We start with a sunlit, tense scene at the mediation table, where Chad DiMera’s fate hangs in the balance like a chandelier of fragile glass. Chad, portrayed with storm-petaled resolve by Billy Flynn, edges toward a formal mediation outcome that could redefine his trajectory in this labyrinthine saga. On the other side of the glass, Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford) and Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves) are leaning into the moment, their faces a map of decades of shared history—holdings, regrets, and a stubborn belief that some bonds are worth saving. The spoilers tease that the trio—Chad, Jack, and Jennifer—will push to hash out an agreement that could illuminate a path forward not just for Chad, but for the tangled web of families who depend on him. If the stars align as the gossip suggests, the outcome might be a compromise that feels earned, a resolution steeped in both mercy and the hard-edged pragmatism this town often requires. Abigail Dever, Marcy Miller’s signature energy, would likely approve, but the true judge here is fate itself, as it watches from above the gleaming conference room.

Meanwhile, Gwen Norlund—yes, the schemer with a heart that often betrays her own instinct for self-preservation—finds herself backed into a corner by Leo Stark’s increasingly sinister machinations. Leo, the master of misdirection and a perennial catalyst for trouble, lays out a chilling proposal to Gwen: help Dmitri von Luskner vanish once more, and perhaps a veil of safety will descend over them both. But Gwen isn’t easily stampeded by threats; Dmitri’s presence previously haunted Salem’s living rooms and darkened countless doorways, and the suspicion now swirls like winter fog around every corner. Gwen’s dilemma grows sharper as she contemplates Leo’s demand—because aiding Dmitri risks drawing the weight of law, memory, and those old, painful rumors that refuse to stay buried. Yet Gwen, ever the tactician, has a plan simmering beneath the surface: she plans to frame Dmitri as someone connected to the crypt-abduction web that has haunted Salem’s nightmares. The room tilts with every tense breath as she chooses her course, a course that inches toward a dangerous crossfire with EJ DiMera when he returns from his Italian voyage and discovers whose fingerprints are on the latest tremor.

EJ’s return is a drumbeat that rattles the walls. The moment he sets foot back in Salem, he’s ready to lay into Gwen with a thunderous rebuke for stoking Dmitri’s ghostly drama without his blessing. EJ—who’s spent episodes juggling empire, family, and a sea of secrets—will not tolerate upheaval he didn’t authorize. The confrontation promises a clash of wills sharper than a blade and twice as devastating for those who’ve trusted too easily. EJ’s presence injects a brutal clarity into the equation: when he’s home, problems either get washed clean or ignite into an unstoppable wildfire that consumes everything it touches.

Across town, Kristen DiMera’s kin—Stacy Haduk—continues to simmer with fury over EJ’s role in pushing Rachel Black toward a cliff’s edge at Bayview. Kristen’s anger is a fierce, volcanic current, and every new update about Rachel’s stumbles only fans the flames. Rachel’s recent setbacks at Bayview have fueled a taunting carnival within Kristen’s mind: how best to retaliate, how best to reassert control, and how to bend events to her will without tipping the scales too far. The town’s fragile balance trembles as whispers of revenge drift through the corridors of wealth and power.

A potential storm cloud forms on the horizon in the form of an uneasy alliance. Rumors circulate that the ever-watchful Rafe Hernandez—handsome, relentless, and usually a voice of reason—might find himself bending to a vengeful chorus and joining forces with Kristen. If Rafe succumbs to that dark pivot, Salem’s axis could tilt in directions no one dares to forecast. The idea that the hunt for vengeance could fuse two potent forces into a single, unstoppable surge adds an extra layer of danger to every plan and every promise that crosses the town’s weather-beaten streets.

Adding to the maelstrom, the trap laid for Stephanie Johnson, Alex Kuryakis, and Steve Johnson edges toward a perilous misstep. The trio—Stephanie’s sharp wit and undeniable charisma blending with Alex’s roguish charm and familial drive—has become a central engine of contemporary Salem drama. But in this week’s sketches, their carefully constructed scheme is shown teetering on the brink of disaster. The consequences of a miscalculated move could ripple through Titan’s empire and Salem’s personal relationships alike, threatening to fracture trust and spark a cascade of retaliatory maneuvers that no one could predict.

And then there’s Holly Jonas, the bright-eyed dynamo of youth who’s chasing sorority glory with a sparkle that could blind you if you’re not paying attention. Yet the spoilers warn there’s trouble lurking behind the cheers. A new crowd may threaten Holly’s carefully staged plan, drawing her into a web of chaos that challenges her, her ambitions, and her sense of self. The same chapter of chaos promises more Sophia-centered confusions, as Sophia’s chaotic energy continues to ripple through the day-to-day drama with a stubborn persistence that the town knows all too well.

So what does all of this portend for Chad, Gwen, EJ, Kristen, Rachel, Stephanie, Alex, Steve, and the rest of Salem’s tangled cast? The week’s line-up paints a picture of a town at a breaking point, where every alliance is tested and every secret fights to stay buried. The mediation could be a turning point—both a sliver of light and a doorway to darker waters. Leo’s merciless push could force Gwen to a reckoning she never anticipated, dragging Dmitri into a wider web of danger that even EJ might not be able to untangle with a single homecoming handshake. EJ’s return could crystallize loyalties or fracture them, especially if