The final few moments of the Thursday, April 30 episode of Days of our Lives, will pave the way, to what just may be the end of Sophia Choi’s (Rachel Boyd) life, but not as you may think!

After an unhinged Sophia paid a visit to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman), maced him in the eyes, knocked him out and then tied up to a chair, now conscious, she lets him know that she holds him responsible for all the trouble and trauma she has gone through from adopting her child, and her being sent to a mental institution.

So instead of the unregistered gun Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) gave her to finish off Johnny, Sophia sets up a plan to light candle, use nail polish remover and turn on the gas on the stove to ultimately create a mass explosion, which although Johnny pleaded to her not to that to all the innocent people inside his apartment building, she doesn’t seem to care.

Photo: JPI

FIERY FACE OFF

The plan was supposed to be, after she takes care of Johnny she will toss the gun in the Salem River, then focus on payback to Holly Jonas before leaving town to start a new life.

Now, Sophia makes her exit, leaving Johnny to be a few moments away from an explosion or gas inhalation, when Chanel (Raven Bowens) comes home after awaiting the results of her mammogram. She sees Johnny tied up, as he panics and tells her to put out the flame on the candle, things go awry, and a fire has begun and everything may go up in flames with Johnny and Chanel inside.

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A BROKEN SOPHIA

Back in her room, Sophia breaks down after reading the social media comments about her, she planted, and then starts writing a suicide or farewell note which says. “I’m tired of begging for forgiveness for my mistakes. All I wanted was to move forward, to be loved and understood. But it’s clear that I was never going to get that. Holly Jonas said that I was dead to her. So, as her former BFF, I’m going to make her dream a reality.”

Photo: JPI

A DEADLY TRAP

Now, the fate of Johnny, Chanel and Sophia will be revealed on tomorrow’s May 1st cliffhanger, which may be the end of Sophia when she crosses paths with Kirsten at the bridge near the river. We do know Rachel Boyd is no longer appearing in the show credits section and is now off contract with the soap.

So, what did you think of the climatic final moments of DAYS? What did you think of the performance of Rachel Boyd as Sophia Choi? Let us know via the comment section.

If you haven’t watched the Tuesday, February 17 episode of Days of our Lives yet, grab your hankies! In what was Billy Flynn’s last performance in the role of Chad DiMera, the three-time Daytime Emmy nominated actor left it all out on the table. Flynn gave viewers some of the most heartfelt goodbyes we have seen on the soaps when an actor is making a final exit.

While Billy left Days of our Lives last March to join the cast of The Young and the Restless as the recast Cane Ashby, with DAYS tape to streaming timeline, today in story, Chad left Salem with his children, Thomas (Cary Christopher) and Charlotte (Autumn Gendron). The three are heading to Arizona for awhile to stay with Will and Sonny. The exit provided the opportunity for there to be a short break, before Conner Floyd assumes the role come April 26 on your screens.

In a recap of Billy Flynn’s last Days of our Lives episode, it was if each goodbye and moment tugged on your heart strings more than the previous one. It also illustrated what a huge loss this was for the long-running soap opera. For those who went on the ride with Flynn as Chad, it was also an emotional day. The episode also marked the last one for Cary Christopher who was wonderful in the role of Thomas DiMera as well as Autumn Gendron as Charlotte. Both roles have been recast.

Courtesy/Peacock

First, Chad visits Abigail’s gravesite. He tells his beloved that their kids are growing, and that he is really trying to do right by them. He tells Abigail, “I still miss you every single day.” He then informs her he is leaving Salem with the kids for awhile and that he promises to take a piece of her with him whereever he goes. As this was Valentine’s Day in Salem, Chad puts a rose on Abigail’s tombstone and tells her, “Goodbye for now!” HANKIES.

When Chad returns to Julie (Susan Seaforth Hayes), he sees his son, Thomas sitting alone. In a very touching scene, and the last one between Cary Christopher and Billy Flynn as father and son, they talk about being sad thinking about Abigail. Remembering the candied Valentine’s hearts, Abigail used to give Thomas, Chad has a box in his pocket that he gives to his son. HANKIES.

Julie comes into the living room and Thomas goes to finish packing, leaving Chad with Julie, in what will be the final scenes between Susan Seaforth Hayes and Billy Flynn. In that moment, if you watch Billy, it all seemed so real, with tears welling up in Chad’s eyes, he has to say goodbye to Julie, who is concerned she will never see him again, They discuss how they both helped each other through their grief of losing Doug and Abigail. Chad thanks Julie for opening her home to him and the children as the two hug. HANKIES

Courtesy/Peacock

Later, Jack (Matthew Ashford) and Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) arrive back to the Horton house. Chad is there and while the three had quite the contentious time over the entire Cat Greene is Abigail and its upshot and aftermath, they seem to reconcile and come to a place of peace. Jack even pipes up that they may have made Chad’s life miserable this past year but it all ended up alright.

