Days of our Lives Recap, April 24: Kristen's horrified as a brand-new EJ emerges

Here is your Days of our Lives recap for Thursday, April 24, 2025, when Kristen visits EJ and gets the shock of his life.

What happened on Days of our Lives

Kristen disappointed Rachel when she told her they needed to leave the carnival early. Rachel insisted she could stay alone so she could play with her friends, but Kristen wouldn't hear of it until she found a friend's mom to watch Rachel.

At the hospital, EJ woke from a nightmare about the shooting. He remembered the night, but could not see who shot him. Kristen soon walked into his room to interrupt his thoughts. "Sleeping Beauty has awoken from his slumber. You must be the luckiest son of a bitch alive," she said. Kristen also had a very pointed question: "What the hell did you do with my mother?"

EJ still claimed he had no clue where Rachel Blake was and denied having anything to do with her disappearance."Just know that if I could help you find your mother, I would," EJ said sincerely, or at least what sounded like sincerely.

His kindness only confused Kristen, but she said she would call a temporary truce with her brother to get DiMera back from Titan. She would even put finding her mother on the back burner to save the family company. "I assume that I can count on you," Kristen said, to which EJ replied, "I'm afraid you can't."

Kristen quickly became hysterical. "You're turning me down. After everything you put me through these last few days, you are refusing to back me up in defending our family honor?" she asked incredulously. She was further shocked when EJ softly told her that he had changed and had done a lot of reflecting while in his coma.

"I could see myself, if that makes sense, and I didn't like the man I saw. Nor did I like the man Johnny saw when he looked at me," EJ said. He felt he was given a second chance and wanted to make the best of it. "Now I know I need to do better, be better...It's time for me to use my power to do some good in this world," he added.

Kristen just stared at EJ in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. A gentler, kinder EJ DiMera?" she said. Kristen accused EJ of putting on an act, but he denied it. Kristen got another shock when EJ implied that she might be the person who shot him. Kristen claimed to be offended as EJ reminded Kristen that she had threatened him the night he was shot.

"Of course, I didn't do it. Do you really think I would risk being hauled off to prison and having my daughter raised without me?" she asked. EJ admitted that it seemed implausible, but he would have forgiven her if she'd turned out to be the culprit. Kristen repeated that she didn't buy EJ's new personality and if she ever found out he did something to her mother, she'd make him pay.

JJ and Kayla opened the door in time to hear Kristen's threats. The siblings claimed they were having a normal spat before Kristen left. JJ then asked EJ if he saw who shot him. EJ claimed he was drinking that night, so he didn't remember much.

After JJ left, EJ thanked Kayla for all she had done for him when he was in a coma. He was surprised when Kayla told him that Sami had been town and had stopped by to see him. When EJ was finally alone again, he remembered seeing EJ's camera in the plant on his desk.

In the hallway, JJ called Tripp in Hong Kong to question Ava and learned that she was now in a Tibetan monastery.

Back at the fair, Cat and Chad stood awkwardly by the face painting table, trying to make small talk. They were impressed with themselves for planning such a successful carnival together. "It was nice to get to know you, the real you," Chad said.

Cat returned the sentiments. Chad told Cat that they were still bound to cross paths even though the carnival planning was over. JJ soon came along and caught Chad up on his life. He had accused Gabi of attempted murder, and now she wanted nothing to do with him. "She felt completely betrayed," JJ said.

In Horton Town Square, Xander brought Sarah her hot dogs and asked her what she was talking to Philip about. "Why would you even give him the time of day after all he did to me?" Xander asked. Sarah told Xander she thought it was important for Xander to be civil to Philip, for Maggie's sake.

Just then, Maggie appeared and said that her ears were burning. Xander announced that Philip had forged the letter from Victor, while Sarah gave Maggie a look to just play along and act like she hadn't known. "We were all shocked when we found out about it yesterday," Sarah told Maggie.

Xander was surprised when Maggie didn't seem shocked, but she had an explanation. "Given Philip's track record..." she started before Sarah made a mess with her hot dog as a distraction. When Xander walked away to get napkins, Sarah told Maggie that Vivian spilled the beans about the whole forged letter plan.

Sarah still wasn't sure if she would tell Xander she already knew. "Now, it feels like I am only keeping this secret to protect myself and my marriage. Am I being selfish?" she asked. Maggie admitted that she would have told Sarah to tell the truth when she first found out, "But now, I'm just not sure any good would come of it, except for easing your conscience."

Xander and Rachel soon came along with Sarah's napkin. Rachel and Sarah ran off to play games, giving Maggie the opportunity to ask what Xander planned to do now. He said that he had to play nice with Philip to make sure the DiMera takeover goes through. Maggie asked Xander to find some compassion for Philip. Xander didn't think he could do it.

Maggie soon ran into Chad, who was getting ready for the bachelor auction. He told her how Charlotte was afraid that the person who bid on him would take him and never give him back. Chad admitted that since Abby died, Charlotte has had separation anxiety.

Cat overheard the conversation. At the pub, she told Chad he could still back out of the auction. Chad wouldn't even think of it, so Kayla began the auction. Maggie ended within 10 seconds when she bid $1 million on Chad and won.

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