baby, gwen smirking @ rival, , theresa looking horrified.

directv storylines

devastated learn gwen allegedly had son jonathan winthrop ethan, theresa once again decided tell truth of son s paternity threatened gwen , alistair backing down. ever relentless, theresa planned on telling ethan until own mother begged not to, admitting gwen , rebecca blackmailing because of involvement in massacre of vasquez family in mexico twenty 5 years before. embittered juanita vasquez blamed pilar, , threatened exterminate entire lopez family, juanita s had been. theresa not tell ethan truth when jonathan in need of liver donor needed of sibling. when jane failed used, theresa arranged son little ethan used in procedure, unfortunately had keep telling ethan lies, infuriating him. gwen took advantage of situation telling ethan theresa had lover.

in february 2008, ethan, luis, , miguel learned theresa , pilar being held hostage in mexico juanita vasquez. group arrived juanita caused explosion destroy boat both pilar , theresa on. ethan , luis both swam wreckage pilar recovered , taken shore, while theresa struggled keep herself alive in shark infested waters. ethan , theresa briefly reunited have theresa pulled further out sea ethan pulled under , caught in wreckage. awaited news of theresa s fate rescue worker came news theresa s bloody , torn blouse had washed on shore , family grief-stricken news. ethan took hard , said tearful goodbye woman had ever loved.

at prompting of mother, ethan decided stay gwen sake of children. gradually ethan began take notice of children s nanny gertrude, , 2 bonded not realizing theresa in disguise along. theresa , ethan reunited in august 4, 2008 episode of passions. theresa, knowing juanita had been caught, told ethan little ethan biological son , not julian s believed. after, little ethan, rebecca on heels rushed basement camera holding proof of secrets , lies gwen , rebecca had plotted keep ethan , theresa apart. after mishap camera little ethan able fix , sam appeared camera in hand began play recording of plots hatched gwen , rebecca, arrested on many criminal charges including fraud, bribery, , attempted murder of not pilar s sister , nephews in mexico, in basement of church. ethan furiously denounced gwen , rebecca , reunited theresa. imminent doom hovered on harmony in form of erupting volcano, tabitha baptized present , gwen , rebecca began arguing on trip las vegas gwen didn t remember, revealed gwen had married unknown man while drunk , marriage never annulled or divorced. occurred before ethan , gwen married in 2002, nullifying marriage.

with gwen s marriage invalid, , alistair crane murdered viki chatsworth 3 months before, theresa , ethan married in church ceremony both had dreamed of in front of family , friends @ st. margaret mary s church on august 7, 2008.