DAYS OF OUR LIVES Spoilers: Did Rita MURDER Arnold to Protect EJ?

The temperature in Salem just shot up about a thousand degrees as Rita Lesley dropped what might be the most chilling confession we’ve heard this year. In a moment that had us gasping for air, she told EJ DiMera she found a “more permanent solution” for the Arnold Feniger problem. Let that sink in for a second. A permanent solution. In soap language, that’s practically code for “I made someone disappear.”

DID RITA CROSS THE ULTIMATE LINE?

The normally composed executive assistant has always been loyal to the DiMera family, but has she now taken that loyalty to murderous heights? When Rita cryptically informed EJ about her handling of Arnold, her tone left little to the imagination. This wasn’t about buying him a bus ticket out of town—this was something far more sinister.

Before EJ could press for details (and trust me, we were screaming at our screens for him to ask), Gabi Hernandez burst in with a gun pointed directly at his chest. Talk about timing! Rita slipped away during the confrontation, leaving EJ with a mystery on his hands and us with questions that will haunt our dreams until next week.

THE DOPPELGÄNGER DRAMA THAT STARTED IT ALL

For those who might need a refresher on this twisted saga: Arnold Feniger returned to Salem recently, guns blazing and hands out for money. After EJ refused to pay him, Arnold did what he does best—assumed Rafe Hernandez’s identity once again, creating chaos that rippled through Salem.

The scheme might have worked if not for Stephanie Johnson, whose keen eye spotted inconsistencies in “Rafe’s” behavior. Having encountered Arnold before, she connected the dots and alerted Jada Hunter and Shawn Brady. In typical DiMera fashion, EJ scrambled to cover his tracks by returning the real Rafe to his house before Arnold could be exposed.

Meanwhile, the authentic Rafe found himself behind bars at the Salem PD while everyone tried to unravel this identity nightmare. If his expression could kill, EJ would already be six feet under.

GABI’S RAGE NEARLY ENDS EJ’S REIGN

When Gabi stormed the DiMera mansion with her finger on the trigger, I genuinely thought we might witness EJ’s demise right then and there. The fury in her eyes as she confronted him about her brother’s situation was enough to make even the usually smug EJ flinch.

If JJ Deveraux hadn’t walked in with news that Rafe was safe at the police station, I’m convinced EJ would be trading his designer suits for a body bag. Gabi’s not one to make empty threats, and in that moment, she was ready to make good on every single one.

THE SHOOTER MYSTERY INTENSIFIES

Here’s where things get even more interesting. We already know EJ is headed for a date with a bullet, but the list of people who’d love to pull that trigger grows longer by the day.

Rafe has every reason to want revenge after being imprisoned and replaced—twice! Gabi has already demonstrated her willingness to shoot EJ. Even Johnny DiMera and Chanel Dupree are furious with him for sabotaging their meeting with Mrs. Choi.

But what if Arnold isn’t actually dead? What if Rita’s “permanent solution” wasn’t so permanent after all? Could he be lurking in the shadows of the DiMera mansion, waiting for the perfect moment to exact his revenge? Or might Rita herself decide to silence EJ to ensure her deadly secret stays buried?

The most compelling theory making rounds among fans points to Sami Brady. With her return to Salem confirmed for 2025 and her explosive history with EJ—including his past manipulation involving Arnold’s first impersonation of Rafe—she has both motive and opportunity. Let’s not forget she’s shot EJ before, so there’s definitely precedent.

Alternatively, could Belle Black pull the trigger if she discovers EJ’s role in Arnold’s return? Their recent romantic entanglement would make such a betrayal all the more devastating.

EJ’S DAY OF RECKONING APPROACHES

One thing’s certain—EJ’s list of enemies is longer than the DiMera family tree, and someone’s about to make him pay. The bigger question might be whether he’ll survive this time. Even in Salem, you can only cheat death so many times before it catches up with you.

Will EJ live to scheme another day? Will Rita’s “permanent solution” come back to haunt her? And just how many more times can Rafe be replaced before he invests in some serious identity protection?

Whatever happens next, we’ll be watching with bated breath as this explosive storyline unfolds. In a town where resurrections are practically commonplace, even “permanent solutions” rarely stick—and that might be EJ’s only hope.