In Salem, the past never stays buried for long—but this time, it’s rising with a vengeance.

Just when the town thought it could breathe again, two of the most dangerous and unforgettable forces in Days of Our Lives history are storming back onto the canvas. Their arrivals are not coincidences. They are catalysts—igniting old vendettas, reopening haunted chapters, and setting off a chain reaction that will ripple through every family in Salem.

The first thunderbolt is EJ DiMera.
The second is the legendary Vivian Alamain.

Together, their return is not just a storyline—it is a reckoning.

EJ DiMera Comes Home to a Nightmare

After weeks away in Italy, EJ DiMera finally returns to Salem. His absence was shrouded in mystery, though whispers suggest he spent time with his daughter Sydney—one of the few lights in his otherwise ruthless world. But whatever tenderness that visit stirred is quickly extinguished the moment he steps back onto DiMera soil.

Because waiting for him is a truth that will shatter the very foundation of his identity.

Rafe Hernandez pulls EJ aside for a private conversation—one that no DiMera heir ever expects to have.

Human remains have been discovered in the DiMera family crypt.
Forensic tests have confirmed the unthinkable.

The bones belong to Stefano DiMera.

The Phoenix.
The master manipulator.
The man who defined power, terror, and legacy in Salem for decades.

Gone. Truly gone.

For EJ, the revelation is both devastating and destabilizing. Stefano was his father, his tormentor, his blueprint for survival. His shadow has guided and haunted EJ’s every decision. And now, that shadow is reduced to dust—buried in the very place meant to immortalize the DiMera dynasty.

This isn’t closure.
It’s an earthquake.

Rage Becomes EJ’s Weapon

EJ does not collapse under grief—he weaponizes it.

The confirmation of Stefano’s death doesn’t soften him. It hardens him. It convinces him that betrayal is everywhere and that his enemies have gone too far. His return ignites a firestorm, starting with Gwen Rizczech, whose recent manipulations have pushed EJ beyond the breaking point.

Their confrontations crackle with venom—old alliances, shattered trust, and secrets exposed like open wounds. Every word is a dagger. Every glance a threat. EJ’s fury is no longer contained, and Gwen quickly realizes she has unleashed something far more dangerous than she anticipated.

And then there is Kristen DiMera.

Siblings bound by blood and poisoned by ambition, EJ and Kristen are headed for a collision. Kristen has never forgiven betrayal—and with EJ distracted by Stefano’s fate, she may see this as her moment to strike. Their rivalry simmers with resentment, power struggles, and the looming possibility that the DiMera empire could implode from within.

Will they unite against common enemies?
Or will they destroy each other first?

The Second Storm: Vivian Alamain Returns

As if EJ’s return weren’t enough to plunge Salem into chaos, another icon steps out of the shadows.

Vivian Alamain is back.

Brilliant. Unapologetic. Diabolical.

After nearly a year offscreen, the legendary villainess makes her grand return—summoned by a desperate Gwen, who has entangled herself in a dangerous web involving Dmitri von Leuschner.

Financial manipulation. Betrayals. Secrets that could ruin her forever.

Gwen doesn’t need help.

She needs a miracle.

And in Salem, miracles often wear the face of monsters.

Vivian arrives like a storm—elegant, calculating, and dripping with menace. Her voice alone sends chills through the halls. She wastes no time assessing Gwen’s predicament, already plotting three steps ahead.

“Darling,” she might purr, “if you want someone to disappear, you don’t call an amateur—you call me.”

A Scheme No One Sees Coming

Vivian’s plans are never simple. They are layered with deception, misdirection, and often the macabre. Her history is riddled with grave robbing, body switches, resurrection drugs, and psychological warfare.

What is she truly planning for Dmitri?

Will she enlist old allies for another twisted scheme?
Will she turn the tables on Gwen and use this crisis for her own gain?
Or is this all part of a larger, darker agenda tied to her son Stefan and the DiMera fortune?

One thing is certain: Vivian’s presence magnifies every conflict. She doesn’t just stir chaos—she engineers it.

A Perfect Storm Over Salem

With EJ fueled by loss and vengeance, and Vivian driven by calculated destruction, Salem stands on the edge of a perfect storm.

Their paths may cross in explosive ways—over the crypt’s secrets, over Dmitri’s fate, or over the balance of power itself. Old enemies will resurface. Alliances will shift. And lives will be altered forever.

These are not just returns.

They are game changers.

The Fallout Has Only Begun

The week of January 26th promises to be one for the history books. EJ’s rage, Kristen’s ambition, Gwen’s desperation, and Vivian’s schemes collide in a story that will redefine Salem’s future.

Because in Days of Our Lives, the past never stays buried.

It rises.

And it demands everything.

Don’t miss a single moment—Salem will never be the same.