YR ashland locke nikki victor summer kyle HW
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (3)

If Ashland Locke is as bad as we’ve been told he is, this is gonna be good!

For weeks, fans of The Young and the Restless been warned that Ashland Locke is the kind of man who destroys lives without thinking twice. The very idea of him finding out that son Harrison was actually fathered by Kyle made the younger man’s blood run cold as the color drained from his face. And this week, we will finally get to judge for ourselves whether the Locke Ness Monster lives up to his reputation when he arrives in Genoa City.

All we can say is… bring him on.

More: This week’s Young & Restless spoilers

If we’re being honest, Young & Restless has been in desperate need of a shake-up for quite a while. And sight unseen, we’re pinning a lot of hopes on Ashland and his younger wife, Tara.

Rarely has a new character been introduced with this much potential. Without having even stepped foot in Genoa City, he’s already caused Kyle to lie to Summer (although big points to Jack’s son for coming clean before his secret could be exposed) and brought Victor back into the thick of things, where he belongs.

Already our imaginations are running wild with ways in which Ashland and Tara could impact the canvas. Victor has needed a new rival — both in business and even for Nikki’s affections — for ages, and it’s easy to imagine Ashland filling both voids. Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott have been essentially backburnered, with little to do but fret about their children, for far too long.

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And picture how Kyle and Summer would react if Tara actually became friends with, of all people, Sally! Heck, given that Sally now seems to be into older guys — something we never really saw any hint of before she relocated to Wisconsin — it’s not hard to envision Ashland offering to make her dreams of reviving Spectra Fashions a reality even as he charms her away from Jack. (Because of course, Ashland demands absolute fidelity from wife Tara but doesn’t necessarily hold himself to the same standards.)

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The possibilities are nearly endless, given how many characters on the canvas could easily be linked to the newcomers. Perhaps Ashland shares a secret past with Lauren or Ashley. Maybe Tara’s as-yet-unmentioned maiden name will expose an unexpected family tie. But what are your hopes for the Lockes? Spin your dream scenario in the comment section below, then — given that we can’t stop thinking about the idea of Ashland throwing sparks with Victor’s wife — check out our photo-filled tribute to the first lady of Genoa City, Nikki Newman.