Credit: CBS screenshot
Michael Baldwin wreaked havoc on his and Victor’s emotions by calling it quits, and in the aftermath, his former boss’ worst instincts will go unchecked… or will they? Someone is set to step in to fill the void left by Michael, but can anyone fill the crafty attorney’s considerably large loafers?
As news traveled through the Newman family that Michael had thrown in the towel thanks to Victor reigniting his decades-old feud with Jack Abbott, the immediate reaction was care and concern that the Mustache would be feeling hurt… followed by a jolt of realization that the Black Knight would now be unleashed to do his worst.
Victor was already targeting Jack for having the audacity to save Nikki’s life, but with the anger over Michael’s defection fueling the fire, the Abbott is likely to indirectly get the blame for that as well. In what might be the understatement of the year given the scorched earth nature of Victor’s revenge schemes, Nikki pointed out that “things could get ugly”. In a bizarre scene, Nikki asked Victor for a temporary ceasefire, until after her birthday party, and her husband agreed. Why she didn’t ask him to back off for good is anyone’s guess.
In any case, it’s only a matter of time before Jack and Jabot are going to find themselves back in Victor’s crosshairs, and those in the inner circle know this all too well. Perhaps that’s why Nick volunteered himself to step in and fill the void left by Michael. Now, Victor’s son is no lawyer, but he’s an experienced business executive and, more importantly, has firsthand experience of just how out of pocket his father’s revenge plots against Jack can become. After all, his daughter, Summer, nearly died when Victor enlisted Crazy Patty Williams in one of his schemes.
But is Nick up to the task of being the “new Michael”? Nick has already began running interference between Victor and Jack, as well as initiating a fishing expedition to get more information on another perceived threat — who else? — Aristotle Dumas. But given Nick’s nature and his lack of shady connections, can he really be as effective as Michael at heading off his father’s worst instincts and working to protect him from himself?
Our feeling is that Nick will not only prove to be less calculating and cunning, but he’ll also face a similar hurdle to Michael. Nick is reconnecting with Sharon, who is bound to advise him against getting involved in his dad’s dirty work if she gets so much as a whiff of what he’s signed himself up for. Let’s not forget, it was Lauren who pushed Michael to extricate himself from the tight spot between his boss and his friends, which ultimately led to his resignation.
