4 Characters Who Could Fill the Villain Void in Salem

The soap synonymous with daytime’s greatest villain ever — the late great Stefano DiMera — is suddenly seriously lacking one. Check the roster at Days of Our Lives (DOOL), and you’ll see that the show is in dire need of a bad guy to stir the pot.

Since Deimos’s demise, there’s been no one to wreak havoc on the town’s citizens. What’s the right move to remedy the situation? Here are four options for characters, new and old, who could fill the villain void in Salem.

Diabolical Ben
Viewers know that Robert Scott Wilson’s Ben will soon be resurfacing for a short stint, which is major good/bad news. His portrayal of Abigail’s (Marci Miller) obsessive ex has always been superb. What if the show’s scribes found a way to keep The Necktie Killer around?

They could go the brain tumor route like General Hospital did with Franco, which, incidentally, current DAYS head writer Ron Carlivati scripted while he was at the helm of the ABC soap. Only in Ben’s case, he’d emerge from surgery still twisted.

The Tyler Factor
Viewers don’t know what mystery character GH vet Tyler Christopher (ex-Nikolas) will be playing in Salem, but it would behoove the show to make him a villain. Christopher rose to the challenge when his GH alter ego was transformed from saint to sinner, infusing Nikolas with a wickedness without sacrificing his likability.

While no one could ever replace Stefano, in Christopher’s capable hands Salem could have a scoundrel with nuance that fans root for again

Paging Peter
The DiMeras have a family member who hasn’t been seen or heard from in years: Peter Blake. Kristen’s brother, who, like her, was adopted by Stefano, was once a pivotal player in Salem.

He tried to kill John (Drake Hogestyn) (among others), attempted to drive Laura crazy, kidnapped Jennifer (Melissa Reeves), and constantly plotted against Jack. Peter’s return would not only strengthen the DiMera clan, but also provide an instant story boost for Jennifer.

Xan The Man
Paul Telfer always amps up the drama — and scary factor, when he’s onscreen as Victor’s wretched nephew Xander. He has a menacing presence that evokes fear the moment he walks into a room.

Why not have him set down roots in Salem so he could evoke that fear on a regular basis? He’d be a perfect foe for Chad (Billy Flynn), Sonny (Freddie Smith), and Brady (Eric Martsolf) — and up the power ranking of the Kiriakis family.

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