As Days of Our Lives barrels toward the final week of January, Salem is bracing for an explosive reckoning inside the walls of the DiMera mansion.

The episodes airing January 26 through January 30 promise a relentless storm of vengeance, psychological warfare, and devastating family conflict—one that threatens

to permanently scar one of Salem’s most powerful dynasties. At the center of it all stands EJ DiMera, returning home hardened by heartbreak and driven by fury,

unaware that his sister Kristen has already laid a trap that could destroy him from the inside out.

For longtime viewers, the DiMera name is synonymous with power, manipulation, and betrayal. But this week, Days peels back the polished veneer to reveal something far more dangerous: a family imploding under the weight of its own secrets, with innocent children caught in the crossfire.

Kristen DiMera: Most Dangerous in Silence

While EJ has been absent from Salem, Kristen DiMera has remained eerily quiet—an ominous calm that seasoned fans know signals disaster. Kristen is not idle. She is calculating. Every moment of silence is spent sharpening her strategy, fueled by rage and maternal desperation. Her daughter Rachel’s institutionalization at Bayview has pushed Kristen to the brink, and in her fractured logic, EJ is the architect of that tragedy.

To Kristen, EJ isn’t just a brother who failed her—he’s a traitor who prioritized his own ambitions while her daughter’s world collapsed. That belief has metastasized into obsession. By the time EJ returns, Kristen is ready to redefine sibling rivalry as all-out war.

EJ’s Italian Ordeal: A Father Exposed

Before Salem becomes a battlefield, Days of Our Lives takes viewers to Italy, where EJ has been fighting a very different war—one for his daughter Sydney’s emotional survival. His abrupt departure from Salem wasn’t business-related or strategic. It was deeply personal.

Sydney has been spiraling after the trauma of EJ’s kidnapping, plagued by panic attacks and paralyzing fear. In Italy’s quiet isolation, EJ is forced to confront the collateral damage of the DiMera lifestyle. Gone is the ruthless executive and master manipulator. In his place stands a desperate father, clinging to his child and trying to convince her—and himself—that safety still exists.

With guidance from Dr. Marlena Evans, whose steady presence bridges hope and healing, Sydney finally begins to stabilize. That fragile improvement gives EJ permission to leave—but it also ignites something darker within him. As relief sets in, it rapidly curdles into rage. EJ is done reacting. Now, he’s ready to strike.

Gwen von Leuschner: EJ’s Chosen Target

Upon returning to Salem, EJ’s focus narrows to a single name: Gwen von Leuschner. In his eyes, Gwen is directly responsible for the chaos unleashed by Dmitri von Leuschner—a chaos that spilled into his family and nearly destroyed his daughter’s sense of security.

This isn’t just personal. For EJ, it’s ideological. Gwen represents disorder, unpredictability, and vulnerability—everything the DiMera empire was built to eradicate. His revenge won’t be impulsive. It will be surgical.

Sources tease a multifaceted takedown that could strip Gwen of her power, her alliances, and possibly her freedom. Whether EJ uses legal channels, corporate muscle, or the darker methods the DiMeras are infamous for, one thing is certain: Gwen has never faced an EJ DiMera fueled by paternal rage. And when he moves, the impact will be devastating.

The Twist: EJ Walks Into Kristen’s Web

But as EJ plots Gwen’s downfall, he’s dangerously unaware of the threat waiting inside his own home. Kristen’s fury is not cold and calculated like EJ’s—it’s raw, emotional, and feral. Her pain over Rachel’s confinement has mutated into a need to make EJ suffer the same helplessness she feels.

The tragic irony is unmistakable. Both siblings are grappling with daughters in crisis. Both are driven by love warped into obsession. And instead of finding solidarity, they’re weaponizing their grief against each other.

Kristen’s revenge promises to be intricate and deeply personal. Spoilers hint at reputational sabotage, strategic alliances with EJ’s enemies, and the possible exposure of secrets that could cost him everything—from his role at DiMera Enterprises to his standing in Salem itself.

When EJ walks back into the DiMera mansion expecting refuge after Italy, he may instead find Kristen waiting—armed with accusations, manipulation, and a plan designed to break him psychologically.

A Mansion Turned War Zone

The DiMera mansion becomes more than a setting this week—it becomes a pressure cooker. Kristen is expected to confront EJ with brutal accusations, questioning his devotion as a father and accusing him of hypocrisy for flying across the world for Sydney while, in her mind, abandoning Rachel.

Bayview looms like a gothic shadow over every confrontation. Kristen’s inability to control her daughter’s fate has left her grasping for power wherever she can find it. If she can’t dominate the system, she’ll dominate EJ’s suffering instead.

A Week of No Return

As January 26–30 unfolds, Days of Our Lives delivers three massive narrative collisions: EJ’s emotional reckoning in Italy, his merciless crusade against Gwen, and the explosive sibling war with Kristen—each fueled by love, loss, and unrelenting vengeance.

The tragedy of the DiMeras is laid bare. They possess wealth, influence, and control over Salem’s future—yet remain powerless against the demons haunting their children. As EJ returns believing he’s the predator, ready to hunt Gwen down, he fails to see the truth: in Kristen’s eyes, he’s already the prey.

By week’s end, alliances may be shattered, reputations ruined, and the DiMera mansion left smoldering from emotional and strategic warfare. One thing is clear—no one emerges unscathed when the DiMeras go to war, especially with each other.