If fans have their way, General Hospital‘s plan to write off Kelly Monaco — and kill the character of Sam — will die before the scenes can ever be shot. Moments after the news broke, social media platforms exploded with viewers expressing anger, shock and outrage. But just as quickly, supporters of both the actress and her alter ego banded together in an effort to prevent the seemingly inevitable twist from unfolding.

“The thought of General Hospital without [Sam] is not just disappointing, it is unthinkable for the loyal audience,” wrote Holly V, who launched a Change.org petition designed to reverse the decision.

More: Sign the petition to save Kelly Monaco/Sam here. 

“It’s time to respect the dedication and emotional investment of the viewers who have dedicatd their time and heart into the character and the actress,” the petition continues. “Join us in this critical rallying cry!” At the time of publication, over 3,500 had signed the petition.

But the comment section of the petition wasn’t the only arena in which fans expressed their feelings about Monaco’s upcoming departure. Shelley Bahr-Sprung took to our Facebook page to say she was “Pissed off. Disappointed. Frustrated that so many weird, random characters and annoying characters are still [on the show] and a beloved vet of over 20 years is being dumped.”

Others, however, saw things from a different perspective. Lena Watson Johnson, for example, said in a Facebook post that the writers had made Sam “irrelevant by making her boring, whiney, dull and depressed,” adding that there was a tie when the character was “fun, exciting, adventurous… she was such an intelligent schemer! The writers ruined her character.”

Are the various efforts being mounted too little, too late? That seems unlikely, given that several sources have told us that the storyline in question has not yet been taped. Unlike Days of Our Lives — which tapes so far ahead that they despite having recently replaced headwriter Ron Carlivati, his material will reportedly continue airing until April of next year — General Hospital tapes approximately four weeks before airing.