When Bold & Beautiful brought Matthew Atkinson back as Thomas, we were stoked. There was so much unfinished business between him and Hope. But instead of address it — any of it — he was just used to futilely advocate for a “Tridge” remarriage. He didn’t even cross paths with the ex-lover who’d staged a coup and taken over his family’s business in his absence.

And now? It looks like Thomas has tucked his tail between his legs and returned to Paris. The city, not the ex-fiancée in whom the show was so uninterested, it had him dump her off screen. This turn of events begs the question: What the hell? Why would Bold & Beautiful reintroduce Thomas, only to reveal that he’d backslid so far that he was obsessed anew with Mommy and Daddy’s relationship status?

Yeah, Thomas’ past is hella checkered, but few and far between are the characters on this show whose pasts aren’t. And he’s so intrinsically tied to the canvas that it makes no sense for him to be cast off like a day player. He could make Hope jealous by dating Daphne or Ivy or both of them. He could start his own fashion line at Grandpa’s company. He could take over Luna-sitting duties from Bill — and, for Steffy’s sake, keep a much better eye on her than Bill did!

What do you think? Shouldn’t Thomas be in the mix?