Stefano’s Chess Game Has a New Player: Days of our Lives Two Scoops for the Week of August 31

Roger Froilan Sat, September 5, 2026 at 8:56 PM UTC

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Stefano’s game is still being played on Days of our Lives ©Peacock

Days of our Lives spent the week proving that one person’s romantic getaway is another person’s covert surveillance operation. Chad and Belle tried to follow Stefano’s clues in peace, only for EJ to invite himself along and discover that he knew even less than they did. Sarah admitted she still loved Xander while insisting she wanted Brady. Joy started imagining an entire married life with Alex while Stephanie was still very much his actual wife. Meanwhile, Johnny continued hiding EJ’s crimes from Chanel because apparently the DiMera family crest now comes with a complimentary shovel for burying secrets.

Chad, Belle, and EJ Became Pieces in Somebody Else’s Game

Someone is using DiMeras like chess pieces | Image: Peacock

The Stefano mystery finally kicked into a higher gear this week, and for once EJ was not secretly three moves ahead of everyone else. For months, Belle and Chad have been following clues connected to the chess set Stefano left to Marlena, including the missing pawn, the hidden key, the Italian connection, and that Celtic knot that gave Marlena a nasty flash of memory. EJ knew almost none of this. He simply realized Chad and Belle were disappearing to Italy together and decided that no DiMera mystery was going to happen without him sticking his nose into it.

His surprise appearance at the airfield was priceless because Chad and Belle looked exactly as thrilled as two people who had just discovered their romantic trip came with a free sibling upgrade. Belle’s response the next day was even better when Chad thanked EJ for the champagne; EJ denied sending it, and Belle immediately spat hers straight into his face. It turned out the bottle itself was another clue, marked D.O.M., which Belle connected to a luxury hotel in Rome after EJ initially went digging through his Latin vocabulary.

Then Friday changed the entire flavor of the story. Someone sitting near a photo of Stefano watched Chad, Belle, and EJ through a hidden video feed and moved a pawn forward on another chessboard. That means this is no longer just about whatever Stefano left behind before he died. Somebody alive is watching them react in real time, and that person may be deciding where the pieces go next.

The fun part now is figuring out whether Chad, Belle, and EJ are solving the mystery or simply doing what the mystery player expects them to do. EJ joining the trip may even have been part of the plan. Whoever is sitting at that board certainly did not look upset that he showed up.

Sarah Told Brady the Truth, but Xander Heard It Too

Sarah still seems torn between Xander and Brady on Days of our Lives | Image: Peacock

Sarah finally did something refreshing this week and answered a difficult question without requiring three misunderstandings, two overheard conversations, and a conveniently interrupted confession. Brady asked whether she still loved Xander, and Sarah admitted that she did. She also made it clear that loving Xander was not enough to make their marriage work and that she still wanted Brady.

That should have been a genuinely healthy moment for Sarah and Brady. He did not explode, accuse her of betrayal, or go stomping off to find the nearest bottle. He listened to her explanation, accepted what she told him, and chose to believe that she wanted a future with him. Salem relationships, occasionally behaving like adult relationships, should probably qualify for some sort of civic award.

Unfortunately, Xander heard the whole thing. He now knows that Sarah still loves him, even while she is choosing Brady, and that is not information a man like Xander is going to neatly file away under “good for them.” At the same time, Sarah and Xander were already sharing several warm family moments with Victoria, including the daddy-daughter dance and Victoria’s unexpectedly adorable musical performance.

Philip did not help matters when he told Brady about the near-kiss between Sarah and Xander in the wine cellar. He technically gave Brady useful information, but he also conveniently left out enough context to ensure maximum discomfort. The good news is that Brady dealt with it better than expected. The bad news is that Salem triangles are rarely impressed by good communication and tend to keep going anyway.

Joy Has Plans for Alex That Stephanie Definitely Did Not Approve

Joy's fantasy was a wonderful nod to 1950s sitcoms | Image: Peacock

The Alex, Stephanie, and Joy situation took one of its stranger turns this week when Philip finally called Joy out on what she was doing. He realized that Joy’s refusal to involve her family with Kelsey meant Alex had to keep showing up, which kept him permanently connected to her. Joy did not exactly respond like somebody who had been unfairly accused.

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Then we got that glorious black-and-white sitcom fantasy in which Joy imagined herself married to Alex, while Stephanie fumed on the sidelines. It was funny, but it also made Joy’s intentions considerably harder to dismiss. She is no longer simply a new mother overwhelmed by circumstances. She is actively imagining a future in which Stephanie is removed from the equation.

Meanwhile, Alex and Stephanie actually made some progress. Steve and Kayla stepped up to take care of Kelsey so the newlyweds could salvage their evening, and Alex did his best to reassure Stephanie that they would find a better way to handle the situation. That was exactly the kind of practical support this story needed because Alex and Stephanie’s marriage has spent far too much time absorbing problems that neither of them created.

Joy may have other ideas. After Justin called about the custody paperwork, she wondered aloud whether she would even need it if she were Mrs. Kiriakis and then contacted Melinda. That is not exactly the thought process of someone preparing to graciously respect marital boundaries. Alex may believe everyone can find a sensible arrangement, but Joy seems to be shopping for a much different ending.

EJ’s Problems Multiplied While Johnny Kept Covering for Him

Marlena had some stern words for Johnny | Image: Peacock

EJ started the week already surrounded by trouble. Gwen knew too much about the resurrection experiments. Xander told Marlena about the arsenic and his plan to go after EJ. Cat admitted she used to work for the ISA. Rafe warned that EJ becoming more cornered could make him more dangerous, which is not exactly the sort of assessment anyone wants attached to the man already threatening people in his living room.

Cat’s confession deserves special attention because EJ’s reaction was difficult to ignore. She told him that their time in Europe had not been a coincidence and that she had worked for the ISA, although she insisted she was finished with that life. EJ kissed her and outwardly accepted the explanation, but he looked considerably less relaxed once they embraced. For a man who has more secrets than most Salem households have throw pillows, dating a "former" intelligence agent may require some adjustment.

Johnny continued making the situation worse in his own marriage. Marlena pressed him about what EJ had done and what Johnny knew, and Chanel later demanded answers after realizing her husband was hiding something else. Johnny assured her that she could trust him and promised not to do anything else for his father, which was technically easier than admitting what he had already helped cover up.

Then Rita added another small mystery to EJ’s growing collection when he realized his ring was missing. He called her to ask whether she had seen it; she said no, and then, after hanging up, calmly picked it up and pocketed it. Rita has become one of the most interesting wild cards in this entire DiMera mess because she always seems to know slightly more than she admits. Apparently, being voted class clown at boarding school was excellent preparation for covert jewelry acquisition.

Join us next time...

Rita seems to have her own agenda | Image: Peacock

...when Salem establishes an emergency committee to determine who is legally allowed to move the pawn. Rita opens a small unlicensed lost-and-found for DiMera jewelry. And EJ begins carrying a rain poncho in case Belle needs to spit another beverage at him.

The bigger stories are all moving now. Somebody is actively guiding the Stefano mystery, Joy is getting more serious about Alex, Sarah and Xander’s feelings remain dangerously intact, and EJ is collecting enemies faster than he can intimidate them. Even Johnny’s marriage is being dragged deeper into his father’s problems.

That leaves plenty ready to go next week. Chad and Belle are headed toward Rome with EJ in tow. Joy has Melinda on the phone. Xander now knows Sarah still loves him. And somewhere, somebody is watching the DiMeras and moving pieces on a board.

Days of our Lives is available on the Peacock streaming app.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”