Big changes appear to be looming on The Young and the Restless, and if recent story clues are any indication, Genoa City may soon be welcoming back one of its most polarizing power players. Summer Newman has been conspicuously absent from the canvas, yet her presence is being felt more strongly than ever. With her name repeatedly surfacing in key conversations—and with Phyllis Summers quietly maneuvering behind the scenes—fans are right to suspect that a major return storyline is being carefully engineered.

At the heart of this brewing storm is Phyllis, a character long known for her fierce loyalty to her children and her willingness to blur ethical lines to protect them. In recent weeks, Phyllis has found herself drawn into a high-stakes corporate chess match involving the Abbott family, Victor Newman, and a lucrative AI project that could reshape the business landscape of Genoa City. What initially appeared to be a straightforward business proposition has quickly evolved into something far more personal—and potentially dangerous.

Billy Abbott set the wheels in motion when he approached Phyllis with a tantalizing offer: help the Abbotts reclaim the AI project currently under Victor Newman’s control, and she could secure long-term financial power alongside them. But this was never just about money. The subtext was unmistakable—aligning with the Abbotts would mean crossing Victor Newman, a move that has destroyed far more seasoned players than Phyllis. Still, Phyllis listened, calculated, and ultimately countered with a demand that stunned even Billy.

During the December 19 episode, Phyllis made her position crystal clear. Any cooperation from her would come at a steep price: Marchetti must be placed fully under Summer Newman’s control. Not partially. Not temporarily. Completely. For Phyllis, this was non-negotiable, and the insistence revealed just how central Summer is to her endgame. Rather than seeking power for herself, Phyllis is positioning her daughter as the true beneficiary of this risky alliance.

This demand raises immediate red flags. Is Phyllis genuinely acting in Summer’s best interests, or is she using her daughter as leverage in a dangerous corporate war? Phyllis may believe she is securing Summer’s future, but the secrecy of the deal—and Summer’s absence from the decision-making—suggests a troubling lack of consent. If Summer were to return and discover that her name and career are being used as bargaining chips, the fallout could be explosive.

Despite being off-screen, Summer is far from disconnected. Daniel Romelotti Jr. recently spoke with his sister and later relayed details of their conversation to Phyllis. Their discussion touched on mounting family concerns and the unsettling shifts taking place back in Genoa City. Daniel’s worry was evident, suggesting that even from a distance, Summer senses that something is off. Meanwhile, Kyle Abbott also reached out to Summer, ostensibly to discuss Jabot and explore whether Victor Newman might be persuaded to ease his grip on the ongoing conflict.

The fact that both Daniel and Kyle felt compelled to loop Summer into these unfolding events is telling. These are not casual check-ins; they are strategic conversations that place Summer squarely at the center of the narrative, whether she realizes it or not. In soap opera storytelling, repeated mentions of an absent character are rarely accidental. More often than not, they signal an imminent return—and fans are taking notice.

Speculation is also swirling around the possibility of a recast. Daytime television has recently seen several familiar characters return with new faces, and Summer could be next. Regardless of who steps into the role, the story itself seems to demand her presence. Marchetti, Jabot, the Newman-Abbott rivalry, and the emotional fractures within the Summers-Romelotti family all converge on Summer in a way that cannot be sustained off-screen for long.

Another powerful motivator for Summer’s return is young Harrison Abbott. As his adoptive mother, Summer has always been a stabilizing force in his life. With the Abbott family once again under siege, Harrison’s need for consistency and emotional security could be the emotional pull that brings Summer back to Genoa City for good. Family, after all, has always been Summer’s greatest weakness—and her greatest strength.

Phyllis herself hinted at a broader plan when she spoke to Daniel about reuniting their family under one roof. Her vision appears to involve anchoring both of her children in Genoa City, with Summer running Marchetti and Daniel carving out his own future nearby. On paper, it sounds like a mother’s dream. In practice, it may be a pressure cooker waiting to explode.

If and when Summer returns, the revelations awaiting her could reshape multiple relationships overnight. Learning that Phyllis has been striking secret deals with the Abbotts—and aggressively pushing to install Summer as the head of Marchetti without her direct involvement—could feel like a profound betrayal. Summer has always fought to be seen as her own person, not merely Phyllis’ extension. Being “gifted” power in this way may only reinforce her fears that her mother still pulls the strings.

The ripple effects would extend well beyond the Summers family. Kyle would be forced to confront the implications of Summer’s sudden rise, especially given the ongoing Abbott-Newman tensions. Victor, never one to underestimate a threat, would almost certainly view Summer’s return and control of Marchetti as a direct challenge. And Phyllis, once again, could find herself isolated if her gamble backfires.

All signs now point to Summer Newman’s return being less a question of “if” and more a matter of “when.” With corporate warfare intensifying, family loyalties stretched thin, and long-simmering emotional conflicts ready to resurface, her reappearance could act as the spark that ignites Genoa City’s next major chapter.

Whether Summer is being empowered or exploited remains to be seen. What is certain is that once she steps back into town, nothing—and no one—will remain untouched by the consequences of Phyllis’ bold, secretive choices. On The Young and the Restless, power always comes at a price, and Summer Newman may soon discover just how high that cost truly is.