The Time Jack Almost Left Victor For Dead On The Young And The Restless

The long-standing rivalry between Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) had "The Young and the Restless" viewers hooked, as their clash embodied a classic struggle between two different paths to success. Rising from modest beginnings, Victor carved his way to prosperity through determination and a cutthroat disposition. In contrast, Jack was born into a fortune comparable to Victor's, without the sweat and toil that marked Victor's journey. To Victor, Jack's unmarked facade stemmed from a lack of the scars that bore witness to the challenges he had overcome.

On the flip side, Jack's contempt for Victor found its roots in the latter's aggressive pursuit of his goals. Victor showed no hesitation in wielding financial power to seize control or crush anyone who dared to obstruct his path. Jack admired his father, the late John Abbott (Jerry Douglas), for earning respect through honorable contributions to the family company, Jabot. He believed Victor had bought his way into power, further stoking his animosity.

Unfortunately for Jack, Victor consistently outmaneuvered him, staying a cunning step ahead in their ongoing power struggle. This rivalry seeped into their romantic relationships as well. Victor's infidelity entwined him with Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson), Jack's sister, while Jack found companionship with Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), whom Victor had feelings for despite his reluctance. To make matters worse, Victor's behavior towards Jack's darling sister mirrored his actions with his other wives, ultimately leading to her mental breakdown.

The feud between Jack Abbott and Victor Newman reached a critical point when Jack proposed that Jabot go public, creating an opportunity for Victor to purchase the stock and gain control of the company. Despite this win, Victor's resentment grew over Jack's relationship with Nikki Newman. Victor offered to return ownership of Jabot to Jack and John Abbott on one condition: Jack must part ways with Nikki. Despite his deep affection for Nikki, Jack was in debt to his father after a regrettable involvement with his stepmother, so he reluctantly agreed to Victor's terms.

However, Victor ultimately decided to retain what Jack valued most. Adding to Jack's troubles, Nikki miscarried their child during an argument with Victor. Jack and Nikki's relationship ended when he found her weeping at Victor's hospital bedside. For years, Jack, Nikki, and Victor would remain in a young and restless love triangle. Frustrated and at a breaking point, Jack abandoned his docile approach and set out to take over Victor's company, Newman Enterprises.

Victor returned just in time to thwart Jack's efforts but collapsed while accusing him. We could almost see the wheels begin to turn in Jack's head as he watched his nemesis fade out of consciousness. Gently, as though nothing had happened, he left the room, intending to leave Victor to die. In the end, Jack's conscience got the better of him because he soon called 911, and Victor was saved. Sadly, this was not enough to soothe their rivalry.

Years after Jack Abbott saved him, Victor Newman had the chance to reciprocate. Victor had been secretly mining methane underground without Genoa City's residents becoming aware. He guarded his secret well, but there was an explosion when most residents were at Clear Springs, leading to numerous individuals being trapped under debris. Jack once again displayed heroism by holding an opening for Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) to escape, bravely putting himself in harm's way.

While trapped, Jack penned an emotional note to Sharon, confessing his profound love. However, the explosion's severity grew as methane gas continued to leak, escalating the danger. Rescuers sprang into action, urgently evacuating the area. Despite Sharon and Nick's impassioned pleas for Jack's rescue, they were met with explanations of the immense challenges. Shocking everyone, Victor ventured back into the danger zone to save Jack, ultimately saving his life.

Regrettably, saving each other's lives didn't dissolve the bitter rivalry between the two men — probably because they had both attempted to harm each other on many occasions. Victor shot and even tried replacing Jack with his lookalike, Marco, and attempted to smother Jack with a pillow but was thankfully interrupted. Similarly, Jack resorted to deceit by stealing and forging a diary to falsely implicate Victor in a murder confession. With years past and no seeming improvement, it's almost certain that the Newman-Abbott rivalry will endure until either Jack or Victor is no more.