As Blake becomes increasingly disturbed by Krystle's sexual resistance, Joel tells Rita that she has to sleep with Blake. In the meantime, Joel takes the real Krystle out for a night-on-the-town, where they are seen by an astonished Alexis and Dex. Krystle's signals for help are ignored. With Alexis' financial backing, Galen prepares to send Michael to New York to hire mercenaries for their cause. Determined to reclaim the oil well, Claudia attempts to win over Steven, believing he can persuade Blake to relinquish control. Adam Carrington offers Bart Fallmont a handsome bribe to prevent a preliminary injunction against the family enterprise.

In order to appease Blake, Rita, posing as Krystle, agrees to see a psychiatrist. But when her evasive behavior continues, Blake threatens divorce. Rita is forced to poison her unsuspecting husband in a frantic effort to safeguard Joel's plan. Alexis visits the still crippled Galen. After she leaves, Galen reveals his secret recovery. Amanda relives the nightmare of the wedding massacre and believes it to be an omen of Michael's impending fate when there is no word from him. Jonathan and Dominique's romantic involvement deepens, but when Jonathan announces his new association with Bart Fallmont, she severs further relations. Dominique is now left vulnerable to Garrett's attempts to rekindle an old flame.

Blake suffers dizzy spells as Rita's slow poisoning takes effect. Anxious to secure the Carrington estate, Joel convinces Rita to administer the fatal dose. Joel professes his love to Krystle, who insincerely returns his affections in an attempt to win her freedom. When this fails, she desperately feigns illness in a second ploy to escape. An enraged Steven engages Bart Fallmont in hand-to-hand combat over the pipeline construction. Dex is granted full building rights. Claudia hastens to Oklahoma to fight for her oil well, leaving a bewildered Adam behind. Alexis receives a mysterious phone call from Caracas, where her imprisoned sister, Caress Morell, is set free in exchange for the ""Alexis Carrington-Dexter Story"". Sammy Jo discovers the empty vial of poison, and confronting an alarmed Rita, begins to suspect Joel's deadly plan.

Afraid that something may have happened to Dex, Alexis demands to be let into his room, only to find Amanda and Dex in bed together. Horror stricken, she vows to disown Amanda and storms from the room. Krystle confronts Alexis for initiating false rumors to a journalist regarding her captivity. Krystle overturns a table laden with food into a seething Alexis' lap. Galen assures Dex that he has lost Alexis forever and now she will be his queen. Alexis leaves for St. Thomas to get a divorce from Dex. Adam is dismayed to learn of Blake's plans to put Steven on the board of directors. While attending a party, Adam sees Bart Fallmont and Steven together and misinterprets it to mean something more. He immediately sets a conspiracy into motion to gather incriminating evidence against the senator. Garrett meets Jackie and after learning her age and the tragic story of having lost her father soon after her birth, Garrett suspects she might be his daughter. Back from St. Thomas, Alexis walks in

Blake becomes obsessed with apprehending Joel and Rita. A remorseful Sammy Jo offers Krystle a prize horse in restitution and promises a hesitant Morgan Hess a small fortune for the capture of the co-conspirators. Galen is exiled to Lisbon, and a hopeful Michael returns to Amanda, only to learn that she loves Dex. Alexis completely breaks relations with Dex, driving him back to Amanda. Blake tries to separate his daughter and Dex by tempting Amanda with a trip to Hawaii. Adam schemes to win political support by publicizing Bart Fallmont's sexual preferences. Steven protests and joins Bart for a drink. Posing as a journalist, Caress interviews Adam, and then makes a surprise visit to her sister as the final chapter of the Alexis Carrington-Dexter story nears completion. Alexis dreams she and Blake are together again. When her attempts to make that a reality fail, she vows to destroy Blake's power hold in Denver-Carrington.

A crisis in Hong Kong sends Blake overseas, leaving Krystle to speak beside Alexis at the co-company dedication. When Alexis publicly denounces Blake's character, a vicious argument ensues and lands the two enraged women in the mud. Although Bart and Steven cannot agree about the pipeline particulars, they are in mutual accord with their affections. Bart secretly admits that he and his old roommate were lovers, not knowing that a private investigator, hired by Adam, is also privy to the information. Garrett questions a nervous Dominique about Jackie's father. His suspicions grow when Dominique refuses to answer. Alexis learns of Ben Carrington's isolated existence in Australia. With vengeance as her inspiration, she lures the recluse back to Denver, hoping to pit the estranged brothers against one another. Upon her return, Alexis receives a housewarming gift that turns her blood cold; Caress has moved in.

Speaking at her own prearranged press conference, Alexis brashly announces a masquerade party fund-raiser at the Carrington mansion. Upon returning from Hong Kong, Blake reluctantly agrees to host the event in hopes of persuading ex-senator Buck Fallmont to reevaluate his stand on the pipeline. Intercepting a call meant for Caress, Alexis learns of her sister's spiteful plan to write a book on her tumultuous life. Garrett confronts Dominique with the fact that Jackie's father is listed as ""unknown"" on her birth certificate. Dominique denies Garrett's assertions that Jackie may be his daughter. At the masquerade ball, Bart Fallmont shows Steven the newspaper headline running in the next morning's edition, which claims that Bart had a homosexual lover. Steven immediately suspects Adam's treachery and a fight ensues. Alexis then sets her plan for Blake's demise into motion when Ben removes his costume and reveals himself as Blake's brother.

Blake's hopes are renewed when a key witness, Franklin, admits that Alexis paid him to alter his testimony. But Franklin later arrives in court intoxicated and is unable to answer any questions. Angered by the drunken witness, the judge rules in favor of Ben, and Blake is forced to surrender one-fourth of the family estate. Blake vows to appeal and is determined to track down the mysterious woman who can clear his name. Bart is dropped from the senatorial race when newspaper headlines announce his homosexuality. Bart is relieved, but Steven is outraged and argues with a remorseless Adam. Bart's father, Buck, turns to Blake for advice. Dex offers Clay Fallmont a job on the pipeline. As Blake and Dex review construction particulars, a rancorous ex-employee orchestrates a potentially fatal accident. Buck Fallmont's wife, Emily, is ready to confess that she and Ben met the night of Ellen Carrington's tragic death. Fearing discovery, Ben warns Emily of the scandal that would result if she d