When EJ DiMera returns to Salem, he expects to reclaim control. What he gets instead is a one–two punch that shatters his world and ignites one of the most dangerous rampages

Days of Our Lives has seen in years. In the coming episodes, EJ is blindsided by devastating news about his legendary father — and an unforgivable betrayal carried

out right under his nose. The result is a volatile mix of grief, rage, and ruthless ambition that threatens to scorch everyone in his path.

This is not just another dramatic week in Salem. This is a turning point — for EJ, for the DiMera dynasty, and for the balance of power across the canvas.

A Homecoming That Turns Into a Nightmare

EJ’s return from Italy should have been a victory lap. Traditionally, a DiMera trip overseas signals high-level business maneuvers, secret alliances, or a quiet consolidation of power. Instead, EJ walks straight into a reckoning he never saw coming.

Waiting for him is Police Commissioner Rafe Hernandez, tasked with delivering news that hits harder than any enemy attack. The skeletal remains discovered in the DiMera crypt — long whispered about, long feared — have finally been identified. The DNA results are conclusive.

The bones belong to Stefano DiMera.

For a family built on resurrection, deception, and the illusion of immortality, this revelation lands like a thunderclap. Stefano DiMera, the Phoenix himself, is not missing. He is not plotting from the shadows. He is not waiting for the perfect moment to rise again.

He is truly gone.

The End of an Era — and the Birth of a King

For decades, Stefano DiMera defined Days of Our Lives. His schemes, vendettas, and twisted devotion to family shaped generations of storylines. His death was always temporary — until now. This discovery forces Salem, and especially EJ, to confront a world without Stefano’s looming presence.

For EJ, this is deeply personal. His identity has always been tied to his father’s legacy. Stefano was not just a parent; he was a myth, a standard, a shadow EJ could never quite escape. To learn that Stefano’s remains were hidden in the family crypt — decaying while EJ carried on with business deals, romantic entanglements, and power struggles — is a revelation soaked in guilt.

This is not just grief. It is shame. Rage. A sense of failure.

And it changes everything.

Without Stefano, there is no safety net. No ultimate authority to answer to. The DiMera empire now has a vacuum at its center — and EJ knows exactly who is expected to fill it. The problem is, power earned through inheritance is never secure. It must be defended.

A Funeral That Will Reshape Salem

The confirmation of Stefano’s death sets the stage for an inevitable DiMera family funeral — an event guaranteed to be less about mourning and more about dominance. In Salem, funerals are battlegrounds disguised as ceremonies, and this one may be the most explosive yet.

With Stefano finally laid to rest, the question becomes: who truly leads the DiMeras?

EJ may hold the title, but Chad, Tony, and Kristen all carry their own claims, resentments, and ambitions. Old rivalries will resurface, alliances will shift, and enemies will gather under the same roof — some to grieve, others to celebrate, and a few to watch closely for weakness.

For EJ, the funeral will not be about closure. It will be a declaration. A message to Salem that the DiMera threat did not die with Stefano — it evolved.

Betrayal at Home: Gwen Crosses a Line

As if the loss of his father weren’t enough, EJ is hit with a second bombshell almost immediately — and this one cuts straight to his pride.

EJ discovers that Gwen Rizczech orchestrated Dmitri von Leuschner’s return to Salem without his knowledge or approval. For EJ, this isn’t a simple betrayal. It’s an unforgivable violation of control.

EJ DiMera does not tolerate being kept in the dark — especially not by someone operating under his roof and protection. Gwen’s decision isn’t just reckless; in EJ’s eyes, it’s an act of defiance.

Worse still, Dmitri has already betrayed Gwen, cutting her off financially and leaving her humiliated and vulnerable. Gwen may believe she’s already paid the price for her scheming.

She hasn’t even come close.

EJ’s Rage Has a Target — and Gwen Is Standing Alone

With Stefano gone and his emotional foundation shattered, EJ becomes a powder keg. Gwen, stripped of money, allies, and leverage, becomes the most convenient outlet for his fury.

Spoilers tease a full-scale attack — and for EJ DiMera, that doesn’t mean shouting matches or empty threats. It means destruction.

EJ is expected to dismantle Gwen’s remaining security piece by piece: her home, her legal standing, her ability to stay in Salem. He has the resources, the influence, and the legal muscle to make her life unbearable — and he won’t hesitate to use them.

What makes this storyline so compelling is its emotional complexity. EJ’s cruelty isn’t driven solely by anger over Dmitri. It’s fueled by grief he cannot control. He cannot fight death. He cannot confront a skeleton in a crypt. But he can punish Gwen.

And he will.

A Cornered Gwen Is a Dangerous Gwen

Yet Gwen is not without teeth. Stripped of everything, she becomes unpredictable — and in Salem, desperation often leads to explosive consequences.

Pushed far enough, Gwen may retaliate. She may expose secrets EJ doesn’t want unearthed. She may seek protection from unlikely allies. Or she may decide that if she’s going down, she’s taking part of the DiMera empire with her.

The tragedy is that Gwen’s motives were never purely malicious. She wanted security. A place to belong. But in Salem, shortcuts always come with consequences — and Gwen’s are arriving fast.

Rafe Hernandez: The Moral Counterweight

Amid the chaos, Rafe Hernandez plays a crucial grounding role. As the man who delivers the devastating truth about Stefano, Rafe becomes the emotional counterweight to EJ’s descent.

Handled with restraint and empathy, this moment has the potential to deepen their long-standing tension — not as rivals, but as men shaped by loss, law, and complicated ties to Sami Brady.

If played right, it reminds viewers that even in a world of villains and power plays, humanity still matters.

A New Era of DiMera Rule Begins

By the end of the week, one thing is clear: Salem is entering a new era.

Stefano DiMera’s shadow may finally be laid to rest, but the consequences of his legacy are far from over. EJ DiMera is no longer waiting for permission. He is no longer operating beneath a greater force.

He is stepping fully into his reign — and his first act is vengeance.

This storyline promises raw emotion, ruthless strategy, and the kind of high-stakes drama that defines Days of Our Lives at its best. Grief will turn to fury. Betrayal will spark war. And Salem will once again learn what happens when a DiMera decides he has nothing left to lose.