Salem’s Nightmare: Marlena’s Shocking Collapse and the Looming Threat of Stefano’s Mind Control as Johnny’s Trial Begins!

Get ready for an incredibly tense and potentially terrifying week on Days of Our Lives, as Marlena Evans’s mysterious health crisis escalates, coinciding with the high-stakes trial of Johnny DiMera. At home, Belle Black is catching up with Brady Black and Marlena on the dramatic “Sophia saga,” but the conversation quickly shifts to the overwhelming stress impacting the entire family as Johnny’s trial is about to commence. Marlena expresses her deep empathy for the young parents involved in the Sophia situation, but it’s clear the DiMera family itself is under immense strain.

Marlena’s Sacrifice and EJ’s Haunted Mind

The family’s attempt at normalcy is interrupted when Rachel Black comes out, eager to read her book, but Brady tells her it must wait. They need to go to Kristen DiMera’s house to get goggles for camp, providing a brief, mundane reprieve before the storm. After they leave, Belle and Marlena share a quiet moment, acknowledging just how tough this impending trial is going to be on Belle, who is Johnny’s defense attorney and also his aunt.

Soon after, EJ DiMera joins them for a crucial hypnosis session with Marlena. Marlena, ever the professional, makes it unequivocally clear that she is undertaking this session not for EJ’s benefit, but solely for Johnny’s sake. EJ concurs, admitting that while he was previously worried Johnny might be guilty, he now firmly believes in his son’s innocence. Belle interjects, cautiously reminding EJ that evidence obtained through hypnosis may not be admissible in court. EJ, however, already knows this; his goal isn’t courtroom admissibility but simply to gain a “starting point” – any clue that could help them uncover the truth about who shot him.

As Marlena steps away to prepare for the session, Belle takes the opportunity to have a private word with EJ, sternly reminding him that they need to keep their relationship “tamped down” while Johnny’s trial is ongoing. EJ, clearly reluctant to put their burgeoning romance on hold, initially resists. But Belle firmly lays out the incredibly precarious nature of their situation: Johnny is her nephew, EJ is the victim of the shooting, and Belle herself is tasked with defending the accused. The optics are terrible, and the potential for a conflict of interest or public scandal is high. Reluctantly, EJ agrees. However, just as Marlena re-enters the room, he impulsively plants a kiss on Belle, a moment that causes Marlena to pause, her expression unreadable, before she decisively breaks them up to begin the hypnosis session. Belle quickly makes her exit, leaving EJ and Marlena alone to begin their delicate work.

During the session, EJ begins to speak under hypnosis, his words fragmented and strained: “What are you doing? Why don’t you give that to me?” He describes seeing “them” but frustratingly “can’t see who they are.” As his agitation grows, Marlena gently pulls him out of the hypnotic state. Despite the attempt, EJ still cannot identify his assailant. The session ends with a chilling question from EJ: “Is it because it was Johnny?” Marlena, ever the expert on the human mind, reassures him that he is “very disturbed by those memories” and that they are “still blocked.” EJ muses that he must still be worried that his memories could somehow “harm him.” He begins to hypothesize, “How? Unless his shooter was…” but Marlena quickly cuts him off. She firmly reiterates that she asked Johnny, she believes in his innocence, and so does EJ. She reassures him of her commitment to keep trying, emphasizing that they simply need to “unlock his trauma and release his memories.” This suggests a deeper psychological battle for EJ, where the truth is buried not just by amnesia, but by a subconscious protective mechanism related to the identity of his attacker.

Salem’s Other Woes: Love Lost, Frayed Nerves, and Shady Arrivals

Meanwhile, across Salem, Paulina Price and Abe Carver are having breakfast at the pub, but Paulina is visibly not hungry, consumed by anxiety. She’s nervous about being called as a witness in Johnny’s trial and the prospect of potentially sending him to prison, firmly believing in both his and Chanel Dupree’s innocence. Abe, ever the calm and steady presence, reassures her that she simply has a duty to tell the truth and that “everything will turn out OK.” Paulina then asks about their son, Theo, as Abe just got off a call with him. Abe crosses his arms, his expression troubled, simply stating that Theo is “Not good.” He reveals that Theo and Claire Brady have broken up, but Abe has no idea why. Paulina laments the news but holds onto the hope that he’ll heal and move on. Before heading out, Paulina, leaning on Abe’s extensive police experience, asks if Johnny truly “has a shot” in court. Abe muses that while the evidence is all circumstantial, he has “seen guilty verdicts with a lot less” and that it’s ultimately “a crapshoot,” offering little comfort.

