What Happened: A Thematic Summary

Paul, Sabrina & How It's Painfully Obvious the Writers Are Winging It
Soap-fans are used to a fair amount historical revisions and logic-defying tales, but rapid plot and characterization changes are happening so frequently, consistency is non-existent and you're left wondering if the writers are fully mapping out concepts before they air. This was no more apparent than with the return of Paul Hornsby (Richard Burgi). First, he came to town wanting to take over Sonny's territory and use Ava Jerome as a lackey. Then, when the writers seemingly considered pairing him with Anna Devane, he was an undercover good guy that was trying to stop arms dealers. Though Paul took TJ hostage to bait and shoot Sonny (he was paralyzed and wheelchair bound for
It turns out to be Nelle Hayes (Chloe Lanier; 8/8), a teacher who claims her parents took her kidney against her will when she was young for black market profit (8/16). Anxious to show gratitude and get acquainted, Carly invites her to stay a while. Nelle says she's lost her job, shortly before framing Avery's nanny for theft, giving way to Carly hiring her (8/22). She's later offered the position of personal assistant (9/9) and makes herself indispensable, raising the suspicions of Bobbie (10/28). Kiki (Hayley Erin) struggles to work out her feelings between Morgan and Dillon. Carly (Laura Wright) pushes her to make a decision, so a still-fragile Morgan (Bryan Craig) won't have another breakdown (6/30), and Kiki opts to set Dillon (Robert Palmer Watkins) aside. Ava (Maura West) replaces Morgan's bipolar medication with placebos, hoping his manic behavior will frighten Kiki away (8/16). Starting to spiral indeed, flub ups at work and school lead to him retreating to gambling, drinking and being dismissive to Kiki. Overwhelmed and still interested in Dillon, she plans to break it off with Morgan (10/6). Ava riles Morgan up by telling him Kiki and Dillon were hanging out (10/5). He goes to the Quartermaine mansion to find her, and mistakes the shadows of Ned and Olivia making love for Kiki and Dillon. He gets hammered at the bar, and when prevented from driving by TJ, he punches TJ out and steals Julian Jerome's car. Jason gets him to pull-over, but when Morgan gets out, a bomb explodes and kills him. His remains are not recovered (10/7). Given that Sonny (Maurice Benard) was in the process of calling off a hit on Julian that Carly begged him not to initiate in the first place, it's assumed he's responsible for Morgan's death. The Corinthos Clan is at odds and Kiki's guilt causes her to renege on being with Dillon, as she believes