As Days of Our Lives marches boldly into 2026, the iconic daytime drama appears poised to deliver one of its most emotionally seismic storylines in years.

Long known for its flair for fake deaths, miraculous resurrections, and jaw-dropping reversals, Salem is now bracing itself for something far more final.

According to mounting clues woven into recent episodes, the first funeral of 2026 has quietly been set in motion—and it promises to leave fans stunned, shaken, and deeply emotional.

For decades, Days of Our Lives has treated death as a revolving door. Characters vanish, are presumed dead, only to return months—or even years—later with elaborate explanations involving masks, doubles, or memory loss. But this time, the tone feels different. There is an unmistakable sense of closure hanging over Salem, a narrative weight that suggests the show is preparing to say a permanent goodbye to one of its most legendary figures.

A Discovery That Changed Everything

The seeds of this looming farewell were planted during one of the show’s most chilling recent arcs, when brothers Chad and EJ DiMera found themselves trapped in the dark, forbidding catacombs beneath the DiMera estate. The location alone carried heavy symbolism. The catacombs are more than stone and shadow—they are a physical manifestation of the DiMera family’s long, twisted history, a burial ground for secrets, sins, and unresolved legacies.

As the brothers searched desperately for a way out, their escape took a horrifying turn. Hidden among the damp walls and centuries-old passageways, they stumbled upon human remains. Not an ancient relic or forgotten victim, but a skeleton deliberately concealed within the DiMera stronghold itself. The discovery was visceral and deeply unsettling, forcing Chad and EJ to confront the very real possibility that the bones belonged to someone connected to their own bloodline.

For Chad, the more morally conflicted of the two, the moment carried a heavy emotional toll. For EJ, whose ambition and ruthlessness often mirror the darker side of his family heritage, the discovery cracked his carefully constructed composure. Whatever—or whoever—those remains belonged to was clearly meant to stay hidden.

Rafe Hernandez Takes the Case

Once rescued from captivity, the brothers wasted no time in demanding answers. Enter Rafe Hernandez, Salem’s steadfast lawman and moral compass. Tasked with unraveling the mystery, Rafe approached the case with the seriousness it deserved, sending the remains for extensive forensic testing and DNA analysis.

As Salem waited for results, tension rippled through the town. Whispers spread at the Brady Pub. Speculation ran rampant in living rooms and boardrooms alike. Given the DiMera family’s long history of presumed deaths and shocking returns, no theory seemed too outrageous. Was this an enemy silenced long ago? A forgotten accomplice? Or someone far closer to the DiMera name?

The Truth Comes Out

When the results finally arrived, they delivered a thunderclap heard across Salem. The skeleton belonged to none other than Stefano DiMera.

The revelation carries enormous weight. Stefano DiMera—the Phoenix—was not just a character. He was an institution. For decades, he defined villainy on Days of Our Lives, orchestrating kidnappings, mind control plots, corporate takeovers, and elaborate revenge schemes with operatic flair. Portrayed memorably by the late Joseph Mascolo, Stefano died and returned so many times that his resurrections became part of the show’s DNA.

Yet this time, the confirmation feels definitive. The remains found in the catacombs are real. Scientifically verified. Inescapable. This is not a trick, not a misdirection, and not the setup for another miraculous return. Stefano DiMera is truly gone.

What This Means for the DiMera Family

For EJ, the confirmation is devastating. Stefano was more than a father—he was a blueprint. Every ruthless instinct EJ possesses can be traced back to the man who raised him. Facing Stefano’s permanent death forces EJ to confront his own identity and question whether he will continue ruling Salem through fear or attempt to evolve beyond his father’s shadow.

Chad, meanwhile, stands at a crossroads of his own. Often positioned as the DiMera most capable of redemption, Chad has spent years trying to balance family loyalty with personal integrity. Stefano’s finality could free him from the darkness that has haunted his lineage—or pull him deeper into it, depending on what secrets the past still holds.

The ripple effects extend far beyond the brothers. Kristen DiMera’s reaction alone could ignite new chaos, blending grief with fury and suspicion. Tony DiMera may respond with stoic restraint, masking deep mourning beneath composure. Even Salem’s longtime rivals—the Bradys, Hortons, and Kiriakises—will be forced to acknowledge the end of an era. Love him or loathe him, Stefano shaped all their lives.

A Funeral Unlike Any Other

With the truth exposed, all signs point to a formal DiMera funeral—the first major funeral of 2026 on Days of Our Lives. And in Salem, funerals are never simple affairs. They are emotional powder kegs, packed with unresolved grudges, shocking reunions, and explosive revelations.

Whether held in the shadowy catacombs or under the stained-glass windows of St. Luke’s Church, Stefano’s farewell is likely to be a grand, emotionally charged spectacle. Expect impassioned eulogies, carefully curated flashbacks, and possibly unexpected guests returning to honor—or confront—the legacy of the Phoenix.

This event also serves a deeper purpose. It allows the show to honor Joseph Mascolo’s lasting impact while definitively closing the book on one of daytime television’s most iconic villains. In doing so, Days of Our Lives signals a new chapter—one where legacy matters, consequences linger, and not every death comes with a return ticket.

A Defining Moment for 2026

As Days of Our Lives continues to balance nostalgia with bold storytelling, this funeral stands as a landmark moment. It is a farewell, a reckoning, and a narrative reset all at once. For longtime fans, it promises catharsis. For newer viewers, it marks a turning point that reshapes Salem’s power dynamics moving forward.