Soap Opera
The Marlena Evans Plot Twist That Changed ‘Days of our Lives’ Forever
Marlena’s affair with John Black changed ‘Days of Our Lives’ forever, sparking decades of drama, Sami’s rebellion, and the birth of Belle Black.
For 50 years, Deidre Hall has made Days of Our Lives’ Marlena Evans one of the most beloved heroines in daytime television history. Both a spitfire and a paragon of virtue who could (usually) do no wrong, it stunned fans when Marlena committed adultery, with monumental consequences that left the Salem scene changed forever.
Marlena’s Affair Changes the Fabric of ‘Days of our Lives’
The year was 1993, and Marlena was trying to make her marriage to Roman (Wayne Northrop) work. Years earlier, Marlena believed that Roman had died, but he seemed to return to her with a different face as a result of plastic surgery. In 1992, the real Roman returned, and Marlena learned the man she had been living with was really John Black (Drake Hogestyn), a man without a past, but one for whom she had strong feelings.
One night, Marlena couldn’t resist those feelings, leading to a one night of passion with John. That night resulted in multiple stories that still affect the soap today. Roman and Marlena’s teenage daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney), spotted her mother with John, which led her to a lifetime of rebellious behavior. But that night also resulted in a pregnancy.
When Marlena gave birth to Belle, she thought Roman was the father of her child, but eventually learned that John was the baby daddy. It was Sami who changed the paternity results months earlier to try to save her parents’ marriage. When the truth was revealed, Roman and Marlena split for good, leading John and Marlena to eventually marry.
John and Marlena’s romance became one of the most popular pairings in Days of our Lives history, only ending a year ago when John was tragically killed while trying to save Bo Brady’s (Peter Reckell) life. John’s death was only written to honor Hogestyn, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2024, according to Variety.
And that baby named Belle (Martha Madison)? She is now a Salem leading lady in her own right with decades of soap angst behind her. That’s how one night of torrid, soapy fashion became the catalyst for decades of stories.
Days of our Lives streams weekdays on Peacock.
