Days of our Lives TWIST: EJ Embraces His Dark Side – Will Cat Become His Ruthless Partner?

Days of Our Lives reveals EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) inherits the family patriarch position when he slides Stefano DiMera‘s (Joseph Mascolo) Phoenix ring onto his finger. We could see a big twist where EJ goes dark and claims his very own “Queen of the Night,” who may be Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord).

EJ has not been doing well lately. He has lost Belle Black (Martha Madison) and Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman). And now his father, Stefano, is confirmed dead. This news might push EJ to an extremely dark place. Let’s dive in and talk about Cat and EJ’s possible future.

EJ DiMera in a Bad Place on Days of Our Lives

The transition from late 2025 into early 2026 has been difficult for EJ, largely due to his own actions and decisions. He is fresh off being kidnapped by Peter Blake (Jason Brooks), who was apparently conspiring with Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel), even though Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte) is taking the fall for it.

Furthermore, Johnny has rejected his father again. And Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) is feuding with EJ. Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) has been sloppy, putting the finances for the secret lab at risk with her scheme involving DVL. While EJ is eager to resurrect the “woman in the tube,” Gwen’s interference is a growing problem.

To make matters worse, EJ is still reeling from the confirmation that the bones in the crypt were indeed Stefano’s remains. Neither Belle nor Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) will give EJ a second chance. And his daughter, Sydney DiMera (Avery and Cade Seger), is far away in Italy.

EJ DiMera Inherits the Iconic Phoenix Ring and Stefano’s Dark Legacy on DOOL

We are about to see an EJ with nothing left to lose, returning to his villainous roots. He may drag Cat along with him, whether she is a willing participant or not. This shift begins this week as EJ, Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis), Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn), Theo, and Kristen head back to the crypt to inter Stefano’s ashes and put him to rest once and for all.

This is a stressful moment for the family, as it marks the first time EJ and Tony have been back to the crypt since Peter tried to kill them all with sarin gas. Each of Stefano’s offspring and grandchildren is mourning in their own way, but EJ is particularly rocked by a revelation from Dr. Wilhelm Rolf (Richard Wharton).

Currently, the position of head of the DiMera family is up for grabs. Although EJ is not the oldest, Tony has made it clear he wants nothing to do with DiMera Enterprises. After reclaiming the company from the Kiriakises, Tony left town with his beloved Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley), leaving the business in Theo’s hands.

Johnny is currently serving as interim CEO while Theo recovers from a head injury inflicted by Peter. While EJ and Rita convinced Johnny to step in, that arrangement is ending soon. Johnny promised his wife, Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens), that he would only help until Theo recovered before returning to work at Titan.

Dr. Wilhelm Rolf Anoints EJ as the New Patriarch of the DiMera Family on Days of our Lives

EJ has also been fighting with Kristen, who blames him for the incident where Rachel Black (Alice Halsey) shot him, leading to the child being sent to Bayview. When Dr. Rolf approaches EJ after they inter Stefano’s remains, EJ is at his lowest point.

After the others leave, Rolf reveals that Stefano assigned him one last task: to personally hand the iconic Phoenix ring to EJ. This gesture confirms that Stefano has anointed EJ as his heir and the new head of the family. This message could be the sign EJ needs to fully embrace his dark side once again.

Days of Our Lives spoilers indicate that Gwen notices a shift in EJ immediately after he slides the ring onto his finger. This raises the question: where does Cat Greene fit into his new world order? Cat was previously falling for Chad. however, to maintain custody of his children, Chad had to grant Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford) and Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves) summer visitation rights.

To appease Thomas DiMera (Christopher Cary), Chad included a “no Cat” clause in their legal custody arrangement. After a talk with Tony, Chad decides to move Thomas and Charlotte DiMera (Olivia & Oakley Rondou) to Arizona for a while.

A New Obsession: EJ DiMera and Cat Greene’s Valentine’s Day Date on Days of our Lives

With Chad out of the picture, EJ asks Cat out to dinner just as Valentine’s Day arrives in Salem. EJ and Cat previously shared a close moment, though it occurred after she drugged him to cover up her suspicious actions.

Susan Banks (Stacy Haiduk) caught them together and made it clear she does not want Cat near her “baby boy.” Susan has serious reservations and believes Cat is up to something. Despite these warnings, EJ and Cat are set to share a kiss soon, which could signal the start of a new obsession for EJ.

EJ has a history of intense fixations. When he was fixated on Sami, he blackmailed her into his bed to save Lucas Horton’s (Bryan Dattilo) life—an event that serves as Johnny’s origin story. He even kidnapped his own daughter, Sydney, to torment Sami.

When he moved his obsession to Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker), his behavior remained manipulative. He was complicit in the secrets surrounding baby Jude, lying to Nicole about the baby’s paternity to keep her away from Eric Brady (Greg Vaughan). Much like Stefano, EJ gets fixated on one woman after another, doing terrible things to keep them in his life at any cost.

EJ & Cat the New Stefano & Marlena on DOOL?

Stefano’s longest-lasting obsession was making Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) his “Queen of the Night.” Now that EJ is stepping into his father’s shoes, will a new obsession follow? Cat might be the one EJ decides should be his own Queen of the Night. What he doesn’t know is that Cat is working for the ISA as part of a multi-agency investigation. She is acting as his assistant as part of a plot with Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering). Cat was snooping around the DiMera mansion when she drugged EJ. And she even tried to break into the secret lab by tricking her brother, Mark Greene (Jonah Robinson).

When EJ asks Cat to dinner, he has no idea she is targeting him—and she may not realize he is about to target her. With Chad leaving town, Cat may be vulnerable, leading to a spark and an upcoming kiss. While the writers previously dropped the “Queen of the Night” storyline by giving Marlena Lyme disease, this concept could see a revival with EJ.

Cat may be playing with fire. If EJ discovers her betrayal, he might feel justified in bending her to his will, much like Stefano did with Marlena. They already share a bond from when she read Wuthering Heights to him in Italy. EJ could even use that book as a mind-control tool, similar to Stefano’s use of Arabian Nights. Even if he finds out she is betraying him, it may only amplify his fixation. It will be interesting to see if Cat ends up in over her head, becoming the new Queen of the Night.