ONE LIFE TO LIVE THROUGH THE YEARS: July - December, 1996

With it's legacy of romance and adventure, ONE LIFE TO LIVE has been captivating viewers for over 25 years. Here are some of the highlights.

July - December, 1996

Antonio Vega knew that Carlo Hesser was the personification of evil, but Antonio went to work for Carlo anyway. Antonio wanted to help his family, even though they had made it clear that they didn't want anything to do with Carlo's tainted money. Antonio tried to convince himself that he would be able to work within Carlo's legitimate businesses and stay clear of his underworld activities. Antonio was dead wrong, however, because Carlo wanted to groom him to take over his organization.

Antonio was in a relationship with police officer Andy Harrison. Andy and Antonio were in love and they looked forward to a future together. When Antonio went to work for Carlo, however, their relationship became strained. Andy and Antonio tried to stay together, but soon the lies and half-truths became unbearable. Antonio was being pulled deeper and deeper into Carlo's inner circle and he and Andy split up.

Carlo plotted his revenge against Viki in retaliation for the death of his son several years earlier. Carlo secretly hired Dr. Elliot Durbin to come to Llanview and be Viki's therapist. Carlo's plan was for Elliot to hypnotize Viki and plant the post-hypnotic suggestion that she wanted to kill her own son, Kevin, in her subconscious. And Carlo's plan almost worked. Viki became increasingly angry at Kevin every time she saw him. One night, after a session with Elliot, Viki arranged a meeting with Kevin and she pulled a gun on him. Viki fired the gun, but did not shoot Kevin. Elliot's evil spell had been broken. Viki realized what Elliot had done, as had Bo Buchanan. Bo wanted to link Elliot to Carlo, but when Bo found Elliot, he was already dead. Once again, Bo had nothing to pin on Carlo and he remained free to carry on his evil plans.

When Carlo tried to kill Max Holden and Maggie Carpenter as part of his revenge against them, Antonio knew he needed to take action. Antonio figured out Carlo's plan and saved Max and Maggie's lives, all the while keeping Carlo convinced of his loyalty. Antonio wanted to get out from under Carlo's thumb, but he knew that this wasn't a job that you just walk away from. Antonio then decided to work undercover for police commissioner Bo Buchanan and try to get the goods on Carlo and bring him down. Bo was convinced that Carlo was also the man known as Poseidon, who had tried to bomb the Palace Hotel, but was never able to prove it. With Antonio's help, Bo planned on getting the evidence he needed against Carlo. Bo and Antonio were determined to prove that Carlo was Poseidon and to link him to the nefarious group known as the Men of 21. In the beginning, Antonio kept his undercover work secret from Andy. In time, however, Andy learned what was going on and she and Antonio reconciled.

Marty Saybrooke and Patrick Thornhart longed for each other, but Marty was married to Dylan Moody. Marty and Patrick couldn't fight destiny, however, and they knew that they had to be together. At this time, Dylan was in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down due to a freak accident. Marty told Patrick that she would stay with Dylan until he was well, and Patrick agreed to wait for her. Dylan knew that Marty was attracted to Patrick but Dylan also thought that he and Marty could make their marriage work once he was able to walk again. In time, Dylan regained the use of his legs but also realized that Marty wanted to be with Patrick. In a selfless gesture, Dylan gave Marty her freedom. Marty and Patrick were free to make a life together and Dylan decided to move on with his own life and he left Llanview.

Cassie Carpenter and Kevin Buchanan worked closely together at The Banner. Maybe a little too closely. Although Cassie was in love with her husband, Reverend Andrew Carpenter, she couldn't fight her attraction to Kevin. Cassie and Kevin constantly tried to deny their feelings for one another, but always managed to find themselves close together. Over the course of time, Cassie and Kevin shared a few kisses and all were left wondering if it would ever lead to more.

Blair Manning was devastated over the death of her husband, Todd Manning. Blair truly mourned for Todd and held Patrick Thornhart and Marty Saybrooke accountable for his death. Blair planned to get revenge against Patrick and Marty, but ended dropping her vendetta. Blair was determined to put the past behind and rejoin the land of the living. Over the course of time, Blair became friends with Patrick and even thought that she had fallen in love in with him. It wasn't love, however, and Blair knew that Patrick's heart belonged to Marty. During their period of closeness, Blair and Patrick made love one night, and it would change their lives forever! Blair's presumed dead husband, Todd, was actually very much alive. Todd had been seriously injured in Ireland but had survived and had stayed away until he was completely recovered. On the same night that Blair and Patrick gave into their passion, Todd decided to return to Blair.

Todd returned to Llanview only to find Blair in the arms of another man. Todd immediately thought that Blair had never mourned for him and that she had just thrown herself at the first available man. Todd couldn't believe that Blair was involved with Patrick -- the man he had risked his life for. Todd retreated and didn't make his presence known to Blair.

