His body was never found after the helicopter crash in Lebanon 25 years ago so Tony's return would be ten times more feasible than most other ''returns from the dead''. And it would do so much for the show in terms for restoring The Lords back to the center of the show and it could also be very edgy given given he could have been a POW along with exploring the shock of the changes to Llanview and his family in the last quarter century. He would know Viki as Viki Lord-Riley-Buchanan but not as Viki Davidson. He would know Kevin and Joey as little kids, but no idea who Jessica and Natalie are. And he would know Tina from her days as Viki's sweet innocent goddaughter but not as the scheming half sister she later became. And he would not know Todd at all.

Also, he would be a reason to resurrect speculation around Victor's death. Have Dorian reveal the Victor who was alive in 2003 was just some dying old man who posed as him. And then the storyline could involve the fact Viki's alter Tori smothered him to death which revealed in 1995 which most of the town knows yet Tony is still convinced Dorian withheld his heart medication and left him for dead in that hospital room in 1976, and then Viki reveals the truth by taking Tony to the secret room.