Days of Our Lives sees EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) is down but not out, even after he took a bullet to the chest. And this may be the perfect opportunity for EJ to pivot and get every single thing that he wants. Let’s talk about how EJ could either learn his lesson and redeem himself and become a better man, or double down and head down a darker path. But first, if you’re not following us, please click that subscribe button.
Days of Our Lives: EJ Uses Arnold
Just before EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) was shot, he was actually feeling pretty good about things with Rachel Black out of the picture, since EJ stashed Kristen’s psycho mom somewhere no one can find her. He’s feeling pretty smug that he got away with his crimes.
To be fair, it’s not like EJ wanted Arnold Finneran to come back to Salem. He was actually horrified to see Rafe’s lookalike back on the scene. But in typical EJ’s fashion, he did not look a gift villain in the mouth and decided to use Arnold to try and get his DA job back and get Jada and Belle ousted. None of that worked out well, but in the end, EJ thinks he’s got all the loose ends tied off.
Days of Our Lives: Ava Leaves Town
Ava Vitali’s (Tamara Braun) agreed not to talk and she left town. Mama Rachel Blake is stashed away, who knows where. And aside from Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) being furious at him, EJ’s in a pretty good position right now. But then karma came calling with a bullet. I mean, he’s lucky Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) found him because otherwise EJ would have bled out.
And then when Chad was sitting at his side at the hospital, of course, EJ had a seizure and things turned a lot worse for him. But we do know that he lives. Dan Feuerriegel has been posting behind-the-scenes shots of him still filming even now, which means EJ survives and continues to be on Days of Our Lives for at least the next eight or nine months, given the tape-to-air delay. But there are a couple of ways this shooting could work out for him.
EJ DiMera’s Potential Redemption Arc After Near-Death Experience on DOOL
First of all, and this would be ideal, right? It’d be very nice. We could see this near-death experience really change EJ for the better. After Johnny found out EJ blackmailed Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) into bed and that’s how he was conceived, Johnny’s devastated. He cut his dad out of his life, and EJ’s upset about it. And EJ has to know it’s a miracle that he was able to get rid of Rachel Senior and Arnold and isn’t facing any criminal charges.
So EJ could think, “Wow, I got really lucky. I can turn over a new leaf, restart everything now that I’m in the clear from these recent events. Not only is my son furious, but I almost went to jail and then was almost killed.”
So EJ could think all of that. We could even see him grovel to Johnny, apologize to Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk), maybe let her Zoom chat with her mom Rachel to prove she’s okay, and then set about to be a better father, a brother, a partner to Belle Black (Martha Madison), and a businessman. EJ could do all of that with this new lease on life. That’s one path. That’s the high road.
Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Will EJ DiMera Embrace Villainy or Seek Revenge?
But this is an offspring of Stefano DiMera. So what I feel like is more likely is that EJ tries and leverage this near-death tragedy to get everything he wants. That sounds more like a move that EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) would make.
While he’s in a medically induced coma, Belle Black (Martha Madison) sits at his side, and she admits she has fallen in love with him. The question is, what happens when EJ wakes up? Belle still doesn’t like his shady activities and his criminal habits.
So EJ could run some sort of con when he wakes up. You know, first of all, he could pretend he doesn’t have any memories of what happened. He could claim ignorance about all the recent events since Arnold’s return to shut down any further questions about Rafe Hernandez’s (Galen Gering) kidnapping or any chance he could be prosecuted.
He could act like he knows nothing about Arnold being in town, Ava’s captivity, Rachel Blake going missing, or even her turning up. EJ could simply pretend he’s got amnesia and act confused and refuse to answer questions.
Days of Our Lives: EJ Gets Revenge?
Or another alternative is EJ could use this opportunity for revenge. Rather than pretending he can’t remember, he can pretend he remembers everything and accuse someone he hates of shooting him, not the real shooter, but someone he wants to go down.
There’s a long list of suspects. Ava Vitali (Tamara Braun) is in Hong Kong with her son Tripp Dalton (Lucas Adams), but I don’t think she shot him anyway. And with her gone, that’s probably enough to satisfy EJ. And we know Johnny took Roman Brady’s (Josh Taylor) gun and seemed to consider shooting his dad. But I don’t think Johnny did it. And I doubt EJ would accuse him even if Johnny did actually pull the trigger.
Days of Our Lives: Potential Suspects in EJ’s Shooting – Gabi, Kristen, or Kate?
Now, Gabi Hernandez (formerly Camila Banus) put a gun in EJ’s face, and it was only Jack Junior (JJ) Deveraux showing up to the DiMera mansion that stopped Gabi from putting a bullet into EJ weeks ago, and he really hates Gabi, so she’s somebody he might accuse of the shooting.
Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) also made threats, and EJ despises her. And Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) threatened to shoot her brother, and she has her mom Rachel’s gun in her purse. JJ’s going to find it there this week. But I don’t think EJ would accuse his sister of shooting him.
Days of Our Lives: Kate Roberts on the List?
But there’s one other woman in Salem who has rubbed EJ the wrong way recently. That’s Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow). EJ blames Kate for Johnny’s rage and guilt because EJ doesn’t see at all why Kate had to tell his son about the Sami incident. Even Kate admitted it shouldn’t have come out that way.
And EJ threatened her sons as punishment. Then Rex Brady (Kyle Lowder) was injured in a hit and run, and Kate worries that EJ set that up. So as this week kicked off, even Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) questioned Kate, asked his mom if she shot EJ.
So no matter who really shot him, I could see him accuse either Gabi or Kate of the deed. And of the two of them, I suspect EJ would most likely want to lash out at Kate. He knows he deserves Gabi’s wrath, but what Kate did to EJ seems pointlessly cruel towards Johnny. And that’s why EJ is so furious. So if Kate’s got no alibi, EJ may take advantage and accuse her.
Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Did Little Rachel Shoot EJ? The Shocking Truth Revealed!
And the big question is, if Kate didn’t shoot EJ, why would he accuse her instead of revealing the real shooter? Because we know he definitely saw who shot him. And by the way, I doubt Rafe’s recording device got the shooter because he was so focused on aiming it at the chair where EJ sits, and the shooter was several feet away over towards the sofa.
So according to my leaker, it’s little Rachel Black (Finley Rose Slater) who got hold of a gun and accidentally or maybe on purpose shot her uncle EJ. Since Kristen was toting the revolver in her purse, it would have been super easy for little Rachel to put her hands on it.
And she might have heard Kristen threaten EJ, just like when Rachel sent those threat texts to Ava. You know, Rachel made clear she was only doing what she seen her mom Kristen do with her enemies: get them out of the way.
Days of Our Lives: Rachel Dances with Danger?
So if Rachel overheard Kristen threatened to kill EJ over her grandma Rachel Blake, that might be why Rachel got the gun and pointed it at EJ, if indeed it was her. Like my leaker says, as wicked of a kid as little Rachel is, I still don’t think EJ would want to see his psycho little niece in a juvie jail.
Now they are swapping actresses, and the new Rachel begins right as April Sweeps kicks off. So her first scenes may be her with gun in her hand if the leaker is correct. But even so, I think EJ would prefer to lie and accuse Kate and punish her because she ran her mouth to Johnny.
So wait to see if EJ wakes up a new man determined to do better and be better, or if he doubles down and does something worse once he’s out of the coma. I’m personally hoping for villainous, but we’ll see how it goes.
