In Salem, danger rarely announces itself. It creeps in quietly—through half-seen shadows, unanswered questions, and the unsettling sense that the past has never truly stayed buried. And right now, that unease has crystallized into one terrifying question that is gripping fans and shaking the very foundations of the town:

Is the person stalking Stephanie Johnson the same mastermind behind the shocking kidnapping of the DiMera brothers?

As clues begin to align and old ghosts stir, the answer appears to be far darker—and far more personal—than anyone in Salem is prepared to face.

A Town on Edge

Stephanie Johnson should be enjoying a hard-won sense of normalcy. She has survived trauma before, rebuilt her life with resilience and courage, and reclaimed her sense of self after being thrust into Salem’s most dangerous power struggles. Yet lately, that peace has been shattered by the unmistakable feeling that she is being watched.

Anonymous messages. Familiar locations. That suffocating instinct that someone knows her routine a little too well.

Meanwhile, across town, the DiMera family—long accustomed to being the hunters rather than the hunted—has been thrown into chaos. The abduction of DiMera brothers is not just a crime; it is a declaration of war. Someone has dared to strike at one of Salem’s most powerful dynasties, exploiting their vulnerabilities and dragging their darkest history back into the spotlight.

At first glance, these two threats appear separate. But Salem has taught us one crucial lesson: nothing is ever truly disconnected.

A Ghost from the Past Returns

As whispers grow louder and patterns emerge, suspicion inevitably circles back to one name—Owen.

For longtime viewers, that name carries a chilling weight.

Years ago, Owen entered Salem as a hired operative during the brutal war between the DiMera and Kiriakis families. He was efficient, quiet, and expendable—the kind of man EJ DiMera believed he could control. Ordered to kidnap Stephanie Johnson as leverage in the family feud, Owen followed instructions… at first.

But what began as a calculated power play spiraled into something far more disturbing.

Obsession Is Born

Stephanie’s abduction was never meant to last. She was supposed to be a pawn, a bargaining chip. Instead, she became the center of Owen’s unraveling psyche.

Held captive in isolation, Stephanie fought back with every ounce of strength she possessed. Her defiance, her intelligence, her refusal to break—those qualities didn’t weaken Owen’s resolve. They twisted it.

His feelings shifted from obedience to obsession.

Owen didn’t just disobey EJ. He betrayed him. Rather than deliver Stephanie, he hid her, prolonging her captivity under the delusion that control could somehow transform into connection. What he mistook for affection was possession. What he framed as protection was imprisonment.

And when Stephanie was finally rescued—thanks to the relentless determination of Steve “Patch” Johnson—Owen didn’t face justice.

He vanished.

The Wound That Never Healed

For years, Owen faded into Salem legend—a footnote in a long history of DiMera crimes. But obsession doesn’t disappear. It festers.

Now, all signs suggest Owen has returned. Older. Harder. And driven by a resentment sharpened by years of exile.

This time, his rage is no longer confined to Stephanie alone. It has expanded—to EJ DiMera, to the entire family that used him and discarded him when things went wrong.

From Owen’s perspective, the DiMeras destroyed his life. They walked away unscathed while he was hunted, isolated, and forced to survive in the shadows. The wealth and power that once surrounded him were never his to keep.

Revenge, in Salem, is rarely simple.

One Mastermind, Two Nightmares

The theory taking hold among fans is chilling in its elegance: Owen is orchestrating both crimes.

Stalking Stephanie is personal. It is the resurrection of a fixation that never truly died. Each message, each silent observation, is a reminder that her escape did not free her from him.

The DiMera kidnappings, however, are strategic.

They represent leverage, punishment, and power. By abducting DiMera heirs, Owen isn’t just seeking revenge—he’s forcing the family to feel the same fear and helplessness he once endured. It’s psychological warfare, designed to humiliate and destabilize a dynasty built on control.

And the ripple effects are immediate.

Salem’s Power Players Mobilize

The DiMera family, fractured but formidable, is forced into uneasy alliances. Old grudges are set aside as survival takes priority. Investigators like Rafe Hernandez and EJ himself race against time, knowing every delay strengthens their enemy’s hand.

Meanwhile, Stephanie is pulled back into a nightmare she thought she had conquered. Every step she takes is haunted by the possibility that Owen is closer than she realizes. Her strength is undeniable—but even the strongest survivors carry scars.

What makes this threat so devastating is its intimacy.

If Owen is responsible for both crimes, he knows his victims. He understands their weaknesses. He knows exactly how to hurt them.

Revenge… or Something More?

Yet Days of Our Lives is never content with surface-level motives. Is Owen driven purely by revenge—or is money also part of the equation? Kidnapping DiMera heirs opens the door to ransom demands, financial freedom, and a clean escape.

Or perhaps the truth is even darker.

What if the kidnappings are merely a means to an end—fueling Owen’s obsession with Stephanie, funding a fantasy he has nurtured for years? And what if he’s not acting alone?

Salem history is littered with unlikely alliances. Another outcast. A forgotten enemy. A secret accomplice pulling strings behind the scenes.

The Consequences Will Be Devastating

If the truth comes out—and it always does in Salem—the fallout will be explosive. EJ will be forced to confront the consequences of his past decisions. Stephanie will be forced to face the man who once tried to own her. And the DiMera family will once again reckon with the reality that their power creates enemies who never truly disappear.

One stalker. One kidnapper. One terrifying possibility.

As Salem braces for the reveal, one thing is clear: this story isn’t just about crime. It’s about obsession, accountability, and the danger of believing the past can be buried without consequence.

Because in Days of Our Lives, the shadows always remember.

And they’re never done watching.