Days of our Lives Recap, June 25, 2025: Roman and Marlena confront Johnny about the shooting

On Days of our Lives today, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, Xander and Sarah conspire against each other, Alex navigates professional and personal crises, Philip unleashes his anger, and Sophia receives disappointing news.

What Happened on Days of our Lives

In Horton Town Square, Xander passed by the Salem Inn and recalled his assault against Philip.

Meanwhile, at Titan-DiMera, Johnny arrived in Alex’s office, fresh from work orientation. Alex was busy frowning over papers. When Johnny asked him about the work day ahead, Alex groaned and informed Johnny that the company was heading toward disaster. Aside from the scandal with Philip’s beating and Xander’s arrest, Xander had also sold off a large portion of company assets in his failed bid to buy the hospital. Johnny wondered aloud if the newly merged organization was “going under.”

“The hell it will,” Xander said as he strode into the office. “It'll be EJ DiMera going under,” he vowed. Alex suggested cutting their losses with the hospital, but Xander was confident he could get a second vote and take the hospital from EJ. Xander asked Johnny for his thoughts, and Johnny was onboard with the plan. Alex pitched Johnny as a potential asset for the marketing and PR departments, given his directing experience.

When Alex mentioned the publishing division, it piqued Xander’s curiosity about Titan's reentry into that industry. Alex hinted he had a “special little project” that could give Titan-DiMera a nice payday. Xander sent Johnny off for lunch, which gave him a private moment to thank Alex for holding down the fort. Alex had fully regained Xander’s trust, and Xander considered his cousin “the hand of the king.”

Alex asked about Philip’s status with the company. Xander said his brother would return, “on a very short leash.” With a smirk, Alex corrected, “A shock collar.”

At the hospital, Sarah spotted Stephanie and asked for a word with her. Sarah updated her friend on Xander’s discovery of Sarah's role in the forged letter lie. She wanted to find out who had spilled the information to Xander and “destroyed” her marriage in the process. Stephanie profusely denied that she had betrayed Sarah, but Sarah assured her that she didn’t think Stephanie or Alex had revealed the truth. While Philip had denied it as well, Sarah didn’t believe him.

Sarah also didn’t believe Philip’s claim that Xander hadn’t assaulted him. She asked for Stephanie’s opinion on the claim. Stephanie conceded she couldn’t be certain, but it did make sense that Xander might have pressured Philip to keep quiet by holding Philip’s own crime over his head. Sarah inquired if Stephanie would make an attempt to get the truth out of Philip. Stephanie said she could try, but Sarah might not like the outcome if the truth sent Xander to prison.

“If my husband committed such a horrific crime, that’s exactly where he belongs,” Sarah declared.

In Philip’s hospital room, Philip startled awake from a dream about the attack. Shaken, he looked at his tablet, which featured a newspaper headline about Xander’s exoneration in the beating. Brady soon arrived for a visit and remarked on Philip’s physical progression. Philip gave his sympathies for John and began to accept his share of responsibility. Brady didn’t want Philip to dwell in guilt, as Brady took comfort in the fact that Bo had recovered. Philip mentioned that Bo had visited him, and Philip had been relieved to see his brother back on his feet.

Brady said the family had gotten more good news when Philip had exonerated Xander for the beating. Brady stressed how terrible it had been to believe Xander had committed such a "barbaric" act against a member of his own family. Brady and Philip commiserated about the importance of family, especially after they’d both lost their fathers. They made an agreement to catch a baseball game together following Philip’s release from the hospital.

Stephanie stopped by and exchanged pleasantries with Brady, who soon made his exit. Once she was alone with Philp, she admitted that Sarah had sent her. Philip promptly guessed that Sarah wanted to know if Philip was lying. Philip denied the allegation. He had his pride, after all.

A skeptical Stephanie changed course and quizzed Philip on if he had outed Sarah to Xander. He scoffed and pledged he hadn’t. Stephanie mused Philip would feel “guilty as hell” if he’d broken his promise to Sarah.

Later, Philip accepted a call from Vivian. He didn’t want to hear her apologies. Instead, he raged at her for betraying him and ruining his life. Philip yelled into the phone that he never wanted to speak to or see Vivian again. He hung up with a huff.

Stephanie returned to the nurses' station and told Sarah that Philip had stuck to his story. Sarah was dejected but thanked Stephanie for trying. When Stephanie turned to leave, something caught her eye. “What the hell?” she exclaimed.

Sarah had stepped aside to take a phone call with Justin that left her distressed. He had apparently encouraged Sarah to make a co-parenting agreement with Xander. A court case would yield joint custody, despite Xander’s alleged misdeeds.

Later, Stephanie entered the Bistro with a visible scowl on her face. She sat down at a table, where Alex was waiting for her. A clueless Alex gushed about Andrew and Paul’s wedding reception, but Stephanie cut him off. As she reached into her bag, she testily explained she’d seen something laying on the hospital’s front desk. She plopped her manuscript on the table and snapped, “Care to explain?”

