The Young and the Restless is one of the great American soap operas. The series has been in almost continuous syndication since 1973. A sister show to The Bold and the Beautiful, it frequently makes headlines for its top-notch talent, great fashion, and immersive, often cutting-edge storylines.
One of the most controversial characters in the history of The Young and the Restless is Ben Rayburn. Better known to viewers as “Stitch,” the character has appeared on the show on and off for close to a decade. This season, he threw fans for a loop when he changed his storyline forever.
‘The Young and the Restless’ fans were shocked when Stitch kidnapped Mariah
Stitch demonstrates that he’s a troubled person. A former military comrade of Dylan’s, he first moved to Genoa City after Dylan suffered a debilitating episode of PTSD. Viewers eventually learned Stitch has a son named Max. The young boy with mental and health issues has a contentious relationship with his father.
After Stitch marries Abby, Max took out his frustrations on her by setting a tripwire for her, which caused her to have a miscarriage. Max’s brain tumor was blamed for the episode. So Stitch places him in a medical facility. But by that time, the damage had been done to Stitch and Abby’s relationship.
Stitch recently returned to Abby’s life, much to the dismay of many viewers. He admitted to her that Max has been moving back and forth in between treatment facilities. Things clearly aren’t well with Stitch. He hastily leaves town, an event that coincides with Mariah’s mysterious kidnapping.
For fans, it looked increasingly likely that Stitch was the one responsible for Mariah’s disappearance. Some took to Twitter to post their theories. Notably, fans believe he wanted to protect Mariah since she was acting as a surrogate for Abby.
One fan remarked “I think he snapped and really needs help. I think he thinks he’s protecting the baby from any harm so he put Mariah in a safe room. He probably wants to be sure she’s safe. He might feel he didn’t protect Abby when she was pregnant and his son was able to hurt her.”
Did Stitch snap from the stress of his Max’s illness?
Eventually, according to Soaps In Depth, it was revealed Stitch did kidnap Mariah. When Abby realized it was Stitch who hid Mariah away, she sets off on a quest, determined to find him. But many viewers are still curious about why he made such a bold move in the first place.
One fan on Twitter pinpoints his reasoning to stress from the ongoing pressure of his son, Max’s illness, posting on Twitter, “I think his son died and he snapped.” Others believe Max is involved in a more sinister manner than Stitch let on.
Stitch never gave any direct evidence that Max died. But considering the boy’s medical issues, it’s not a reach to imagine the stress of the situation could have finally taken a toll on Stitch’s mental health.
What’s next for the character of Stitch?
It might be a while before fans discover what’s really going on with Stitch. According to a September report from TV Season Spoilers, Sean Carrigan, who plays Stitch in The Young and the Restless, is taking a brief hiatus from the show.
Since he’s been a recurring character since 2013, he will likely return in the coming months. For now, fans are left to speculate.
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