Rare Sighting of Underused Bold & Beautiful Character Stuns Viewers — and Sparks Big Questions for the Future of the Forresters

In a week filled with emotional confrontations, design-room tensions, and romantic chaos, The Bold and the Beautiful delivered something even rarer than a Luna-free episode —

a genuine Zende Forrester sighting. In fact, it delivered two of them. And for longtime viewers, those brief appearances by the often-overlooked Forrester heir became the most startling surprises of the entire week.

For years now, Zende — once poised to be a vibrant, central character — has become the latest in a long line of sidelined Forresters, occupying the same narrative shadows once reserved for characters like Thorne.

That trend suddenly changed last week when Zende not only appeared, but appeared twice within mere days.

On a show where certain characters are seen more often at the Forrester elevators than Zende is in the design studio, this unexpected double-feature felt almost seismic.

And fans took notice. Loudly.

Fans React With Humor — and Shock

Social media lit up immediately.

“Yes, a Zende sighting!” yelled one viewer, echoing the excitement of a natural phenomenon finally captured on camera. Another viewer quipped that they assumed he must have been off on “a photo safari with his parents,” while a third joked they were stunned to see “Zende finally got out of his bunker!”

The energy was a mix of delight, confusion, and pure disbelief. After all, the last several years have turned Zende into something of a recurring guest star rather than a Forrester family member with a rich history and deep-rooted emotional ties. Fans were also quick to point out that seeing him twice in the same week bordered on historic — a rare event almost worthy of a primetime special.

But beneath the laughter lies a deeper, more pressing question — one the show has avoided for far too long.

Why Isn’t Zende Being Used?

It has now been five years since Delon de Metz took over the role from Rome Flynn, and in the time since, Zende’s presence has dwindled to near invisibility. Despite being a legacy character — adopted into one of the wealthiest, most dramatic families in Los Angeles — his screen time has shrunk to the point where even Donna Logan appears more frequently.

His most recent storylines have been sparse and often baffling. Zende was dragged into the disastrous Buckingham sisters’ arc, a brief romantic misfire with Luna, and then… nothing. Literally nothing. Characters in comas have had more screen time.

Meanwhile, fashion storylines that once offered a natural home for Zende’s character have somehow sidelined him entirely. Hope Logan’s line was cut and reinstated with whiplash speed — due to poor sales, personal connections, and questionable romantic impulses — yet Zende, a designer born and raised in the world of couture, remains inexplicably benched.

Even more bewildering? The show’s focus on Deke — a newcomer fresh out of design school — as the next great creative force at Forrester Creations, while an actual Forrester sits on the sidelines waiting for someone to remember he exists.

A Legacy With Untapped Depth

Zende’s history alone should make him a goldmine for dramatic storytelling. As a child adopted by Kristen and Tony, he entered the Forrester family with a background filled with struggle, hope, and transformation. Over the years, he has fought to carve out a place for himself — as both a designer and a man.

And yet, the show rarely acknowledges this layered past or the emotional stakes that come with being a Forrester by name but not always by narrative priority.

Imagine the tension if the show finally allowed Zende to confront the reality that he’s never been treated as “the chosen one.” Instead, other Forresters, particularly RJ, have often been thrust into the spotlight with little experience, less training, and far shorter histories within the show.

The potential for resentment is enormous. The potential for drama is even greater.

Why hasn’t the show tapped into that? Why hasn’t Zende confronted Ridge, or even Eric, about being constantly overlooked? Viewers want to see him break out of that second-tier shell — and Zende deserves to have that moment.

Whatever Happened to Zende the Lover?

Even more puzzling is how the show has all but erased Zende’s romantic energy. There was a time when Zende was a charismatic young man, navigating passionate romances and complicated emotional terrain. He once cheated on Nicole, shattering their marriage, proving he wasn’t the cookie-cutter good guy his adoptive parents may have hoped for.

But in recent years, Zende has been portrayed as if he barely knows how to flirt, much less maintain a relationship. The show hasn’t even attempted to place him in a romantic pairing — not with Ivy, who shares no blood ties with him, nor with Daphne, who practically had a neon sign over her head reading “AVAILABLE.”

Instead, romantic stories have been monopolized by Luna and those around her — Luna doing things, Luna hiding things, Luna confessing things, and everyone else talking about Luna doing things. Zende’s complete exclusion from this ongoing narrative leaves a void that viewers can’t ignore.

A Character Waiting for His Moment

In truth, Zende’s recent appearances feel less like casual cameos and more like a signal — a hint that the writers might finally be ready to bring him back into the fold. If that’s the case, the opportunity is enormous.

Zende could complicate RJ’s rise through jealousy or rivalry.
He could challenge Deke’s growing influence at Forrester.
He could pursue a new romance, one that reminds the show of the man he used to be.
Or he could simply step forward and remind viewers — and the Forresters — that he has just as much right to the spotlight as anyone.

The Forrester family dynasty is built on drama, ego, competition, and passion — and Zende has all the raw material to step into that arena.

The only question is whether the show will let him.

Could This Be the Beginning of a Zende Revival?

With fans reacting so intensely to such brief appearances, the message could not be clearer: viewers want Zende back. They want him involved in the fashion house. They want him in storylines. They want him exploring complicated family dynamics and messy romantic entanglements.

They want what the show once promised — a vibrant, complicated, fully realized Zende Forrester.

Whether the writers answer that call remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: if The Bold and the Beautiful ever decides to give Zende his long-overdue moment, viewers will not just welcome it — they’ll celebrate it.

After all, a rare sighting is one thing.
A full comeback?

Now that would truly shock the fans.