Before Alex could begin his explanation, though, a mortified Stephanie informed him that a nurse had told her the manuscript had been “making the rounds” at the hospital. Why hadn’t Alex respected her wishes to forget about the novel that embarrassed her? Alex explained that he’d given the manuscript to Kate to get her professional opinion, and Kate had accidently left it behind at the hospital. Stephanie was unmoved by the excuse.

Alex added Kate had given him an “exciting” analysis: One Stormy Night could be a “runaway bestseller.” Stephanie calmed and quirked an eyebrow at the term “bestseller.”

Back in Horton Town Square, Sophia and Melinda met to discuss the adoption. Sophia admitted that her mom still wasn’t sold on the idea of hiring Melinda, but Sophia was desperate. She begged Melinda to help her find an adoptive family before Sophia gave birth. Melinda expressed a desire to help Sophia because she could relate to the teen, but she worried about Tate’s reaction. After Sophia reaffirmed her need for Melinda’s help despite Tate’s skepticism, Melinda agreed to take on the case.

Melinda also promised she would waive the retainer fee. Sophia was grateful, and Melinda reinforced how deeply she felt about helping Sophia. When Melinda suggested going over Sophia and Tate’s medical records, Sophia excused herself to go the bathroom. Brady approached and grew hostile with Melinda. Tate had told him about Melinda’s potential involvement with the adoption, and Brady let her know his family would never trust her.

Brady laid into Melinda about her involvement in Sloan’s scheme with Jude. He warned her to stay away from his family and stormed off. Later, Xander walked up to the table and joined Melinda. He wanted an update on a potential custody suit for Victoria, and Melinda was quick to provide that update. She tried to persuade Xander to work out an agreement with Sarah because any judge would most likely rule that a joint custody agreement would be in Victoria's best interests.

Xander pondered if Melinda would be willing to come up with another solution, perhaps “outside the bounds of the law.” Later, after Melinda left, a troubled Xander gazed at a picture of Sarah and Victoria. Brady came by again and wanted to talk about Basic Black. Xander replied that he had too much on his mind, starting with the hospital. He asked Brady if any of the board members would be willing to change their votes.

Brady could think of one person who might: him. Xander was pleased with the news. His smile quickly turned to a sneer, however, when he saw Sarah, who returned his glare.

Across the square, Melinda crushed Sophia’s hopes by revealing that she couldn’t take on the case after all. Tate was the father, and she had to respect his family's wishes that she not be involved. She offered to connect Sophia with a pro bono lawyer and left. Sophia stroked her baby bump, holding back tears.

Outside the Brady Pub, Marlena met with Roman. He asked about Andrew and Paul’s wedding, which gave Marlena an opportunity to get wistful before getting down to the reason for her visit. When Marlena confessed that she believed Johnny may have shot EJ, she immediately noted Roman’s lack of surprise.

Roman took Marlena up to his room for privacy. Then, Marlena filled him in on Rachel’s disclosure. Roman was shocked to learn that Rachel had been roped into the situation. He confided to Marlena the chain of events on the night of EJ’s shooting. A distressed Marlena asked Roman if Johnny had used Roman’s gun to shoot his father.

Roman didn’t know for sure. He continued his story, telling Marlena he had gone to the mansion, found his gun laying outside, heard approaching sirens, and fled with the gun. After Roman had confronted Johnny, his grandson had denied committing the act. But Roman had looked inside the gun and had discovered a bullet missing. Marlena insisted Roman and she needed to do something, for both Johnny’s sake and Rachel’s sake.

Marlena had reason to believe both Kristen and Brady knew about the shooting as well, which added to the urgency. Roman asked if Marlena was implying they should turn in their own grandson, but Marlena said they needed to talk to Johnny. Roman called him.

Later, Johnny arrived, curious as to the reason for Roman’s summons. Roman got straight to the point and told Johnny Marlena knew everything. He compelled Johnny again to tell the truth. Johnny insisted he’d already told Roman he hadn’t shot his father. When Roman pressed him about the missing gun, Johnny admitted he’d taken it from the lockbox.

Roman wanted Johnny to clarify that he’d left the gun outside the mansion’s door, but Johnny seemed genuinely puzzled that Roman had found it there. Johnny opened up about his version of what had happened that night. He had been in “a daze” upon entering the mansion. When EJ had turned around and seen him pointing the gun, Johnny had felt like he wanted to “explode.” His finger had lingered on the trigger.

But EJ had begun talking, and Johnny had wavered. EJ had said he was sorry for hurting his son, and he never intended that Johnny pay the price for EJ's bad actions. But what was done was done. All EJ could do in that moment was to stop his son from becoming like him. He asked Johnny for the gun, and Johnny had handed it over; it was the last time Johnny had seen the gun.

Roman and Marlena were relieved that Johnny was innocent. Johnny still hated himself for even considering killing his father. Marlena consoled her grandson with a hug.

After Johnny composed himself, he, Marlena, and Roman sat down to figure out the details and discrepancies. Namely, how had the gun ended up outside the mansion, and why was a bullet missing from the gun? Roman announced he had reached the only logical conclusion: someone else had shot EJ…with Roman’s gun.

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