Devastated over what he thought was betrayal on Blair's part, Todd hid in Llanview and only let his sister, Viki Carpenter, know that he was alive. Viki tried to convince Todd that Blair had truly suffered over his "death" and urged Todd to return to her. Todd remained unforgiving and then planned on kidnapping his and Blair's daughter, Starr, and disappearing.

Blair was devastated when Starr was kidnapped and she was convinced that Carlo was responsible. For the first time, Todd became aware of Blair's anguish. When Blair went on TV to make a public appeal for Starr's return, Todd arranged for Starr to be taken back to Blair. Blair didn't know that Todd was responsible for Starr's kidnapping and a short time later, Blair received the shock of her life when a very much alive Todd appeared before her. Blair was thrilled that Todd was alive and wanted to pick up where they had left off. Todd, however, was distant because he knew about Blair's affair with Patrick. Blair loved Todd, but she never told him about Patrick because to her it was water under the bridge.

In time, Todd began to soften towards Blair. They worked together at The Sun and enjoyed being together with their little girl. Todd and Blair planned a huge gala aboard a yacht and invited all of Llanview. Blair knew that Todd would love her again like he had before and Blair decided to be completely truthful with Todd so that the past wouldn't come back to haunt her. On the night of their party, Blair told Todd about Patrick. This wasn't news to Todd, but he didn't let on. Instead, he forgave Blair and was relieved that she had been truthful. Todd and Blair seemed to be back on track, but it was short lived.

Asa Buchanan wanted revenge against Carlo for swindling him out of 30 million dollars. Asa also wanted revenge against his scheming wife, Alex Olanov Hesser Buchanan, who was having an affair with Carlo. Asa entered into a partnership with Max Holden and they planned to bilk Carlo out of 30 million dollars. Max convinced carlo that he was suffering from Veedin's disease, a rare and fatal blood disorder. Meanwhile, Asa pretended to suffer a mental breakdown. Max, along with Maggie's help, then convinced Carlo that the water at Serenity Springs had miraculous healing powers. Carlo then offered to buy the water for a cool 30 million. Max and Asa almost got away with their scheme, but in the end it failed. Carlo learned that he was in excellent health and figured out that he had been scammed. Carlo paid Max the money, but Max and Asa soon learned that the money was counterfeit. Carlo had emerged victorious one more time.

Asa, while trying to expose Alex's infidelity and nail Carlo, was almost locked up in a mental institution. Alex believed that Asa was mentally ill and was scared that she would lose both Asa and Carlo. By this time, Carlo had proposed to Alex and wanted her to give him a male heir as soon as possible. Alex needed to divorce Asa but that proved problematic. Another problem facing Alex was the fact that she could not conceive a child. Alex, however, didn't let that stop her from promising Carlo an heir. Alex used a pillow to fake her pregnancy and then planned on buying a baby from a young unwed mother. For awhile, Carlo bought Alex's charade hook, line and sinker.

Alex was finally able to get her divorce from the seemingly insane Asa and she planned to marry Carlo. Alex, however, was in for quite a surprise! On the day that she was supposed to marry Carlo, Asa made his sanity known. Asa sneaked into Alex and Carlo's wedding and exposed Alex's fake pregnancy! Asa got his revenge by making Carlo look like a fool and Carlo was livid. Carlo tossed Alex out on her ear and Alex's worst fear was realized, she had lost both Carlo and Asa -- and their money.

Carlo got his revenge against Alex by winning back her trust and then setting her up for arrest. When Alex was arrested, she made a deal with Todd Manning and promised that she could prove that Carlo was Poseidon. Carlo also learned about Antonio's undercover work and knew that he had to take action. Carlo's master plan was crumbling around him and he realized that he had to disappear after Todd and Blair's gala. With the help of RJ Gannon, Carlo planned an elaborate plot to fake his own death and drop out of sight -- and exact revenge against Antonio.

The night of Todd and Blair's party was very fateful indeed. Carlo planned to disappear after the party, but he still had a few tricks left to pull. Furious at Todd for exposing him in The Sun, Carlo gave Blair proof that it had been Todd who had kidnapped Starr months earlier. Just as Todd and Blair were finding their way back to each other, Carlo shattered their happiness. Blair was speechless. She couldn't believe that Todd would use Starr to hurt her. Blair refused to forgive Todd and their relationship was destroyed. Todd and Carlo almost came to blows in the middle of the party but suddenly, the lights went out. When power was restored, Carlo was nowhere to be found. The next morning, however, Dorian and Blair made a startling discovery -- they found Carlo's corpse floating in the water. Practically everyone in Llanview had a reason to kill Carlo and everyone was a suspect. Who killed Carlo? Only time will tell.