On The Young and the Restless, February 24, Daniel disowned his mother. She always claimed that everything she did was for her children. But that lie finally crashed down around her. Daniel reached his breaking point with his mother, informing her that he was cutting ties for his well-being.
Key Takeaways
- Daniel made it clear that he could no longer breathe the same air as his mother, effectively ending their relationship.
- Even though Phyllis offered Daniel a job at her new company, he saw it as a bribe to keep him complicit in her corporate war against The Newmans.
- Phyllis is convinced that once she “wins,” Daniel will come running back to her, but she’s wrong this time around.
Phyllis Makes a Fiery Return
At Crimson Lights, Phyllis (Michelle Stafford, who’s “having fun playing Phyllis”) disrupted Daniel’s (Michael Graziadei) conversation with Tessa (Cait Fairbanks). She told him that she would never forgive him for what he did. Summer (Allison Lanier) wouldn’t even allow her through the door.
Daniel warned Phyllis that her trip to Milan was a bad idea. He tried to leave with Tessa, but Phyllis refused. She was upset that her son had filled Summer’s head with the idea that their mother did something bad.
Daniel argued that she stole Summer’s legacy. Victor (Eric Braeden) resorted to kidnapping Lily (Christel Khalil) and the twins because of what Phyllis did. Phyllis argued that Victor did that on his own and that Lily’s kids were fine.
She was confident that she wasn’t losing her kids. Phyllis wouldn’t let Daniel get away with what he told Summer. Daniel claimed that he told Summer the truth.
Daniel Breaks the Cycle
In Phyllis’ mind, she’s doing it for her family. Then, she dangled a new opportunity in front of Daniel’s face. He argued that he didn’t want to end up like his mother.
This time, she went too far, and he’s done. Phyllis claimed that Daniel and Summer were the reasons why she did this. She promised herself that she would give her family everything they wanted.
She couldn’t believe Daniel didn’t want to have anything to do with her ever again. But he was serious this time around. Daniel made the final call by leaving with Tessa.
Why Daniel’s Departure is a Survival Tactic
Daniel has become the emotional anchor for a mother who thrives on chaos. He would sacrifice his own peace to deal with the damage she caused. By disowning Phyllis, Daniel acted in self-preservation. In the past, being Phyllis’ son meant being an accomplice to her vendettas.
By distancing himself from his mother, Daniel refuses to allow her corporate warfare to become his personal inheritance. He didn’t even blink at the offer she gave him. This move is significant for Daniel, pivoting him from a figure reactive to his mom’s chaotic ways to an independent man.
For a man who’s struggled to find his footing in Genoa City, choosing the moral high ground over a seat at his mother’s table is the ultimate power move. It forces Phyllis to face one consequence she can’t manipulate, the loud silence from the person she cares about the most. Now, Phyllis will find out that it’s lonely at the top of the world.