Back at the DiMera mansion, Gwen Rizczech arrives with her luggage, visibly annoyed that no one is there to help her. Brady and Rachel show up after Gwen has already taken her bags upstairs, questioning her presence. Gwen, unfazed, announces she’s “Moving in!” She then sarcastically asks Rachel if anyone told her, to which Rachel responds, “No. I haven’t been here.” Rachel defensively adds, “She’s been at her dad’s, duh!” Brady quickly sends Rachel off to get her goggles for camp, creating a distraction. Gwen, clearly surprised, asks Brady how Kristen allowed Rachel to go, but Brady explains they agreed it’s best for Rachel to be away during the trial. Gwen expresses relief that she’s “not connected to any of this drama.” Rachel returns with a backpack full of various items, and Gwen asks if Rachel has any messages for her mommy, adding conspiratorially, “If you remember, I’m a good friend of hers.” Brady observes how odd it is that EJ permitted Gwen to move in. Gwen dismisses this, saying, “I honestly doubt he even noticed I’m here,” implying EJ is too distracted by his own ordeal. As Gwen rushes out to retrieve the rest of her belongings from the Salem Inn, Rachel desperately tries to hurry her and her dad out. “Can we just go?” she pleads. Brady crouches down, sensing her distress, and asks what’s wrong. Rachel points to the living room entrance, her voice trembling, “That’s where Johnny was standing.” She then tearfully asks if she’ll have to testify today, to which Brady quickly assures her, “No, no… Not today. They don’t know when.” But Rachel, holding back tears, cries out, “But I don’t want to send Johnny to jail!” This moment reveals the deep emotional toll the trial is taking on the entire family, even the youngest members.

Johnny and Chanel’s Desperate Search for Truth

Meanwhile, at home, Johnny is struggling to tie his tie, clearly exhausted after being up all night. Chanel Dupree steps in to help him, acknowledging his fear. “Tell me, how are you feeling?” she asks gently. He admits he’s “scared,” confessing he threatened his dad with a gun and “wanted him dead.” Chanel, ever his rock, reminds him that despite his anger, he “didn’t do it,” and that “all of Salem felt the same.” She emphasizes that the only thing that truly matters is that he “stopped himself.”

Johnny, however, is consumed by anxiety, lamenting, “It still looks like he did.” He expresses a deep-seated fear of being wrongly convicted, citing “countless people wrongly convicted all the time and left to sit in prison.” Chanel reminds him that he has his dad fighting for him – even if that means EJ potentially pointing the finger at her as the shooter. Johnny, with unwavering faith in her, states there’s “no way she’d let him take the fall for a crime she committed.” In a determined declaration, Chanel asserts that they “can’t wait for the truth to come out. They have to make it come out.” She firmly states that neither of them shot EJ, and neither of them is “going down for it.” If EJ cannot remember his assailant, Chanel concludes, “they need to find someone who can remember for him,” signaling their own desperate search for the true culprit.

The Trial Begins, Marlena Collapses, and a Fateful Call

As the momentous trial day arrives, Belle is on the phone with Claire, discussing Claire and Theo’s breakup as she heads to the courthouse. Paulina and Abe join her, and the conversation briefly touches on their kids’ breakup, though none of them have the specific details. All they can do, they conclude, is be there for their children, just as they are there for Johnny and Chanel. They all arrive at the courthouse, and Paulina and Abe offer words of encouragement to Johnny and Chanel, providing a much-needed sense of solidarity for Johnny, who feels better knowing they’re present.

Belle takes her place at the District Attorney’s desk, looking around for EJ. She calls him, concern in her voice: “The trial’s about to start and you’re still not here.” She probes, “Did he remember something?” EJ soon arrives, his face grim, and admits he “couldn’t remember a damn thing.” He acknowledges he’s been shot before, but this time “feels different,” suggesting the trauma is unusually profound. He reveals that him being shot “wasn’t the most traumatic part of what happened.” Belle, trying to understand, presses, “What could be worse?” She reminds him that he’s been through “deep trauma” and that “some things can’t be rushed.” EJ confirms they have another session scheduled with Marlena, desperately hoping, “God willing, she helps me recall what really happened that night.” This sets up Marlena’s hypnosis as the key to unlocking the central mystery of who shot EJ.

In the show’s final, shocking moments, Gwen finishes packing her bags. She eyes the safe containing the mysterious necklace, opens it, only to discover that both the bag and the necklace are gone! This implies a new theft or deception, adding another layer of intrigue. Outside the courtroom, Marlena hugs Johnny, assuring him of their unwavering support and belief in his innocence. EJ then appears, telling his son it’s time to face the music. They enter the courtroom and take their places as the judge enters and calls for the jury to be brought in.

Marlena and Abe head into the gallery separately to sit. But just as they do, Marlena suddenly gets woozy, drops into her chair, and dramatically passes out on Abe’s shoulder. Simultaneously, Rachel and Brady get back home. Brady gently breaks the news to Rachel that Grandma Marlena can’t read to her because she’s at Johnny’s trial. He suggests they skip camp and go see a movie instead, which thrills Rachel as she goes to drop off her bag. At that very moment, Belle calls Brady, her voice filled with panic, to tell him that “mom just collapsed in court!” In the courtroom, a distraught Belle desperately begs her unconscious mother to wake up, while Johnny and EJ watch on helplessly, utterly powerless as the woman who holds the key to EJ’s memories and Johnny’s freedom lies unconscious.

The next episode of Days of Our Lives promises to focus heavily on Marlena’s “health crisis.” Additionally, the episode will feature a bittersweet farewell as Doug Williams shares a poignant moment with Julie Olson Williams. For those worried about Marlena, a photo gallery will be available, showcasing all the incredible adversities she has survived over the years, reinforcing her resilience. This alarming collapse in court signals a major turning point, potentially triggering the return of Stefano or some other major manipulation, plunging Salem into deeper chaos as the mystery of EJ’s shooter remains unsolved and Johnny’s future hangs in the balance.