The Young and the Restless Shocker: Phyllis’ Wild Plan to Make Matt a Hero Could Put Sharon in Real Danger

The Young and the Restless may be setting up another spectacular Phyllis Summers disaster, and this time Sharon Newman could wind up paying the price.

Phyllis has become increasingly invested in Matt Clark and his attempt to convince Genoa City that he is no longer the dangerous man everyone remembers. But instead of allowing Matt to prove himself naturally, Phyllis appears determined to take matters into her own hands.

And longtime Y&R fans know exactly what happens when Phyllis starts “helping.”

It usually ends badly.

Phyllis Is Determined to Redeem Matt

This week, Phyllis became frantic when Matt suddenly disappeared.

After his disturbing encounter with Patty Williams, Matt apparently began questioning whether he could truly escape his dark past. He feared that no matter how hard he tried, he might eventually become the man everyone expected him to be.

When Matt contacted Phyllis in an emotional state, she rushed to the Riverside Motel to comfort him.

But there was something interesting about Phyllis’ behavior afterward.

She had previously been demanding answers from everyone, asking where Matt had gone and even wondering whether the Newmans had done something to drive him away.

Once Phyllis found Matt, however, she did not immediately reveal that information.

That could mean Phyllis wants Genoa City to believe Matt has disappeared while the two quietly work on their next move.

And Phyllis has already made Matt a huge promise.

She intends to turn him into one of the most respected men in Genoa City.

That is a massive goal considering Matt’s reputation.

Another Classic Phyllis Scheme?

The problem is that Phyllis rarely chooses the simple solution.

Her history is filled with elaborate plans, lies and manipulations that eventually explode in her face.

Fans have watched Phyllis manipulate paternity situations, betray people she supposedly loved and even fake her own death.

That last scheme became one of her most disastrous decisions.

Phyllis worked with Jeremy Stark to stage her death, leaving Daniel and Summer devastated as they mourned their mother.

The plot eventually spiraled so badly that Phyllis killed Jeremy and spent months trying to repair the destruction she had caused.

Even more recent schemes have failed to teach her much of a lesson.

Now, Matt may be the newest person pulled into Phyllis’ chaos.

Could Sharon Become Part of the Plan?

Phyllis seems convinced that Sharon could be the key to Matt’s redemption.

Why?

Because Sharon has more reason than almost anyone to distrust Matt.

If Matt could somehow save Sharon from danger, people might begin believing that he really has changed.

That may be exactly what Phyllis intends to arrange.

The danger, of course, would not be real — at least that would be the plan.

Phyllis could create a situation in which Sharon believes she is in serious trouble, giving Matt the perfect opportunity to rush in and rescue her.

Afterward, Sharon would have a powerful story to tell everyone in town.

The man everyone feared had saved her life.

Phyllis could then make sure the story spread throughout Genoa City.

But creating a fake emergency around Sharon is an incredibly risky idea.

Could Phyllis Stage a Public Rescue?

One possibility is that Phyllis could arrange some sort of frightening incident at a public location.

Sharon might become trapped somewhere, believe she is being threatened or find herself in what appears to be an accident.

Matt would conveniently be nearby.

He would then rush to Sharon’s rescue while witnesses watched him risk himself to protect her.

From Phyllis’ perspective, the more dramatic the rescue, the better.

If Matt simply helped Sharon with a minor problem, nobody would suddenly forget his past.

But if he seemingly saved Sharon from a potentially life-threatening situation?

That could change some minds.

Phyllis might even want the rescue to happen somewhere crowded, giving Matt plenty of witnesses.

There is just one enormous problem.

Fake danger can quickly become real danger.

Phyllis’ Plan Could Go Horribly Wrong

This is where the storyline could turn dark.

Whatever Phyllis arranges may not unfold exactly as expected.

Someone hired to participate in the scheme could go too far. Sharon could panic and make an unexpected move. Another person could interfere. Matt could arrive too late.

And suddenly, Sharon could actually be injured.

That would turn Matt’s supposed redemption story into another nightmare.

Even worse, if investigators discovered that the entire situation had been staged, Phyllis and Matt would look far more dangerous than they did before.

Instead of proving Matt has changed, Phyllis could convince everyone that he is still willing to manipulate and terrorize Sharon.

Sharon May See Through Phyllis

There is also another major problem with this plan.

Sharon knows Phyllis.

These two women have decades of complicated history, and Sharon knows exactly how far Phyllis is capable of going when she becomes obsessed with an idea.

If Matt just happens to be present during a strangely convenient emergency, Sharon may immediately become suspicious.

She could begin asking questions.

And once Sharon starts connecting the dots, Phyllis’ elaborate redemption plot could unravel very quickly.

Sharon could realize that she was never randomly in danger.

She was used.

That would make Phyllis’ betrayal especially personal.

Matt Could Turn Against Phyllis

There is another possibility that could make this storyline even more explosive.

Matt may initially agree to Phyllis’ plan because he desperately wants people to believe he has changed.

But what happens if Sharon really gets hurt?

Matt could blame Phyllis.

He might realize that her obsession with controlling his image has only made his situation worse.

And if Matt truly does have a dark side he is struggling to control, Phyllis pushing him into another deception may be the worst possible thing she could do.

Instead of saving Matt, she could help unleash exactly the person everyone fears he still is.

Is Phyllis Headed for Another Disaster?

Everything about this storyline feels like classic Phyllis Summers.

She starts with an impossible promise.

She convinces herself that she is the smartest person in the room.

She creates an elaborate scheme designed to manipulate everyone around her.

And then something goes terribly wrong.

If Phyllis really plans to use Sharon as part of Matt’s redemption campaign, she may soon discover that she has crossed a dangerous line.

Sharon could get hurt.

Matt could be exposed.

And Phyllis could once again find herself desperately trying to clean up a catastrophe she created herself.

The question may not be whether Phyllis’ plan fails.

The real question is how badly it fails — and who gets hurt when it does.