Salem braces itself for a seismic shift as the Monday, November 17th episode of Days of Our Lives plunges viewers into a storm of medical terror, family secrets, and a DiMera mystery decades in the making. From Marlena’s baffling medical collapse to Kristen DiMera’s chilling abduction and a jaw-dropping identity twist within the infamous DiMera clan, this episode marks the beginning of a storyline that promises to unravel the very fabric of Salem.

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Marlena’s Medical Crisis Takes a Dark, Chilling Turn

Marlena Evans has endured kidnappings, possessions, brainwashing, family devastation, and countless brushes with death — but this time, the danger feels different. It’s invisible. Insidious. And eerily personal.

After collapsing during the Doctor Tom Horton Free Clinic Gala, Marlena is rushed to University Hospital where a fleet of specialists work desperately to identify the cause of her strange, escalating symptoms. Her body is responding to something that defies medical explanation — a bizarre combination of sudden blackouts, hallucinations, and violent tremors.

Dr. Sarah Horton Kiriakis, exhausted but unrelenting, takes charge of Marlena’s case. She spends sleepless nights poring over blood panels, old medical files, toxin reports — anything that might explain this bizarre condition. But nothing adds up. Symptoms contradict known science. Tests come back normal, then abnormal, then normal again, creating a maddening cycle of confusion.

But everything changes the moment Sarah uncovers a small, overlooked detail in Marlena’s early test results — one that hints at a toxin so rare, so obscure, it has only appeared in Salem once before. And the person who used it last time…
was a DiMera.

Worse yet, Marlena’s dreams about a figure known as “The Queen of the Night” begin to seep into reality. Her visions are vivid, prophetic, almost ritualistic — leading Sarah to question whether Marlena is suffering from more than a medical condition… or whether someone is weaponizing her mind.

Sarah’s discovery sets off alarms. Someone wanted Marlena incapacitated. Someone with resources, precision — and a vendetta.

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Brady Faces a Terrified Rachel — and a Nightmare He Can’t Explain

As Marlena’s crisis unfolds, Brady Black faces a brutal emotional battle of his own. His daughter, Rachel, has just learned the shocking truth: her mother, Kristen DiMera, has vanished from Statesville prison.

Rachel spirals into fear, anger, and confusion, demanding answers Brady doesn’t have. She clings to him, voice trembling, begging to know whether her mother is alive.

In a heart-wrenching moment, Brady kneels in front of her and takes her hands, promising he will protect her — even as dread churns inside him. Because Brady knows something Rachel doesn’t:

Kristen didn’t escape.
Kristen was taken.

And whoever took her is powerful enough to breach a maximum-security facility, extract a high-profile prisoner without a trace, and leave not a single witness alive.

Brady keeps his worst fears hidden from Rachel, but his voice cracks as he tells her, “We’ll get through this… I promise.” It’s a rare glimpse into Brady’s growth as a father — more vulnerable, more protective, more determined to break the cycle of trauma Rachel has inherited from both her parents.

But Brady’s instincts are screaming.
This kidnapping isn’t random.
It’s connected.

And the truth waiting on the other side could destroy the Black and DiMera families all over again.

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Kristen’s Kidnapper Revealed — or Is He?

The most chilling moment of the episode comes when Kristen, blindfolded and bound, is finally able to see the face of the person who abducted her.

Standing mere inches away…
is Tony DiMera.

Or at least — a man who looks like Tony.

Kristen’s shock is palpable. “Tony? What are you doing? Why are you here?” she demands, voice shaking with both anger and hope. Tony has always been complicated, but he’s never been cruel.

But the man says nothing.

He watches her with an expression too cold, too calculated — nothing like Tony’s cultured, soft-spoken demeanor. Kristen’s terror deepens as she studies his eyes, his posture, the subtle cruelty in his smirk.

Then realization hits her like a blow.

This might not be Tony at all.
This might be Andre.

Andre DiMera — dead since 2018 after being struck with an urn. A man whose history includes murder, manipulation, and even an unholy partnership with the Devil himself.

And now… he might be alive.

Or resurrected.
Or returned through one of Stefano’s notorious contingency plans.

For the first time, Kristen feels true fear — because if Andre is alive, then the entire DiMera empire is a bomb waiting to go off.

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A DiMera Conspiracy Years in the Making

Questions explode:

If Andre is alive… where is the real Tony?

Held hostage?
Drugged?
Dead?

Salem has seen many DiMeras return from the grave — but Andre’s potential resurrection would be the most dangerous of all. Subtle clues fall into place:

• Tony’s recent personality shifts
• His sudden interest in DiMera Enterprises power
• A coldness in his decisions
• His aggressive business tactics

Even EJ and Chad have quietly questioned Tony’s odd behavior in recent weeks. Now everything makes sense.

Andre has done this before.
He has worn Tony’s face.
He has fooled Salem for months at a time.

Kristen realizes she may be the only person who can uncover the truth — but first, she must survive whatever plan this impostor has for her.

And knowing Andre…
it’s nothing good.

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The DiMera Threat Expands — and No One Is Safe

If Andre truly has returned, his long game is only beginning.

This isn’t about Kristen.
This is about power.
This is about reclaiming the DiMera throne.

Marlena’s poisoning.
Tony’s disappearance.
Kristen’s kidnapping.
The strange “Queen of the Night” visions.

All pieces of a single, sinister puzzle.

A plan Stefano may have begun years ago…
and Andre is now completing.

The implications are catastrophic — not only for the DiMeras, but for every family in Salem connected to them.

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Salem Honors Tom Horton — While Darkness Creeps In

As the town gathers to honor the legacy of Tom Horton, a sense of unity fills the square — but beneath that warmth lies dread, suspicion, and fear. Families smile for photos, speeches are made, and lanterns rise into the night sky…

…even as Kristen’s disappearance spreads in hushed whispers.

Salem has seen danger before, but this is different.
This is personal.
Calculated.
Surgical.

And it’s only the beginning.

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Conclusion: Salem Will Never Be the Same

Monday’s episode marks the start of a sweeping, explosive arc that blends medical mystery, family betrayal, psychological warfare, and a DiMera conspiracy decades in the making.

Marlena is in danger.
Kristen is missing.
Rachel is terrified.
Brady is unraveling.
And Andre DiMera — the man Salem hoped was gone forever — may be back to finish what he started.

As secrets surface and alliances fracture, one thing is certain:

Salem is about to face its darkest chapter yet.