Summer Newman’s story arc on The Young and the Restless is headed down a dark and explosive path during the pivotal May sweeps period. Still deeply traumatized from her grandson Harrison’s recent kidnapping ordeal, Summer remains on edge and distrustful of her newfound cousin Claire. This simmering tension, combined with growing jealousy over Claire’s closeness with Summer’s ex-husband Kyle and his son Harrison, is a powder keg primed to blow.
At the crux of the issue is Summer’s justifiable anger and suspicion toward Claire based on her cousin’s disturbing past actions. As the catalyst for the twisted plot to take down the Newman family moguls like Victor and Nikki, Claire exhibited an alarming level of psychosis that Summer cannot simply forget or absolve. Her pointed question to mother Phyllis about how they can trust Claire won’t “get there again” to that mentally unstable state seems to foreshadow Claire potentially having another psychotic break triggered by Summer’s hostility.
But there are deeper layers beyond distrust fueling Summer’s rage toward Claire. As Phyllis astutely observes, jealousy is the driving undercurrent. Claire has quickly ingratiated herself into the Newman clan, winning over the adoration of powerful patriarch Victor. More threateningly for Summer, Claire appears poised to encroach on two of her most precious relationships – with her son Harrison and her ex-husband Kyle.
The building blocks are all there for an epic blowup. With Harrison bonding with Claire and even Victoria endorsing her as a potential nanny, the door is open for increased interactions that Summer has vehemently opposed. Kyle seems increasingly inclined to give Claire a chance to be part of his son’s life despite Summer’s objections. And perhaps most insidiously for Summer’s psyche, the hints of romantic chemistry and attraction between Kyle and Claire are palpable.
Spoilers indicate that this powder keg will ignite soon, as Kyle overrides Summer’s wishes about Claire’s role. One can easily envision Summer’s jealousy and protectiveness over Harrison and her lingering bond with Kyle causing her to lash out relentlessly at Claire in retaliation. With her mind already fragile from Harrison’s kidnapping trauma, it’s not inconceivable that Summer’s sustained attacks and attempts to alienate Claire could trigger another psychotic break in her cousin.
If Claire does indeed “get there again” to mental instability incited by Summer’s actions, it could have catastrophic, potentially irreparable consequences for the Newman family. With the two women being grandchildren of the core family patriarchs Victor and Nikki, and daughters of Nick and Victoria, any violence or unforgivable actions between the cousins would pit family members against each other.
Accusations would fly, blame would be cast, resentments would fester. The very familial fabric of the Newmans that has persevered through so many past ordeals would be ripped apart. As an embattled Nikki or Victor is forced to choose which granddaughter to support, the family divisions could become entrenched to an irreparable point. Decades of hard-fought family loyalty could implode in one fell swoop based on the actions of these two troubled, warring young women.
While Summer’s wariness of Claire given her past is understandable, her growing jealousy and inability to let go of grudges seems destined to put her on a collision course with destruction. If she does indeed provoke Claire to a psychotic break, it may be a chaos from which her renowned family can never recover. The sweeps period promises fireworks galore as Summer exercises her stubborn protectiveness over those she loves most.
