The Young and the Restless spoilers tease that Dylan (Steve Burton) is moving toward another mental breakdown. Sharon’s (Sharon Case) good-hearted, yet fully misguided desire to protect Dylan from another ‘this-baby-isn’t-yours’ scenario backfired badly this fall. The resultant fallout from Sully transforming back to Christian (Jude and Ozzy McGuigen) is savaging Dylan’s emotions and is causing him to have understandable difficulty maintaining emotional equilibrium.
Devoted viewers recall the psychological break he suffered in the past as a result of Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) lying to him about being Connor’s (now played by Gunner and Ryder Gadbois) father. Of course, Connor was actually Adam’s (last played by Justin Hartley) son. The aftereffects of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) helped to fuel Dylan’s mental health issues at the time.
As Y&R devotees know, Burton announced his voluntary departure from the show a few months ago and filmed his final scenes earlier this month. Burton’s version of Dylan will last be seen in January. Whether this character will be written out, placed in limbo or recast has yet to be confirmed.
Having this likable character revisit a serious issue would be an interesting way to have Burton pass the baton to another actor, or end his run (possibly, permanently). Considering Dylan’s dangerous profession as a Genoa City Police Department officer, it’s clearly possible that a dramatic ending, that is somehow linked to his current mental state, could be in the offing.
‘Shylan’ as a supercouple had, or still has, potential. Sharon finally found someone who was supportive and didn’t serve as her rescuer. Dylan’s exit would clearly set Sharon on a new course. So this particular casting decision was surely addressed fully as decisions related to Burton’s exit were made.
Per comments on his Twitter account, Burton left Y&R on good terms and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning at some point in the future. That alone could mean Dylan won’t be killed off, although he could always return as another character someday if he is. Of course his employer can’t, or shouldn’t make plot decisions based on possibilities that might never happen.
Early signs indicate that Sally Sussman is honoring the history of this iconic show while also preparing various characters for future storyline shifts. So, Burton was wished well on his new endeavors when he left and Dylan will realize some type of climatic end point within weeks. Clear connections to recent developments, combined with this character’s specific history will certainly impact Burton’s final episodes.
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