The Three Villains That Have Re-Energized Days of our Lives

Storylines have been forging ahead fast and furiously in Salem, and the soap has a trio of characters to thank for it: Ava, Gwen, and Charlie. The three villains have re-energized Days of our Lives.

Days of our Lives: Enter Gwen

Jake’s (Brandon Barash) mercurial ex-girlfriend, Gwen, portrayed by Emily O’Brien, was the first duplicitous character to appear on the scene in 2020. Originally driven by her love for Jake, Gwen curiously switched gears, worming her way into the DiMera mansion and setting a plan in motion to destroy Abigail (Marci Miller) and her family.

First, she dosed Abigail, making her think she’d lost her mind. Then she orchestrated a Jack (Matthew Ashford) and Jennifer (Cady McClain) separation. After, she convinced Chad (Billy Flynn) that Abigail was having an affair with Jake and lured him into her bed. The intricate turmoil she’s created has been fascinating. It’s too bad Stefano (Joseph Mascolo) isn’t around to bring the unscrupulous wench to her knees.

Not-So-Sweet Charlie

Mike Manning’s introduction as Titan Industries intern Charlie last October seemed totally benign. Awkward, kindly, and seemingly sweet, he easily won over Claire (Isabel Durant) and DAYS viewers. Then the soap’s writers threw in a stunner of a twist: Charlie was Ava’s son, Tripp’s (Lucas Adams) half brother, and the young man who really raped Allie (Lindsay Arnold).

While Charlie kept mum about the assault, Tripp was wrongly accused of the crime, the entire town turned on him, and Steve (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) found themselves on opposing sides of the case. Since the reveal, things have only gotten more riveting. Manning’s gotten to show the other sides of Charlie – bitter, angry, mentally unstable, and completely calculating, as he plots to commit Ava to keep her from divulging the truth about what he’s done.

Ava’s Return

Last, but not least, Tamara Braun’s comeback as Ava amped up life in Salem from her first appearance last November. Ava’s resurrection facilitated Joey’s (James Lastovic) release from prison since he technically didn’t kill her. Plus, she immediately stirred up drama between Steve and Kayla, and finally got to bond with her long-lost son, Tripp.

But the best move of all was adding Charlie to the equation as Ava’s surprise other son. Having her quickly deduce that he was the one who raped Allie, and determined to clear her favorite son, Tripp, brought the twisted plot to a peak. That is until Charlie knocked Ava unconscious and took her hostage to keep her from exposing his crime.

It’s put Ava in the unlikely position of victim, at least for now. But that’s sure to change now that she’s free. It won’t be long before she gets back to what she’s best at — wreaking havoc. Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes.