No Longer a Good Girl: Arianna Returns to Salem and Inflicts Gabi’s Fury! | Days of Our Lives Spoilers
Salem is about to be rocked to its core as Days of Our Lives introduces a fiery new chapter with the return of one of its most emotionally complex legacy characters—Arianna Horton. Far from the sweet little girl viewers remember, Arianna comes back to town with a sharp tongue, a hardened heart, and a mission that could tear Gabi Hernandez’s world apart.
Portrayed now by newcomer Marissa Reyes, the teenage Arianna is back—and this time, she’s not pulling any punches. Her return doesn’t just bring family drama; it unearths long-buried secrets, unresolved resentments, and a storm of teenage rebellion. Gabi is about to learn that the daughter she once cradled is now a young woman who remembers everything—the chaos, the betrayals, and the years she spent feeling abandoned.
The Past Comes Back With a Vengeance
To understand the weight of Arianna’s return, one must revisit her turbulent beginnings. Born in 2013 under extreme circumstances during a kidnapping, Arianna’s entry into the world was already marked by danger and drama. She was the result of a one-night stand between Gabi and Will Horton—who was openly gay at the time—and her early years were nothing short of a custody carousel. Gabi tried to raise her with then-boyfriend Nick Fallon, but lies, manipulation, and murder drove wedges through her upbringing.
Arianna spent much of her childhood bouncing between Will, Gabi, and Sonny depending on who was available—or alive. Gabi was even imprisoned for killing Nick, an act of self-defense that nonetheless left Arianna without her mother for years. As Will was presumed dead and Sonny moved abroad, young Arianna was left behind, trying to make sense of a world constantly shifting around her.
A New Face, A New Fire
Fast forward to 2025, and Arianna’s reintroduction is anything but subtle. Marissa Reyes steps into the role with a sharp edge and modern energy. With the show’s time-jump aging her into her late teens—thanks to the classic soap tactic known as SORAS (Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome)—Arianna returns just in time for a summer that will change everything.
She arrives in Salem carrying emotional baggage and a fierce independence. No longer the quiet, impressionable girl from years past, Arianna is a force to be reckoned with—sarcastic, strong-willed, and far from ready to reconcile with her mother.
Mother-Daughter Clash: Gabi’s Worst Nightmare
Gabi, fresh from living in New Zealand with Will and Sonny, hopes for a heartfelt reunion with her daughter. But what she gets is anything but. From the moment Arianna arrives, tensions explode. Rather than settle back into the family home, Arianna chooses to couch-surf with cousin Allie or even crash in a motel. She humiliates Gabi in front of Rafe and other family members, accusing her of being selfish, reckless, and an unfit mother.
This isn’t teenage moodiness—this is a deep, cutting rage born from years of instability and neglect. The emotional showdown shocks Salem. Gabi, known for her ability to manipulate and outmaneuver business titans, finds herself completely undone by her own daughter. And this is only the beginning.
Trouble Follows Arianna
Arianna doesn’t just stir family conflict—she makes waves across all of Salem. Enrolled in summer prep courses at Salem High, she immediately becomes a lightning rod. She’s clever, brutally honest, and unapologetically rebellious. She clashes with Holly Jonas, calls out Sophia Choi as a “fake feminist,” and flirts openly with Tate Black despite protests from Brady and Will.
But the situation reaches a boiling point when Arianna starts dating a much older college dropout with a sketchy past. When Gabi confronts her, Arianna erupts—screaming in the middle of the town square that at least he never left her to “rot with strangers” while Gabi chased her own drama. The outburst ends with Gabi slapping Arianna in public, a moment caught on video by a bystander. Within hours, it’s viral—and Salem is in an uproar.
Child protective services intervene, and Will contemplates taking custody and returning with Arianna to New Zealand. Suddenly, Gabi’s life is spinning out of control.
Gabi’s Breakdown and Arianna’s Power Move
As Gabi grapples with losing her daughter emotionally—and possibly legally—she turns to Rafe and even seeks therapy recommendations from Marlena. But nothing seems to reach Arianna, who is determined to make her mother pay for every moment of abandonment. She even begins talking to a reporter from The Intruder, threatening to expose Gabi’s sordid past, including her criminal record and shady business dealings.
This isn’t just a personal crisis—it’s a public scandal in the making. 
The Bigger Fallout in Salem
Arianna’s return does more than challenge Gabi. It sends ripples across Salem, forcing other legacy characters—Will, Sonny, and even Sami—to reexamine their own parenting mistakes. With Arianna staking her claim as the new queen bee among the younger generation, the entire town feels the shift.
Arianna is not just a rebellious teen—she’s a reckoning. She forces long-suppressed truths into the open and refuses to let anyone, especially her mother, sweep the past under the rug. Her fierce personality, sharp intellect, and unapologetic attitude make her one of the most compelling new additions to Salem in years.
Final Thoughts: The Storm Has Arrived
Days of Our Lives has never been shy about embracing drama, but Arianna Horton’s return is a masterstroke of emotional depth, legacy character tension, and generational storytelling. Marissa Reyes brings this complex role to life with grit and charisma, making it clear that Arianna isn’t here to play nice—she’s here to demand answers, accountability, and control over her own narrative.
For Gabi Hernandez, motherhood has just become the toughest challenge she’s ever faced. For viewers, Arianna’s arrival signals a thrilling, heart-wrenching arc that will leave no family untouched. The “good girl” is gone—and in her place is a young woman ready to set Salem on fire.
