In the September 18 episode of Days of Our Lives, EJ finally started asking Rita the questions he probably should have asked several chess moves ago. Dominic Marino has been connected to Stefano, the Kiriakis mansion, a duplicate chess set, and a suspiciously well-stocked shrine to Stefano’s favorite things. Rita claimed she knew nothing useful. Then EJ left the room, and she basically reported to Stefano’s portrait that everything was going according to plan. Subtle, Rita. Very subtle.
Key Takeaways
- Rita continues hiding what she knows about Dominic Marino.
- EJ no longer completely trusts Rita.
- Marlena sees the photo of Stefano with a young Dominic.
- Rita reveals Stefano’s plan is still unfolding.
What Happened on DAYS
EJ (Dan Feuerriegel, who teased the fate of his character a year from now) confronted Rita (Maggie Carney) over her failure to uncover anything meaningful about Dominic before the Kiriakis mansion sale.
He showed her the photo of Stefano (the late Joe Mascolo) with a young boy believed to be Dominic, and questioned how someone as efficient as Rita could have missed everything Belle (Martha Madison), Chad (Conner Floyd), and EJ found in Italy. Rita insisted she had told him the truth and later claimed she could not reach Rolf either.
Elsewhere, Belle showed Marlena (Deidre Hall) the same photo, but Marlena did not recognize Dominic. Chad confronted Cat (AnnaLynne McCord) over her ISA history, while Sydney (Sydney Malakeh) returned home and settled back into Salem. By the end, Marlena pointed out that Marino and DiMera both mean “of the sea,” giving everyone one more clue and approximately twelve more questions.
Why It Matters
The biggest moment came after EJ stormed off to deal with the Coriseal investigation. Rita turned toward Stefano’s portrait and said everything was playing out as he planned. That is no longer vague loyalty to an old boss. Rita is actively following instructions connected to something Stefano arranged before his death.
That also makes her connection to Dominic far more interesting. Rita already made sure Stefano’s ring ended up with him, and now she is lying directly to EJ while apparently carrying out Stefano’s wishes. Dominic may be running the visible part of this operation, but Rita seems to be the one making sure Stefano’s script keeps being followed.
The Fallout
EJ is already suspicious. He openly questioned how Rita could fail to uncover information that Belle and Chad found by following a trail deliberately left for them. Once EJ discovers she has been withholding far more than public records, his famously relaxed response to betrayal should be a delight to witness.
Then there is Marlena. She did not recognize Dominic, but her strange memories of Stefano’s island have been building for weeks, and now this old photo has landed in front of her. Dominic being another hidden DiMera remains a possibility, and Marlena’s missing memories could be tied to him somehow. For now, Rita knows the answer to at least some of this. Unfortunately for EJ, she appears to be taking orders from a portrait.
