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You never know what characters are going to do in soap operas. To see this, look no further than The Young and the Restless’s Elena Dawson. Starting as a potential love interest for Devon, Elena has quickly become a force unto herself. With her emergence as a power player in the soap opera’s cast of characters, Elena’s best days are yet to come. As such, many fans are on board with her current trajectory. 

Brytni Sarpy smiling in front of a multicolored background
Brytni Sarpy | Leon Bennett/Getty Images

Who is Elena Dawson on ‘The Young and the Restless’?

According to Soaps in Depth, Elena was introduced as Devon Hamilton’s love interest. Played by genre veteran Brytni Sarpy, Elena joined the cast in 2019 after leaving General Hospital. Initially, she seemed like something of a secondary character, but her role got a little bit more complicated with each subsequent appearance on the soap opera. 

A nurse by trade, Elena met Devon when she was nursing his father, Jett, back to health. When Jett moved in with Devon and her father, Elena came along. As she and Devon got closer, romance formed between them. Devon was still recovering from losing both his wife and his father. Since then, we have seen their relationship blossom as Elena developed into a character less connected to the love of her life. 

Initially, it was a natural friendship formed through her empathy. When the pair grew more romantic, however, Amanda Sinclair’s arrival put a wrench in their relationship thanks to her resemblance to his late wife. Since then, the pair has experienced an on-again, off-again connection filled with all of the infidelity and drama one expects from the medium. However, as Elena’s career has moved forward, so has her character’s development. 

‘The Young and the Restless’ has sent Elena in a new direction

Elena has a heart of gold, but her recent struggles have also led to some warts along the way. The same desire to please that led her to become a medical professional also leads her into some precarious situations. However, with each passing mistake, it seems like a new opportunity presented itself. Elena’s relationship with Devon suffered when she fell for Nate.

However, when Devon confronted Elena, the pair rekindled their romance after a passionate discussion of all their pitfalls. Now, Elena is less a love interest and more the center of interest for many fans of the series. With more dimensions added to her character every day, Elena has become a force unto herself. With that trajectory in line, fans cannot wait to see what happens next

What comes next?

Fans on Twitter were thrilled to see Elena, a doctor, involved with Rey’s medical mystery, and many fans are hoping for more about her character. Some fans expressed their interest in learning about her family and father, and friends outside who fans already know. They’re not alone, however. Elena is the type of strong-willed character television audiences love to sink their teeth into.

Sarpy herself responded with thanks after two years on the show, reflecting on her own journey in shaping Elena into the force that she is today. Like the fans, Like fans, Sarpy would like to dive into what made Elena this way as they dive into her past and add new quirks and character notes. She wrote about this on Instagram

“It is a sincere passion of mine to uncover and develop the humanity of a two-dimensional character living on a page, and bring that energy and essence to life … exploring and discovering the nuances, depth, and heart of Elena has not only been fun for me, but possibly more important, has also been a therapeutic mirror into my own depths, emotions, fears, and range.”

Fans agree, and while Elena is already one of the most refreshing characters on the show, her journey is still young. As Elena goes through life, love, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment, audiences can trust the woman behind it to help flesh out the character in even more exciting ways.