DAYS: Spoilers for Week of Dec 26th (pretty explosive)

[DrewH]

Yes, Benjy walked away from Stefano and the DiMera family when he was what, 7 or 8? He's a grown ass man now. And with Orion (his grandfather) dead, Stefano may have approached him and gave him the real truth. Sure, he loved Steve and Kayla, and he probs will continue to love Steve and Kayla. However, I can see him being hateful towards Roman if Stefano told him the truth about how he lost his hearing. If Benjy becomes a premanent character, I can see him being grey in the beginning and then fully accepting the phoenix within him and becoming more evil than Stefano

[DrewH]

You are absolutely right. Then, it looks like John will be developing a new enemy.

[DrewH]

No one knows mindgames like Stefano DiMera. Benjy's been gone for nearly 20 years. Stefano could've messed with his mind and filled it with such sh!t that would make Benji hate John. After all, John is responsible for his handicap. Talk about a huge reveal! Hogan would be stupid if he failed to take advantage of this. MAKE BENJI A DIMERA!!!

[PhoenixRising05]

I agree with Drew H here. If Stefano got his hands on him or if Benji learned it was John/Roman who did that to him (something Stefano could use to brainwash him or something) then anything is possible. I just like that Benji is back and has some purpose now.

I am not in love with that Sami/EJ spoiler but this is great story for Scott, Sweeney, and Dattilo. It was the story I wanted with J&J and Colin but they never went anywhere with it. She is doing it to save Lucas and it's part of her redemption. It may be tough to deal with but the story potential there is great and the Sami/Lucas angle of the story needed a spark because Lumi has been sitting around for a bit since November so now they are going to be in play, which is good.

This month has been really good for Days and the next two weeks or so are looking great.

[GBB]

The last time we saw Benji as a child was at Steve's funeral. It's possible that Stephano used Steve's "death" to smoke Benji and Orion out of hiding and take Benji back to the Dimera stronghold. Maybe he even used the fact that Steve was alive to keep Benji in line as a child.

[Dr. Chip]

I don't want Benjy to be a bad DiMera, and I most definitely don't want him hating John for his deafness.

Stefano had programmed John to be a hit man. Rather than assassinate someone, John blew up a building instead. Benjy was in the building and lost his hearing. Stefano is the one to blame for his deafness.

When John went to the island in 1988 to confront Stefano, Benjy hid in his vehicle in order to be reunited with his father. After he learned that Stefano was a bad man, Benjy returned to Salem with John, Diana, and the others.

Even though John didn't kill the person this time, we were led to believe by later writers that John really was a mercenary for Stefano. I wish Hogan would clarify John's past for us.

At the risk of moving a little off topic, think about all the crap we've been told about John:

* Anxious to get in on the Purse, the Pawn, and the Power challenge, Victor negotiated with Petrov to purchase the Pawn after Stefano had "died."

* Victor gave the Pawn a slide show with Nurse Hunnicutt's assistance.

* The Pawn escaped from Victor and was found by Steve.

* Before Steve could turn the Pawn over to Victor and collect the reward money, the Pawn escaped.

* The Pawn saw the name "John Black" on a plaque and became John Black.

* John got a job installing the security system at Victor's mansion.

* John then got a job as head of security at University Hospital.

* John rescued Marlena from the Salem Rapist and later nabbed Ian Griffith.

* John revealed his identity crisis to Marlena, who traveled with him to West Virginia to learn who he was before being brainwashed and given plastic surgery.

* Marlena saw the phoenix tattoo, assumed that John was really Stefano, and told Bo.

* Marlena found the surgeon's file and realized that John was Roman, and saved John from Bo just in time.

* John never really remembered, but Marlena and the Bradys helped fill in all the pieces.

* John and Marlena married. Orpheus kidnapped Marlena. Marlena "died" in a plane crash.

* John moved on with Diana Colville, dated Yvette Dupres and Whitney Baker, and then had a son with Isabella Toscano.

* After Marlena and the real Roman were revealed to be alive, John learned that he was Forrest Alamain -- Lawrence's brother, who didn't drown as a child after all. He was revived, but Lawrence was left to think he'd let his brother die.

