Days of Our Lives spoilers share that head writers, Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford, recently admitted to altering a key storyline that was already in progress.
‘Days Of Our Lives’ Spoilers: Cwikly And Ford Changed Carlivati’s Original Plan
Cwikly and Ford told Soap Opera Digest that when they took the reins as co-head writers in April, they changed whoever the former head writer, Ron Carlivati, had intended as EJ DiMera’s (Dan Feuerreigel) shooter.
The scribers explained that while they had multiple suspects to choose from, they ultimately chose Rachel Black (Alice Halsey), which was confirmed last week.
Cwikly and Ford said Rachel being the culprit would have the most impact on several major characters on the canvas. The ripple effect from the shooting and the fallout will last for months.
The writers also claimed that they also didn’t have it set up so that the audience would learn the truth from EJ’s recovered memories.
They began crafting the emotional arc that the story created. Afterward, they filled in the blanks. The trial was also not part of Carlivati’s vision for the story.
Ford and Cwikly decided on a high-stakes trial with Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) as the defendant. The crafting of the trial added to the intensity of the arc.
The million-dollar question is-who was EJ’s original shooter? We thought back when Johnny first found out that EJ raped his mom, Sami Brady (Alison Sweeny).
He was furious and punched his dad and disowned him. At first, we suspected that Johnny was the one who pulled the trigger.
‘Days Of Our Lives’ Spoilers: EJ’s Tone Was Different After The Writer Switch
About a month or two into the story, it became clear that the writers had veered away from that idea, and it was evident that Rachel was the shooter.
Johnny had come to the mansion with the intent of shooting his father. However, he changed his mind.
The memory card footage was also tricky and confusing. It showed Johnny pointing the gun at EJ, but we saw EJ remove the card after Johnny had been there, which meant that the shooter couldn’t have been Johnny.
He first put the card into his pocket, then later, into the drawer. Also, too much time had passed between the time Johnny held the weapon on EJ and when he was actually shot.
Plus, EJ’s tone when he asked, “What are you doing?” slightly changed from the first time he had asked the question.
The first time, he seemed a bit accusatory. Later, his tone was more concerned as if he were speaking to a family member.
It started to become clear that Johnny was a red herring. Yet, we have to wonder if Johnny was the original shooter before the writer switch.
‘Days Of Our Lives’ Spoilers: Our Money Is On Johnny Or Sami As The Initial Culprit
Like Rachel, it would have also had a significant impact for Johnny to be the one to try to murder his own father. We could also imagine Sami exacting revenge on EJ for hurting their son.
By the time summer rolled around, we started to realize the shooter might be EJ’s ten-year-old niece, Rachel.
The Days summer preview showed Belle Black (Martha Madison) questioning her mom, Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), if she knew who shot EJ.
The only way Marlena would hide the true identity of the shooter is if it were someone she would die to protect. Someone like her granddaughter, Rachel.
There is no way Marlena would protect someone more random, especially not when her grandson Johnny’s life was at stake.
We also had a feeling that Kristen DiMera (Stacey Haiduk) would take the fall for her young daughter. The pieces of the puzzle started to make sense. Stacey Haiduk’s performance in this storyline has been nothing short of mesmerizing.
Our money is on Johnny or Sami as the original shooter. We think Days’ revisiting the rape storyline was a massive hint. Then we saw the new writers take a different direction.
We knew when Marlena had EJ under hypnosis, and EJ said, “Why don’t you hand me that?” that it had to be Rachel. The way he said it was if he was speaking to a child.
Rachel being the shooter was a gripping twist since it has an enduring impact on several characters, and now EJ must contend with a child having shot him.
That said, Cwikly and Ford suggest that Rachel may eventually recall that fateful night. They promise maximum drama when the time comes.
The writers teased,
“Buried secrets always come out, usually in the most devastating way possible.”
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