The Young and the Restless (Y&R) spoilers reveal that Ian Ward (Ray Wise) has made a splashing return to the soap, after 8 long years. As fans have been wondering who was behind the demise of Heather Stevens (Vail Bloom) while Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) blackout during their encounter back in September, it turns out he was the one behind it all … along with Aunt Jordan (Colleen Jenk)!

These two have partnered up to bring more chaos to Genoa City, so now it’s time to reflect upon why Ian Ward is one of the best villains to grace the land of daytime drama.

The Young And The Restless Spoilers – Reason #5 – Ian Ward’s Cult Leader Status

Ian Ward was introduced to storylines back in 2014, as the leader of the cult Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) and Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) were once a part of.

Nikki was terrified of Ward from the moment he re-entered her life, and there was good reason as the man had sexually assaulted her during her time at the cult.

Ian Ward wasn’t only the leader of New World cult, he would move on to become the leader of the Path Commune cult, a group Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) was a part of, too.

Y&R Spoilers – Reason #4 – Ian Ward Is Charming, Smart, & Knows How To Work People

Ian has the charm and good manners to fool people into believing anything. After all, in 2014 he effortlessly convinced Summer Newman (Allison Lanier) that he was a life coach, and even convinced her to snap a photo with him.

With that being said, he’s able to shift his charming ways and change up his personality, as well. He had Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) believe he was a harmless local fisherman, “Fred” at one point during his last run on the show.

Fans shouldn’t also forget how he was the mastermind behind the Paragon project to bring Newman Enterprises down. From cult leader to life coach to techy wizard? Ian is a master of all trades!

The Young And The Restless Spoilers – Reason #3 – He Loves Lying & Manipulating

Back in 2014 when he first arrived in GC, one of the biggest reasons he claimed to be in the little town was to get closer to Nikki’s son, Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton).

At the time, due to Ward’s sexual assault, Nikki believed he was Dylan’s father; however, Ward had a secret he was keeping from her and the rest of the world – he was incapable of fathering a child.

So, while he knew he wasn’t Dylan’s father, he kept on with the charade only to taunt both Nikki and Dylan. Thankfully, the truth was revealed that Paul was Dylan’s biological father, but not before a boatload of drama hit the fan.

Y&R Spoilers – Reason #2 – The Ick Factor

Speaking of ruining people’s lives and lying, despite not being Mariah’s bio dad, he raised her like a daughter, in his cult.

Ian ordered Helen Copeland (Karina Logue), a nurse who was part of his cult at the time, to steal Mariah from Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), shortly after she gave birth to Cassie Newman (Camryn Grimes) and her twin.

Sharon believed she only had one little girl, and while Helen didn’t want kids, she reluctantly raised Mariah as her own. Helen wasn’t exactly an ideal mom, and left Mariah alone (a lot) with Ian. This is why Mariah was jaded and vindictive when she first entered GC.

Still, the ick factor was real when Ian kidnapped Mariah, drugged her, and got her to marry him. He even dressed her up in a wedding gown; however, thankfully she got rescued before anything truly terrible happened.

The Young And The Restless Spoilers – Reason #1 – Ian Ward Is A Massive Escape Artist

Much like Jordan, no one is truly safe in town, even with Ian behind bars. That’s because he’s escaped prison more times than fans can count!

Which leads to the question about his current state. Has he escaped from prison once again – or did he miraculously get released for good behavior? It has been eight years since fans last saw him! Plus, what exactly are his plans with Jordan? Only time will tell!

Are you excited about Ian’s return? Join the conversation below! Tune into the CBS soap daily to catch all the drama in Genoa City and visit this site often for the best Young and the Restless spoilers, updates, and news.