* Lawrence's mother had then hidden John in a private boarding school under the name of John Stevens.

* John married Danielle and tried to help catch the jewel thief known as Romulus. (Or was he Romulus? Or was she Romulus? I forget.)

* Somewhere along the way, John became Stefano's mercenary.

* Also, somewhere along the line, John became a priest, Father John, and befriended Greta von Amburg and her mother, Princess Gina. He was using the priesthood as a ruse to pull off jewel heists for Gina and Stefano.

* During his mercenary days, he was supposed to kill someone for Stefano. He couldn't go through with it (some mercenary!) and instead blew up a building. The explosion caused Benjy's deafness and also caused Stefano to hate John as much as Roman Brady.

* After faking Roman's death and after breaking up Gina and John's romantic involvement, he brainwashed John into thinking he was Roman Brady, then removed the memories while at the same time leaving traces available so that he could remember Roman's life when the time came.

* Stefano then "died," and vicious Petrov (who had punched Marlena in the face two or three years earlier) sent John (the Pawn) to Victor.

* Oh, yeah, and, according to Brash & Cwikly (or Higley?), Forrest was really Mrs. Alamain's sister's son. Forrest's mother, Daphne DiMera, feared for her son's safety and allowed Mrs. Alamain to raise him. So this makes John the half brother of Tony (who really isn't Stefano's son anyway; thanks for screwing up a whole decade of history, JER!).

Come on, Hogan. Tie it all together. Make it make sense. Please?

[R!ck]

Not to be a debbie downer, but these spoilers for Christmas week suck. Now it they were New Years Week they would be AWESOME!

I like the new fast paced storylines but couldn't Hogie have slowed things down just a bit, because Christmas week on DAYS has always been a big deal.

No spoilers for the Hospital reading, Horton tree hanging, or anything even Holiday related

Bo, Hope, and Lucas seems to be in a big story with EJ and Patrick so How can they be at the tree hanging?

[R!ck]

ETA: And I'm also pissed that John and Marlena are in Italy right now. I always look forward to seeing Marlena's penthouse all decked out with the village and tree.

Kiriakas mansion used to be decorated and this year there's nothing. Bo and Hope's house has no tree. The Brady Pub is not decorated.

The only thing Holidayish about DAYS right now is Chez Rouge

*sigh* I miss the good ole days of Salem Place all decorated in lights

[KLN]

I agree about the Christmas decorations. That's not Hogan's fault, though.

Seriously though... damn it! I miss Christmassy Salem! 'Specially Salem Place. *sniffs*

Marlena's Penthouse decorated up for the holidays kicks a$$. So did the ORIGINAL Kiriakis Mansion. And so did DiMansion, when we actually saw it. And Salem Place was a Christmas bonanza!

[PhoenixRising05]

Rick, the traditional tree trimming and holiday episode is on the 26th of this month. All this happens after that episode. The 26th is also the day Clay Aiken performs a special holiday concert. There will be a Christmas show. I think Jason47 had a release on it pertaining to Doug and Julie returning.

I also heard J&M return to Salem next week or in time for Christmas. We may not see the penthouse but they will be back. Chex Rouge has been decorated and there has been Christmas music there so we have gotten something. I am with you though-I used to love Salem Place and all the old sets decorated.

[Dr. Chip]

Dumb question, but I'm still kinda new here.

What is ETA?

Thanks in advance!

[GBB]

Edited to Add

[KevC1980]

i was wondering if Benji was going to be back..glad that he is..also i'm excited for Lucas and Sami to get more to do...this should be some emotional stuff for them..

[Ponz]

Excellent post, ademption. If it's done right, this story could really elevate LUMI to the next level.

[DaysFanJean]

I think the "who's the daddy" storyline is sick. Personally, I'd be happy if it never reared it's ugly head ever again with any couple. Hogan wanted to make Sami and Lucas Nick and Nora North and to the best of my memory, Nora never had to have sex with any of the villains in their stories. I suppose that quality equals quantity in regards to longevity in soapland. Simply lazy in my view. There are too many original stories that could accomplish the same or in my view, much more successful results.