In the January 12 episode of The Young and the Restless, Cane quietly and decisively turned Victor’s own tactics against him by unleashing the AI program Victor had stolen and attempted to weaponize. Instead of confronting Victor head-on or exposing the theft publicly, Cane activated the system from within Newman Enterprises, allowing it to dismantle Victor’s infrastructure in real-time. That move stripped Victor of control without ever giving him a visible enemy to fight, and it forced every other power player in Genoa City to suddenly react to Cane instead of Victor.
Key Takeaways
- Cane activates the AI from inside Newman Enterprises and destabilizes Victor’s operation.
- Victor is forced into damage control instead of offense for the first time in this conflict.
- Jack and Kyle gain leverage simply by no longer being Victor’s primary target.
What Happened on Y&R
Cane (Billy Flynn) and Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) crossed a line together when they decided not just to protect themselves from Victor (Eric Braeden), but to actively dismantle his hold over the corporate battlefield. After Victor refused Jack’s (Peter Bergman) offer to trade Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) for the AI program, Cane revealed that Victor was already too late. The AI had been turned on from within, eating away at Newman Enterprises’ systems and processes before Victor even realized what was happening.
Phyllis’s role was not technical, but strategic. She pushed Cane toward timing, toward confidence, and toward commitment, framing the moment as one where hesitation would only benefit Victor. Their scenes made it clear that this was not about revenge alone. It was about power. Cane no longer wanted to survive Victor. He wanted to replace him.
When Victor finally gathered his family and admitted that Newman Enterprises was under attack, it was the first time he had been forced to name himself as the victim instead of the architect. That shift changed the energy of every conversation around him. Victoria (Amelia Heinle), Adam (Mark Grossman), and Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) were no longer listening to the strategy. They were watching containment.
Why It Matters for Victor
Victor’s greatest strength has always been control through foresight. He builds moves into moves, pressure into leverage, and leverage into obedience. Cane’s attack removed foresight from the equation entirely by operating invisibly, internally, and too quickly to stop. Victor could not block it, threaten it, or buy it. He could only respond.
That inversion is what makes this moment dangerous. Cane is not challenging Victor in public, where Victor thrives. He is hollowing him out in private, where Victor cannot posture his way out. That places Victor into unfamiliar emotional territory, one where he must rely on others to protect what he once dominated alone.
It also reframes Cane. He is no longer a disgraced outsider trying to claw his way back into relevance. He is now the person holding the trigger that can reshape the city’s financial and social balance.
The Fallout in Genoa City
Jack and Kyle (Michael Mealor) benefited without moving a single piece themselves. As Victor’s focus collapsed inward, his pressure on Jabot eased, buying them time and strategic breathing room they did not expect to get.
Phyllis secured her position beside the most dangerous player in the room again, something she had been craving since losing her influence over Victor and Jack. Her alliance with Cane placed her back at the center of momentum instead of on the sidelines of someone else’s war.
Victor was no longer the storm. He was the structure being tested by it. And once a man built on control is forced into defense, every relationship around him begins to shift.
