1. The Ice Princess appeared in 1981 when megalomaniac Mikkos Cassadine plotted global domination by freezing the world — starting with Port Charles. It was up to Luke, Robert, Laura, and Tiffany to stop his weather machine’s carbonic snow, based on a formula from the world’s largest uncut diamond. Invading his base, Luke and Mikkos struggled and the villain fell into his own ice chamber and froze to death. With the world’s climate hanging in the balance, Luke typed the words “Ice Princess” into the device to end the dastardly plot.
2. In 2005, a Manhattan-bound train carrying Lucky and Elizabeth’s wedding party derailed when maniacal villain Manny Ruiz shot the engineer on a Port Charles-bound train carrying Robin and Sam. No math problem could predict the outcome when the two trains collided and a tunnel collapsed, grievously injuring new groom Lucky, snuffing FBI agent Reese, and spurring the birth of Ric and Alexis’ “unsinkable” daughter, Molly. Friends and foes were forced to work together inside the tunnel and out — and Laura Wright (ex-Cassie, GUIDING LIGHT) debuted as GH’s fourth Carly Benson.
3. In 2004, overloaded wiring in the boiler room combined with the desperation of wanted man Zander Smith sparked a blaze that engulfed the Port Charles hotel floor by floor, trapping many PC citizens who had gathered in the Versailles Room. Psychiatrist Cameron Lewis was killed in the blaze and his son, Zander, was presumed dead. Industrious Jasper Jacks rappelled from his penthouse as others were helicoptered from the hotel roof. When rogue cop Capelli stole a spot on the last helo, Nikolas nobly stayed behind and was presumed dead after the roof collapsed.
4. In 1979, an outbreak of the mysterious Lassa Fever forced a quarantine of hospital staff and visitors. Respected doctor Steve fell ill with the fever and revealed to his wife, Audrey, that Jeff Webber was really his son! A shocked Audrey spilled the news to Jeff, and the Hardy family was torn apart by the bombshell. The quarantine also signaled the beginning of Monica’s steamy affair with fellow doctor Rick Webber.
5. In May of 1991, a devastating earthquake shook Port Charles to its very foundations. Bobbie’s recently refurbished brownstone was reduced to a pile of rubble — with Felicia trapped underneath. The Quartermaine mansion suffered serious damage as well. Robert and Anna were in the midst of reconsummating their relationship when the first tremors struck. “The earth really moved,” a bemused Anna beamed to Robert as they continued their lovemaking, blissfully unaware of the real reason their bed shook.
6. When legendary executive producer Gloria Monty returned to the helm in February 1991, she started with a bang — by sinking the Quartermaine tanker S.S. Tracy in the Port Charles harbor. This elaborate remote sequence jump-started her new storylines and characters — including Robert’s brother, Mac, and Luke’s look-alike cousin, Bill Eckert. It also caused an environmental disaster for Port Charles — toxic PCBs aboard the Tracy were now at the bottom of the harbor.
7. Social-climber Lucy Coe tried to outdo herself in 1988 by coordinating the Port Charles Arts Festival. Her plan backfired when a terrorist cell, led by the evil Colette, seized the opportunity to make a statement, planting a bomb in the main exhibition tent. Ex-Marine Colton found the bomb, but it exploded anyway, flooding General Hospital with casualties.
8. In 1987, with the Cold War still raging, the DVX tried to kill Dr. Greta Ingstrom, a geneticist who was perfecting an antidote to MOX-36, the DVX’s new germ-warfare agent. A failed assassination attempt landed Ingstrom in the ICU, and another DVX agent was sent to finish the job. When Sean and Frisco tried to thwart him, the agent took half the GH staff hostage in the cafeteria, threatening to smash a vial of MOX-36. Sean and Frisco managed to subdue the enemy agent, but not before Bobbie was infected. Although she got the experimental antidote, Bobbie was left paralyzed from the waist down and remained in a wheelchair for months. 
9. Port Charles saw an homage to the teen slasher genre in 2004 when loopy war widow Mary Bishop stalked Emily on the Quartermaine estate during a blackout. She killed Sage, who had been locked in a basement freezer by rival Georgie, and the hapless Trent, who just got in the way. Mary was shot by her own husband’s look-alike, Nikolas.
10. In 1990, Anna and Robin had a very Close Encounter when Cesar Faison joined crystals from Casey the Alien’s home planet of Lumina and caused an explosive blackout throughout Port Charles. Fortunately, Casey used his alien skills to restore power to the city.
