The January 5, 2026 episode of Days of Our Lives didn’t just kick off the new year—it blew it wide open. With a wedding collapsing in spectacular fashion, a shocking New Year’s kiss setting off a powder keg of secrets, and multiple storylines quietly positioning themselves for explosive fallout, Salem once again proves that peace never lasts long.

This episode wasn’t about instant payoffs. It was about planting emotional landmines—and every single one of them is primed to detonate.

The Wedding From Hell: Leo, Javi, and the Ghost of Dimitri

At the center of the chaos stood Leo Stark and Javi Hernandez’s wedding, a ceremony that promised redemption, stability, and growth—at least on the surface. Longtime viewers know Leo is a character who thrives on chaos, yet Greg Rikaart has spent months crafting a softer, more vulnerable version of him. Javi represented something rare in Salem: normalcy.

Kind. Grounded. Honest.

For Leo, Javi wasn’t just a groom—he was proof that change was possible.

But Salem never allows reinvention without punishment.

Enter Gwen Rizczech, dressed in red like a warning flare, hovering at the wedding with an unmistakable sense of dread. Her constant phone-checking wasn’t boredom—it was strategy. Gwen wasn’t attending a celebration. She was waiting to drop a bomb.

And when that bomb arrived, everything shattered.

Dimitri von Leuschner is back.

His return instantly hijacks the narrative, transforming a hopeful ceremony into a psychological battleground. Dimitri represents Leo’s past—the dangerous, intoxicating world of power, money, and moral compromise. Javi represents Leo’s future—the quiet life, the hard work, the emotional honesty.

Gwen’s motives are layered and deeply personal. While she claims to want Leo’s happiness, history tells a darker story. Gwen and Leo share a long, toxic bond—best friends, co-conspirators, emotional mirrors. If Leo truly settles down, Gwen loses not just a friend, but a reflection of herself.

This wasn’t sabotage out of love.
It was sabotage out of fear.

By resurrecting Dimitri at the altar, Gwen forces Leo into an impossible choice: growth or adrenaline, love or chaos, redemption or relapse. And as the episode ends, one thing feels painfully clear—Javi is dangerously outmatched. Not because he lacks love, but because Salem has a way of dragging people back into their worst selves.

A Kiss That Changes Everything: Brady and Sarah Cross a Line

While one relationship implodes, another unexpectedly ignites.

At Maggie’s house, Brady Black and Sarah Horton share a New Year’s kiss—a moment as surprising as it is quietly devastating. Neither character is in a place of triumph. Brady is exhausted by years of emotional warfare, most notably with Kristen and Teresa. Sarah, meanwhile, has spent far too long being the moral backbone of Xander Cook, a role that drained her dry.

This kiss isn’t fireworks—it’s desperation.

And that’s what makes it compelling.

For once, Brady isn’t chasing danger. Sarah isn’t trying to fix someone. What they share feels gentle, human, and real. In another town, this might be the start of something healthy.

But this is Salem.

The kiss immediately sets off a chain reaction, most notably involving Rachel Black, Brady’s fiercely possessive daughter. Rachel’s emotional volatility—and her susceptibility to manipulation—turns this budding romance into a ticking time bomb. If someone like Sophia Choi begins framing Sarah as a replacement mother, Rachel could unleash a level of psychological warfare far beyond her years.

History warns us how this ends. Brady’s relationships rarely survive the ghosts of his past. Sarah’s heart is still tangled with Xander. This kiss wasn’t hope—it was a temporary escape from loneliness.

And escapes in Salem always come with consequences.

Teen Turmoil: Holly Returns Changed, Tate Falls Behind

On the younger side of Salem, Tate Black’s academic struggles at Salem University hint at deeper issues. This isn’t just about failing classes—it’s about losing direction. Tate feels stuck, overwhelmed, and quietly overshadowed.

Then Holly Jonas returns from Paris.

Soap fans know the rule: no one comes back from Paris the same.

Holly’s transformation isn’t superficial. There’s confidence now. Edge. A sense that she’s done playing by the rules. Having spent time with Nicole and Eric, Holly has clearly absorbed Nicole’s survivor mentality—fight first, apologize later.

The danger? Tate expects the same supportive, gentle Holly he left behind. Instead, he’s facing someone who may be ready to outgrow him.

The seeds of a triangle—or a rivalry—are firmly planted. Whether that threat comes from Sophia or a mysterious new figure from Holly’s time abroad, one thing is clear: Holly is done being reactive. She’s becoming proactive—and that shift rarely ends quietly.

Jeremy Horton: Salem’s Scapegoat

Finally, we arrive at Jeremy Horton, the town’s most convenient suspect. With a criminal past and few allies, Jeremy has become the easy answer to Salem’s stalking mystery. Stephanie and Alex are convinced of his guilt—but that certainty feels suspiciously thin.

The standout moment comes when Julie Williams offers Jeremy advice, drawing from her own long, complicated history. Longtime viewers remember Julie’s rebellious past—she wasn’t always Salem’s moral compass. She earned her redemption through endurance, not perfection.

Julie sees herself in Jeremy.

Her advice isn’t about proving innocence overnight—it’s about surviving long enough for the truth to surface. And that truth may be far more uncomfortable than anyone expects.

If Jeremy isn’t the stalker, who is?

A dark-horse theory begins to emerge: Alex Kiriakis. His hero complex, bruised ego, and desire to protect Stephanie could push him into manipulation. Framing Jeremy would eliminate a rival and elevate Alex as the savior. In Salem, that kind of logic has precedent.

What Comes Next for Salem

This episode functions as a chessboard reset. Every piece is in motion.

• Leo must choose between stability and temptation.
• Brady and Sarah’s secret is destined to surface—possibly as blackmail.
• Holly’s transformation will fracture her relationship with Tate.
• Jeremy’s redemption arc may expose a far darker villain.

Above all, the episode honors Days of Our Lives history while ruthlessly pushing its characters forward. Growth is tested. Past sins resurface. And no one escapes unscathed.

One thing is certain: 2026 in Salem is off to a blistering, dangerous start.

Because in this town, the past never stays buried—and the future always comes at a cost.