Salem braces for a storm unlike anything it has seen before. One of its most revered minds, Marina Evans, teeters on the brink of collapse, as shadows of the past claw their way back into the present. Her unraveling psyche, haunted by echoes of Stefano DiMera’s manipulations, threatens to bring the entire town into a psychological tailspin.

It all begins with whispers—visions and flashbacks Marina confides to her closest confidante, triggering a wave of alarm in Dr. Kayla Johnson. Kayla, having lived through the horrors of Stefano’s mind control tactics, immediately recognizes the warning signs. Marina’s behavior is no ordinary mental health episode—it mirrors the deliberate breakdown of identity, memories, and will that Stefano once orchestrated with chilling precision.

Decades ago, Marina was more than just a victim—she was the prized puppet of Salem’s greatest villain. Under Stefano’s hypnosis and manipulation, Marina was stripped of her agency and used as a vessel for his grander, sinister designs. The scars of those days may have faded, but they never healed. Now, as she begins to lose control again—blanking out, hallucinating, and experiencing terrifying regressions—Kayla knows that something, or someone, is reactivating the programming.

Kayla, though not a psychiatrist by training, is perhaps the most qualified person in Salem to recognize Stefano’s tactics. Her history, particularly her trauma involving Steve Johnson’s forced transformation into a pawn, drives her to act quickly. She begins a quiet investigation, looking for clues that might link Marina’s current condition to an external manipulator. The evidence starts stacking up, but nothing prepares Kayla for what comes next.

At the center of the storm is a mysterious book—an old Arabian tome Marina claims holds the key to her episodes. As she reads, she loses time. As she remembers, her reality fractures. This is no coincidence. The book was once in Stefano’s possession. Could it contain post-hypnotic triggers? Could it be a roadmap for controlling minds across generations?

Adding fuel to the fire is Marina’s growing paranoia. She no longer trusts her colleagues at the hospital. She refuses psychiatric help. The only person she still opens up to is Kayla, which puts Kayla in the uncomfortable position of caretaker and potential target. As she digs deeper, Kayla realizes they may be dealing with more than remnants of the past—someone may be picking up Stefano’s work and perfecting it.

Then comes the Rachel Black bombshell. The timeline of Marina’s breakdown eerily aligns with Rachel’s involvement in the EJ DiMera shooting. Marina, fiercely protective of her granddaughter, has been running private hypnotherapy sessions in an attempt to unlock Rachel’s suppressed memories. But in doing so, she may be further destabilizing her own fragile mental state. The dual pressures of keeping Rachel safe and shielding her from legal consequences are overwhelming Marina’s mind, already fraying at the seams.

Meanwhile, EJ DiMera is making power plays of his own. His attempt to acquire University Hospital sends alarm bells ringing for Kayla. She suspects that EJ’s motivations go far beyond business—could he be trying to control the very institution that stands between him and unchecked influence? Her alliance with Xander Kiriakis becomes crucial. Together, they try to block EJ’s hostile takeover while protecting the vulnerable patients under their care.

As Marina and Kayla join forces to probe deeper into the mystery, a terrifying hypothesis emerges: someone in Salem wants to resurrect Stefano’s legacy. The techniques are too precise, the effects too familiar. Is this the work of Tony DiMera? Or is another heir to the DiMera darkness preparing to claim the throne?

Through it all, Kayla must walk a fine line—keeping Marina’s trust, fending off EJ’s growing aggression, and navigating her hospital’s increasingly fraught political landscape. But time is running out. Marina’s episodes are becoming more frequent and dangerous. The fear that she could unknowingly hurt Rachel—or herself—grows by the hour.

Then, in a stunning emotional twist, Sami Brady returns to Salem.

Her reunion with Marina provides a rare window into the heart of the storm. Marina, once proud and composed, crumbles into her daughter’s arms. Their tearful embrace speaks volumes—years of distance dissolve in seconds. For Sami, the return is filled with regret. She opens up about her absence during critical family moments, including the passing of her stepfather John Black.

The scenes that follow are among the most emotionally raw Days has delivered in recent memory. Marina, comforted by her daughter’s presence, recalls loving memories of John—his unwavering support, his quiet strength, his ability to make everyone feel safe. Flashbacks to moments like teaching Sami how to ride a bike or clapping louder than anyone at her graduation enrich the emotional depth and underscore the lasting impact of a man gone too soon.

Their grief is shared with Johnny, Sami’s son, who arrives just in time to join a multigenerational embrace that tethers the fractured family back together. As Marina prepares to head to the hospital, the scene lingers on small details—a lavender perfume, a wooden floor’s creak, a photo on the wall—all grounding the pain and love in tangible memory.

In a quieter moment alone, Sami picks up a photo of John, whispering thanks and apologies. It is a soliloquy of love, guilt, and reverence. As she clutches the frame, a single tear falls—a symbol of loss and of healing.

This emotionally charged storyline is not just about Marina’s unraveling—it’s about legacy, resilience, and the power of family to weather even the darkest storms. As Kayla continues her race against time to save Marina from psychological oblivion, the looming question remains:

Who is behind this new wave of mind control, and can Salem stop them before another DiMera reign begins?