Salem is bracing for a tempest — and this time the storm goes by the name Sami Brady. Word has it that the indomitable Hurricane Sami will sweep back into town and drop a bombshell that will leave the Horton Clinic Gala buzzing: she’s engaged. The question on everyone’s lips is simple and explosive — who put the ring on her finger?

Sami’s return isn’t a casual drop-in. She’s coming back with purpose: to meet the newest addition to the family, baby Trey (Johnny and Chanel’s son, John Roman Dera III), and to attend the high-profile grand opening of the Tom Horton Free Clinic. But the most shocking agenda item is the announcement she intends to make in front of friends and family — an engagement that, from all outward appearances, came out of nowhere. After all, during her earlier visit over the summer, she didn’t seem to be involved with anyone. Her sudden fiancé raises eyebrows, excitement, and a generous helping of speculation.

For decades, Sami has been the kind of character viewers adore: fierce, complicated, and never boring. Yet she hasn’t held a full-time storyline lately, mostly because Allison Sweeney, the actor who brings Sami to life, has been busy with other projects. That means Sami’s appearances in Salem tend to be intense, memorable, and brief — she shows up, shakes things up, and then departs until the town needs her again. Still, when she lands, she brings fireworks.

Sami’s recent history in Salem has been emotionally heavy. She returned earlier to console Johnny after learning about the harrowing circumstances that led to his conception, and she showed up again to support her mother and family after John Black’s passing. She was also a stalwart presence during Johnny’s legal nightmare, when he stood trial for attempted murder of his father, EJ. Family crises like these remind us why Sami’s presence matters — she’s a protector, a fierce aunt and sister who dives into the fray when blood runs cold and tensions rise. After those emotional duties, she left to tend to her daughter Sydney, who needed care following a leg surgery. But this latest return promises something different: joy wrapped in mystery.

To figure out who Sami’s betrothed might be, it helps to look back at her romantic history — a turbulent tapestry of love, scandal, and heartbreak. One of Sami’s most infamous chapters involved her near-marriage to Lucas Horton. That relationship exploded in deception: Lucas kidnapped her, framed EJ for the crime, and then dramatically “rescued” Sami — only for the truth to surface at the worst possible moment. Standing in a chapel, ready to say “I do,” Sami learned Lucas had orchestrated the abduction. The revelation, dropped by Chad in a cliffhanger interruption, led to the immediate collapse of their union and Lucas’s stint in Statesville. He’s out now, and whispers suggest he may be back in town for the big 60th anniversary episodes — a tantalizing clue that rekindled romance with Sammy could be on the table.

What about other past flames? Some names can be dismissed. Rafe Hernandez, for instance, seems unlikely. Although he and Sami shared a brief marriage and some post-divorce entanglements, Rafe has been single for a while and focused on other storylines. Unless there’s a secret off-screen rekindling, he’s probably not the mystery fiancé.

EJ DiMera — another major figure in Sami’s orbit — also seems a poor match for this surprise. EJ has his own dark, consuming projects (including secretive lab scheming and manipulative games that torment Salem’s doctors). He’s been pining for Belle Black and caused seismic trouble in Johnny’s trial by revealing a relationship that was meant to stay private. EJ’s heart still leans toward Belle, and the animus between Sami and EJ in their recent exchanges makes an engagement between them unlikely.

Then there’s Austin Reed. Longtime viewers will remember a young Sami obsessing over Austin — a love that spiraled into deception and one of Sami’s most disturbing confessions. She admitted that, in her younger years, she drugged him — an act that led to sexual assault. That horrific chapter left scars, and Austin’s story has continued elsewhere; he’s supposedly in Europe, married to Carrie. Reconciliation seems remote, not least because of where all involved have been since those darker days.

Brandon Walker is another blast from the past who could have a role. He and Sami had a fraught history, complete with a short marriage and messy complications involving schemes and manipulations. He vanished from Salem years ago, but soaps have a habit of resurrecting long-absent players, and his reappearance could make for an intriguing twist. Yet after two decades away, his return feels less likely than some other options — unless writers are planning a major nostalgia-driven shock.

Which brings us back to Lucas Horton — the man whose return would make the most dramatic sense. He’s been a recurring figure in teasers for the season, and the timing of Brian Datillo’s rumored presence around November Sweeps and the 60th anniversary makes the possibility feel electric. Lucas has the most immediate history with Sami that could plausibly evolve off-screen into a renewed romance. Their messy breakup, the emotional fallout, and Lucas’s eventual release from prison set the stage for a powerful reconciliation story. If Sami and Lucas did reconnect away from Salem, a dramatic entrance at the Horton Gala announcing their engagement would be quintessential Sami — sensational, heartfelt, and designed to spin the town into chaos.

If the fiancé is indeed Lucas, one can already imagine Kate Roberts’s reaction. Kate has always kept a watchful, possessive eye over the men in her life and the people around her. Her meddling and manipulations have tormented Sami’s relationships before, especially anything involving Lucas. Kate’s potential fury would add another delicious layer of conflict: old rivalries flaring up, family lines drawn, and Salem’s social scene set alight by scandal and scheming.

So what should viewers expect when Hurricane Sami drops anchor at the Horton Clinic Gala? Anticipate a spectacle: Sami, radiant and formidable, unveiling an engagement that shocks the room. Expect speculation, backlash, and a torrent of emotional fallout as the town pieces together how and why this happened. Will the fiancé be a rekindled love from Sami’s past, a surprise new suitor, or a twist no one sees coming? Either way, Sami’s announcement is guaranteed to change the landscape of relationships in Salem.

Drop your guesses and wishes into the comments — who do you want Sami to be with? Will Lucas win her back, or will a different name rewrite her future? One thing is certain: when Sami storms back into Salem, no heart, secret, or alliance will remain unchanged. Stay tuned — the next chapter promises fireworks.