When Thomas and Charlotte show back up, and Chad tells them it’s time for bed, they want Julie to read a chapter (or two) from Alice In Wonderland to them. So they exit up the stairs. Next, Jennifer and Jack each hug it out with Chad. Later alone, Chad takes one last look around the living room and stops at his wedding photo with Abigail and begins to cry.  Taking one final look around, Chad turns off the light and heads upstairs. HANKIES. We fade to black.

All of the scenes were poignant, beautifully played, and was that often fine line we see when the performance is mixed with the reality. Flynn cut his teeth on the soaps as an actor on Days of our Lives during his 12-year run as Chad.

Courtesy/Peacock

Before he closed the page on his run, Flynn spoke to TV Insider, about his emotions of taping his last DAYS episodes. “The stuff that’s airing now is what I remember fondly because they are genuine goodbyes. I had one with Dan Feurriegel (EJ), Susan Hayes, and I loved being able to do the story with Missy and Matt.”

One of Flynn’s takeaways from his experience on Days of our Lives was the kudos he received along the way from executive producer, Ken Corday. “I remember after I was there for a period of time, right around the time of maybe the Necktie Killer storyline, he came in one day and he says, ‘What’s up, GB?’” Flynn relays. “And I was like, ‘GB?’ and he goes, ‘Game Ball. You’re the one we can always give the game ball to.’ It meant a lot, and he called me ‘Game Ball’ until the very end. He’s lovely, and his family is lovely, and what an honor to be a part of that legacy.”

So, what did you think of Billy Flynn’s final episode as Chad DiMera on Days of our Lives? Did you reach for the hankies? Share your thoughts via the comment section below and kudos to Billy fo a job well-done for over a decade.

Days of our Lives held what is said to be an official memorial for long time super villain, Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) on the Friday, February 6 episode of the Peacock streaming soap opera.

How we got here: Stefano’s bones were recently found in the DiMera crypt after all his children were kidnapped there by Peter Blake (Dan Gauthier). But it has always been a question if Stefano, also known as “The Phoenix,” will rise again given that after so many times his life had apparently ended, he never actually died in the first place.

As the saga goes: Stefano was considered dead after being shot by Hope Brady (Kristian Alfonso) in 2016. His portrayer, Joseph Mascolo also died that year. Then in 2019 and 2020, Stefano existed when his essence was implanted by Dr. Rolf in a brain micro-ship into Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) in the “Steveno” storyline that ended later in 2020. Now in 2026 it was confirmed that his original body had decomposed after dying in hiding, and was buried by Rolf before being placed in the DiMera crypt.

Photo: JPI

EX-WIVES AND ENEMIES SAY THEIR GOODBYES TO STEFANO

Fast forward to where we are today. The DiMera’s have Stefano in an urn at the mansion and are holding a memorial for the patriarch of their family. One of Stefano’s ex-wives, Kate (Lauren Koslow) shows up and has a moment alone with his urn to have a few choice words with the deceased. Then, Roman (Josh Taylor) has a moment where he recalled how Stefano destroyed his life, but in a twist of fate and  irony, both he and Stefano shared the same woman, Kate! Despite everything Roman took from him, he can finally say, “checkmate, you old bastard.”

After everyone is outside in the foyer and ready to leave, Marlena (Deidre Hall) says she wants a moment alone to say her goodbyes to Stefano. Given all he perpetrated on her throughout their lives, at first, it may have seem strange she would want to say anything at all, but Marlena certainly had some things she needed to get off her chest.

MARLENA ADDRESSES BEING STEFANO’S ‘QUEEN OF THE NIGHT’

Photo: JPI

Looking at his photo next to the lit candles, Marlena begins, “There’s so many things I want to say to you, not just on my behalf, but on John’s as well. I was your obsession. I never really quite understood that, but at one point I realized that it wasn’t me. It had nothing to do with me. II was your fantasy. I was a figment of your imagination.” Next, a clip is shown of Marlena dancing with Stefano at the masquerade ball as her “Queen of the Night” which was very creepy for its time and opened the door for Marlena being possessed by the devil for the first time.

Coming out of the flashback, Marlena continued: “You pulled me into your web, and for that, my life was forever changed. You took so much from me, but because of you, John came into my life. He gave me strength. He gave me the courage to fight the very devil himself. I hope you rest in peace because that way we’ll never have to see you again. I am not sure we get that lucky. Lucky enough to have you gone forever.”

With that sentiment, the lit candles beside Stefano’s urn suddenly and quickly blow out as if a sudden wind took over which at first startled Marlena. It left her both defiant to stand strong against any forces of Stefano, but let the door open to interpretation if the “Phoenix” will somehow rise again in another human form and is not truly done with his obsession for Marlena.

So, what did you think about Deidre Hall’s performance as Marlena for all intent and purposes firmly let Stefano have it, for how she tried to destroy her life? Do you think the end of the episode, with the candles suddenly being blown-out, signifies a story ahead involving some type of Stefano and Marlena, or could this be the end of good conquering evil once and for all?  Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.