Beyond the Gates revealed the identity of The Impaler, but no one could have guessed that it would be The Bold and the Beautiful‘s Ashley Jones who’d step into the role. She’s playing Heather, the estranged sister of casino owner and shady businessman Joey Armstrong.
Key Takeaways
- Heather Armstrong’s backstory.
- How she fits into BTG’s current narrative.
- What her appearance could mean for Joey.
Ashley Jones Is Beyond the Gates’ New Villain
The character sees Jones embodying an ambitious and dangerous woman who doesn’t mind a bit of subterfuge to get what she wants. It’s the complete opposite of how B&B viewers conceive of Jones’ Bridget Forrester. On the LA-set soap, she’s a doctor who helps everyone she can and who fiercely loves her family.
However, on BTG, Heather exploits the medical system for profit. Her latest venture, which led to Derek Baldwin’s death, has put her squarely on Jacob Hawthorne’s radar.
On the Monday, June 8 episode of BTG, Jones made her debut as Heather Armstrong. The duplicitous character caught her brother Joey (Jon Lindstrom) by surprise. He’d been waiting for The Impaler to pay him a visit, but instead, his sister appeared, donned in a black cloak. But it wasn’t exactly a social call. She’d arrived to let him know a key piece of information that she’s kept under wraps. Heather is The Impaler; the meeting is theirs.
Joey didn’t believe her at first. In fact, he laughed. The Heather he’d known had run off. She hadn’t liked the way their father shunted her aside when it came to the family business. As a woman, the only thing he’d expected of her was to get married and have some kids. So, she decided to forge her own path. Heather landed in London, and that’s where she built her criminal enterprise.
The only thing Joey had hoped for was that Heather was safe. Until this meeting, he didn’t know where she was. Heather had just taken off, with no way for him to contact her, and she didn’t contact him either. However, they’ve both found their way in a manner that’s not above board. It’s how they like it and how they were raised.
What Heather Wants From Joey
While Joey is nefarious in his own right, Heather is a different breed. She’s not against getting her hands dirty or bloody to get the job done, which is why she’s nicknamed “Dirty Hands.” The crime boss also lets people think the person pulling the strings of her organization is a man. The assumption works in her favor. No one sees her coming because they’re making the wrong leaps.
It’s a useful bit of unintentional sexism likely born from the way her father overlooked her. He dismissed her interest in his business because she’s a woman. Joey and Heather’s father was abusive and not someone either of them liked. But she felt she should have been given the same opportunity to contribute as Joey.
Clearly, Heather has the aptitude and ruthlessness needed to be a powerful figure in the underworld. Now that she’s in Maryland, she wants to join forces with her brother. He started over himself, leaving New York and setting up shop further south while still holding influence on the East Coast.
Heather sees a partnership between them as mutually beneficial, especially since she’s willing to go farther than Joey to make money. There is, however, a major flaw in her plan. There’s heat coming her way due to Derek’s (Ben Gavin) death, and Joey has no interest in bringing those kinds of problems to his doorstep.
Jacob Wants Justice
When Jacob’s (Jibre Hordges) life was on the line, it was Derek who literally took a bullet for him. The detective had been undercover investigating a blood plasma ring operating out of Garland Memorial Hospital and led by The Impaler.
Derek had no business being at the warehouse that night, but he called himself protecting Ashley (Jen Jacob). His rash decision cost him his life, and Jacob has been carrying the weight of that since it happened. He’s vowed that he won’t rest until he takes The Impaler down one way or another.
Heather’s appearance and her reveal to Joey could put her in the crosshairs of Jacob’s crusade. Joey didn’t tell Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli) his sister’s real reason for being in town. His deliberate omission does mean he’s now in a difficult position.
Withholding Heather’s alias is smart because it keeps her out of trouble and him from getting caught up in her mess. But they intend to be in each other’s lives moving forward, not as business partners but as family, so Heather’s return will likely light this soap on fire when the time comes.
