Veronica Landers
| Veronica Landers | |||||||
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| Candice Daly as Veronica Landers | |||||||
| The Young and the Restless | |||||||
| Portrayed by | Tracy Lindsey Melchior (1996-1997) Candice Daly (1997–1998) |
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| First appearance | November 1996 | ||||||
| Last appearance | August 20, 1998[1] | ||||||
| Cause/reason | Impaled to death on a hay hook | ||||||
| Created by | William J. Bell | ||||||
| Profile | |||||||
| Aliases | Sarah Lindsay | ||||||
| Gender | Female | ||||||
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Veronica Martin Landers was a fictional character in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The role was originally played from late 1996 until the summer of 1997 by Tracy Lindsey Melchior. She was replaced after a handful of episodes by the late Candice Daly, who played the role until August 20, 1998.
[edit] Character History
Veronica Landers, the unstable wife of Dr. Joshua Landers (Heath Kizzier), was presumed dead when a body was found at the bottom of a lake along with her wedding ring. However, Veronica turned up alive in Genoa City Memorial Hospital, having undergone extreme facial reconstruction after a car accident that left her hideously disfigured. She was determined to recover and return to her husband. After tracking Joshua down, she called him on the phone, but she was shocked when a woman - Joshua's new wife, Nikki Reed Landers (Melody Thomas Scott) - answered the phone. Devastated that her husband had remarried, Veronica came up with a plan. Disguised as a quiet, shy woman named Sarah Lindsey, Veronica came to work as Nikki and Josh's new maid. For months, she spied on her husband and his new wife, who both thought "Sarah" was a fantastic maid. She wanted to reveal her true identity to Josh, but she could never find the right time. Soon, Veronica stopped taking her medication for her psychotic problems, and she became careless and edgy - one time, she knocked over a vase, smashing it on the floor, and she showed no remorse to Nikki.
One stormy night in 1998, Nikki and Josh were in bed discussing plans to have a baby. Veronica, who had bugged their bedroom, heard the conversation, and she was determined not to let them conceive. Nikki then received a phone call from her son, Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow), and she left the house. Veronica saw this time as the perfect opportunity to reveal herself to Josh. Josh was shocked to see her alive, and he rejected her advances. Then, a shattered Veronica shot him dead. Then, Veronica, dressed as "Sarah", went downstairs to face Nikki when she returned home. Veronica frightened Nikki by talking in riddles, saying that Joshua was upstairs and would be asleep for a very long time. At first, Nikki thought "Sarah" had been drinking, but after seeing the crazed look in her eyes, she demanded that "Sarah" packed her things and got out. When Sarah refused, Nikki went to call the police, but Veronica shot her four times before she picked up the phone.[2]
The following day, Nikki was found unconscious and in a pool of blood on her living room floor by Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman). Nikki was rushed to the hospital, but the doctors informed Nikki's family that her chances of surviving were slim. Nikki's former husband, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), divorced his wife, Diane Jenkins (played at the time by Alex Donnelley), and he married Nikki on her death bed. [3]In a turn of events, Nikki miraculously survived, and Victor opted to stay married to her, leaving Diane devastated.
Meanwhile, Veronica was living on the run from the law in a seedy motel. Veronica, no longer disguised, ran into Nikki and Victor's butler, Miguel Rodriguez (Anthony Pena), at a local Mexican restaurant. Much to Veronica's relief, he didn't recognize her.[4] After many such meetings, Miguel fell in love with Veronica. They began dating, and Veronica eventually developed genuine feelings for him. They soon became engaged, and he took her back to the Newman Ranch. Veronica was relieved that Nikki didn't recognize her upon her arrival.
Veronica was horrified to learn that novelist Cole Howard (J. Eddie Peck) was researching Josh's murder for his new novel. Nikki mentioned to Victor that Veronica seemed vaguely familiar, she was concerned for Miguel, who barely knew his new fiancée. Victor suggested that she run a background check. Afraid Nikki would recognize her, Veronica resolved that Nikki had to die. When Nikki decided to take a moonlit horse ride, Veronica took her gun, and she headed for the stables. Meanwhile, Cole and Malcolm Winters (played at the time by Shemar Moore) compared Veronica and Miguel's engagement photo with Sarah's wanted poster, and they discovered that Veronica was Sarah. Victor stopped by the ranch just as an old photo of Veronica fell out of one of Josh's medical books that Miguel was packing. At the same moment, they realized that Veronica was Sarah, just as Cole called and told them that Veronica and Sarah were the same person. Victor and Miguel went straight to the stables, where they found Veronica holding Nikki at gunpoint. Miguel distracted Veronica, while Victor wrestled her for the gun. During the struggle, Veronica fatally impaled herself on a hay hook. Nikki was safe and no longer had to worry about Veronica, or Sarah, haunting her.
