For nearly six decades, Days of Our Lives has thrived on epic romances, devastating betrayals, shocking returns from the dead, and secrets that can level entire families.

But beneath the weddings and wars lies another powerful force that keeps Salem standing when everything else falls apart. Friendship.

Not the casual kind. Not the convenient alliance. We’re talking about the ride-or-die bonds—the ones forged in tragedy, tested by time, and strong enough

to survive even the most outrageous twists daytime drama can invent.

This is a celebration of the connections that endure, the shoulders that are always available, and the people who show up when the rest of the world walks away.

Maggie & Julie: The Heart of Horton Loyalt

1. 

If Salem had a blueprint for lifelong friendship, it might look exactly like Maggie and Julie.

Rooted in the unshakeable Horton legacy, these two women have weathered love, loss, scandal, and reinvention more times than anyone could reasonably count. They have buried husbands, raised children, rebuilt themselves, and still found space to be present for each other.

Their connection has taken on even deeper resonance since Julie lost Doug. Maggie, widowed twice herself, understands grief in a language few others speak. She doesn’t offer platitudes; she offers recognition. Survival. Continuity.

What makes their bond feel real is that it isn’t saintly. They argue. They bristle. They challenge each other’s choices—yes, even the controversial ones, like Maggie marrying Victor after Mickey’s death. But disagreement has never threatened the foundation.

Because at the end of the day, when the world caves in, they are still each other’s first call.

Kayla & Marlena: Forgiveness That Echoes Through Time

Few friendships in Salem have survived a rupture quite like the one between Kayla and Marlena.

Once sisters-in-law, they might have allowed betrayal to calcify into distance. When Marlena’s affair with John shattered her marriage to Roman, Kayla had every reason to walk away. Instead, she chose something braver.

She forgave.

In the years since, the women have proven that decision again and again. They have fought side by side, supported each other through kidnappings, illnesses, possession, and even death itself—remember, they once “died” together alongside Kate, an experience that would bond anyone for eternity.

Now, as Marlena navigates life after losing John, Kayla’s support is gentle, intuitive, and profoundly moving. She doesn’t push. She simply appears, exactly when needed. Their scenes may be quiet, but the history between them roars.

Roman, Abe & Steve: Brotherhood Never Retire

Long before Salem’s younger set began navigating romance and revenge, Roman, Abe, and Steve were defining what loyalty between men could look like.

Forged in the 1980s and tempered by decades of danger, this trio represents a living archive of heroism, sacrifice, and shared memory. Their bond resurfaces most vividly in moments of crisis—like when Theo vanished and panic gripped the town. Abe leaned on Roman’s steadiness, while Steve threw himself into the search without hesitation.

They have lost friends. They have buried brothers. Yet whenever they stand together, you can still glimpse the fire that made them legends.

It’s not nostalgia.

It’s continuity.

Chad & Leo: The Redemption No One Saw Coming

Perhaps the most delightful surprise in recent memory is the evolution of Chad and Leo.

When Leo first blew into Salem, he was chaos personified—a con artist whose schemes targeted Chad’s family and ignited fury across town. Friendship seemed impossible.

And yet.

Time, humility, and unexpected compassion rewrote the script. Chad offered Leo something revolutionary: a second chance. A job. A measure of respect. In doing so, he helped transform an adversary into an ally.

Leo’s loyalty to his “Chadwick” has since become fierce and unwavering. Meanwhile, Chad has repeatedly stepped up to defend the man he once despised.

If Chad departs, even temporarily, the loss will land like a physical blow for Leo—and viewers will feel it too.

Stephanie & Jada: Legacy in Motion

Some friendships are inherited, woven from family history long before they ever reach the screen.

Stephanie and Jada’s bond traces back to their fathers, creating a lifelong sisterhood built on trust and shared understanding. What makes them shine is the ease with which they show up for each other—no hesitation, no scoreboard.

When Jada’s romance with Rafe collapsed, Stephanie opened her home and her heart. Later, when danger stalked Stephanie and Alex, Jada stood guard, fiercely protective.

Their loyalty is modern, powerful, and refreshingly uncomplicated.

Xander & Leo: Chaos, But Make It Devotion

Then there’s the friendship that thrives in glorious unpredictability.

Xander and Leo, two outsiders who rarely fit Salem’s moral expectations, understand each other instinctively. Their scenes together crackle with humor and recklessness, but underneath is something surprisingly tender.

When romance fails, when therapy isn’t available, when the world judges—they turn to each other. The advice may be terrible. The hangovers legendary. But the loyalty is absolute.

And honestly? That’s ride-or-die in its purest form.

In a town famous for resurrections, perhaps the most miraculous thing is not who comes back from the dead—it’s who stays. Through heartbreak, scandal, and seismic change, these friendships remain Salem’s emotional infrastructure.

They are history.

They are comfort.

They are forever.