The time Marlena spent on Stefano’s island has become one hot topic on Days of our Lives, thanks to the addition of Dominic Marino and the mystery chessboard left behind by The Phoenix. It was nearly four decades ago that Marlena was held captive, which means a refresher is needed.
Key Takeaways
- Marlena’s loved ones thought she was dead.
- Stefano had control over her.
- Memories from that missing time are coming back to haunt Marlena.
When and How Long Was Marlena on Stefano’s Island?
In 1987, Marlena (Diedre Hall) was presumed dead following a plane crash. While all of her loved ones mourned her in Salem, Stefano (Joseph Mascolo) knew she had survived and, in true fashion, gained custody of her while she was in a coma.
The storyline was used to write Hall off the show when she got the primetime series Our House with Wilford Brimley and Shannen Doherty. In the summer of 1991, Marlena woke and managed to escape Stefano’s clutches, but with very little memory of her time away.
Marlena’s return led to the iconic moment when Roman (then Drake Hogestyn) saw her alive as she walked out of the fog. Their reunion was epic and also kicked off another classic DAYS storyline.
What Happened Marlena on Stefano’s Island?
Once on the island, Stefano kept Marlena mostly in a drug-induced state and coma. Marlena only woke up for brief periods of time, which is why she has never really had any memory of the island until now.
The island storyline was used to reveal the real Roman and introduce fans to John Black. In 1991, Wayne Northrop returned as Roman, and DAYS fans learned that Roman had been held captive by Stefano as well.
John Black was born out of the storyline, as was the search for his real identity. Stefano was, of course, behind the complicated history of the two men that would last for decades as they battled for Marlena’s heart.
Another storyline created out of Marlena’s time on the island was that Stefano used her to genetically engineer children. In 2003, it was revealed that Marlena gave birth to twins, Rex (then-Eric Winter) and Cassie (Alexis Thorpe), but Marlena was not identified as their mother.
Cassie and Rex helped solve the mystery of the John-and-Roman switch. Later, it was revealed that Roman (Josh Taylor) and Kate (Lauren Koslow) were the twins’ parents. Kate, Marlena, and Roman were held on the island at the same time, creating a unique bond for them.
Now, 25 years after Marlena returned from Stefano’s island, not only is her memory starting to come back, but she may also have a child with Stefano, the infamous Dominic Marino.
