Xander Snaps Over Vivian in Explosive Days of Our Lives Episode

Xander Snaps Over Vivian in Explosive Days of Our Lives Episode

Salem is no stranger to chaos, but the latest twist in Days of Our Lives has the town buzzing with drama, betrayal, and a gunshot mystery that’s tearing families apart. In the April 16, 2025, episode, tempers flare, secrets unravel, and Xander Kiriakis loses it over Vivian Alamain’s latest power play, while Sami Brady’s return home stirs up old flames and fresh trouble.

The episode kicks off with Xander’s world imploding when Vivian—ever the scheming matriarch—announces she’s moving into his home. “Over my dead body!” he roars, only for her to quip, “That can be arranged.” The bombshell? Xander apparently invited her himself—or so she claims. When he threatens to toss her out alongside her son Philip, the truth spills: Vivian’s blackmailing Philip, leveraging their twisted mother-son bond to dig her claws deeper into Salem. Philip hesitates, then admits the court’s ruling that half the house legally belongs to him. Furious, Xander storms off to break the news to Maggie, leaving Vivian and Philip to cackle over a forged letter—and whisper about Xander’s potential for murder.

Meanwhile, Sami Brady’s “welcome home tour” is anything but subtle. Strutting into Horton Town Square with wild blonde hair and that signature smirk, she’s a tornado of trouble in stilettos. Chanel eyes her warily from Sweet Bits, and Johnny nearly chokes on his espresso at the Beastro, but Sami doesn’t care—she’s back to shake things up, starting with Rafe Hernandez. Word on the street is Rafe’s moved on with a “sweet, boring lawyer” from out of town, a beige replacement that’s got Sami’s blood boiling. She breezes into the Salem PD, catching Rafe off guard. “Miss me?” she purrs, sauntering closer. “Don’t worry, I won’t bite—unless you ask nicely.” Rafe’s half-dread, half-intrigued reaction says it all: Sami’s return is a match to dry tinder.

Their reunion takes a steamy turn with an intimate encounter, but it’s quickly complicated by Rafe’s messy fallout with Jada. Shawn shuts down Rafe’s accusations, insisting Jada did nothing wrong—if anyone’s to blame, it’s him. The tension peaks when Rafe spots Jada’s blouse on Shawn’s couch, a glaring clue that she spent the night. Rafe’s imagination runs wild, picturing a shirtless Shawn and a seductive Jada, but Sami’s knock on his door snaps him back to reality. She’s there to check on Johnny, worried he might’ve shot EJ, though Rafe flatly dismisses the idea. As they talk, Rafe opens up about losing Jada to Shawn—again—leaving Sami stunned. “Shawn? My cousin Shawn?” she sputters, before reassuring Rafe he’s still a good man, reflecting on how their own relationship was her happiest chapter.

Elsewhere, Johnny’s wrestling with his own demons. Visiting EJ in the hospital, he runs into Sami, and their heart-to-heart leaves him raw. He tells Chanel he’s struggling to reconcile his mom’s love for EJ—a man he now sees as the stranger who raped her—with his own fractured memories of a father he once adored. “He got what he deserved,” Johnny mutters, haunted by EJ’s assault on Sami. Chanel comforts him, reminding him feelings aren’t actions, and later urges him not to let rage consume him. They embrace, heading to bed with a fragile promise to focus on the good—like each other.

The EJ shooting mystery thickens as Paulina presses Jada for answers at the station. Jada, still reeling from Rafe, pulls out her gun, triggering a flashback to Shawn noticing it was missing. Ballistics on Kristen’s gun are pending, but she remains the prime suspect—though Paulina’s impatient for other leads. Jada brushes her off, admitting her night with Shawn to Paulina, who encourages her to give Rafe time. Later, Shawn tells Jada he tried reasoning with Rafe, keeping her overnight stay under wraps, but the damage is done.

Sami’s orbit widens when she visits Roman at the pub, where Kate interrupts with news of Vivian’s antics. Roman’s about to spill something about EJ’s shooting, but Sami’s arrival shifts the focus. She gushes about her talk with Johnny, brushing off Roman and Kate’s apologies for almost spilling secrets. Rex is back in town too, Roman reveals, inviting Sami to dinner—she declines, hinting at another stop. Alone, Roman presses Kate about a gun Rex found, sparking her irritation. “Two of my sons think I’m a trigger-happy maniac!” she snaps, denying she shot EJ. Roman hesitates, flashing back to stashing his own gun, but ultimately believes her.

As the episode closes, Salem’s tangled web tightens. Xander’s fury at Vivian sets the stage for a showdown, Sami’s return reignites old sparks with Rafe, and Johnny’s pain over EJ threatens to boil over. With Chanel grounding him, Jada caught between Shawn and Rafe, and a shooter still at large, Days of Our Lives proves once again why it’s the beating heart of daytime drama. In this town, the past never stays buried—and the next explosion is just a heartbeat away.