Not Andre! The DiMera Kidnapper Unmasked — Kristen and Tony Are Terrified! | Days of Our Lives
Thanksgiving in Salem has never been peaceful, but this year the holiday turns into a full-blown nightmare that no one sees coming. As families gather for warmth, gratitude, and traditions passed down over generations, a dark force slithers back into town—one connected to the most powerful and dangerous dynasty Salem has ever seen.
For Days of Our Lives fans, the upcoming week of December 1st–5th delivers a storyline so explosive, so twisted, that it threatens to upend the DiMera family from the inside out. And the most shocking part? The villain behind the kidnapping spree is not André, not an old henchman, not a resurrected ghost from the mansion’s past—but Peter Blake, the long-buried adoptee whose cruelty once rivaled the most venomous members of the DiMera clan.
After decades lurking beyond Salem’s borders, Peter returns with a vengeance so cold and calculating that even Kristen and Tony—two of Stefano’s most manipulative protégés—are left shaking.
And the horror he unleashes begins with a single empty chair at the Horton Thanksgiving table.
THE EMPTY CHAIR THAT STARTS A NIGHTMARE
Thanksgiving morning dawns with its familiar blend of comfort and chaos. At the Horton home, Julie prepares for a day filled with stories, hugs, and the traditions that keep the family strong. But as dishes are passed around and children laugh, one presence is clearly missing: Chad DiMera.
His absence hits Julie immediately. She knows the pain he carries as a widower, especially during holidays meant for family. The longer the day drags on without a word from him, the more her instincts scream that something has gone terribly wrong.
Unable to shake her worry, she leaves Chad a warm voicemail—inviting him, even gently scolding him, urging him to bring Thomas and Charlotte to join the celebration. But the silence grows heavier.
Jennifer tries to soothe her fears, suggesting Chad may simply be struggling emotionally. But even she can’t dismiss the creeping dread.
Then comes the text.
Cold. Short. Completely unlike the man they know.
Julie’s heart sinks. That message didn’t come from Chad—not really. And she knows it.
What nobody realizes yet is that Chad isn’t avoiding the holiday.
He’s been kidnapped.
Dragged into the frigid depths of the DiMera crypt like prey in the jaws of a monster.
And he’s not alone.
THE CRYPT OF TERROR — CHAD, KRISTEN, TONY… AND THEO
Beneath the mansion lies a place soaked in DiMera history—dusty, echoing, and haunted by the sins of Stefano and the generations that followed. But this year, the crypt becomes something much worse:
A holding cell.
A torture chamber.
A grave waiting to be filled.
Chad is thrown into the darkness first, disoriented and furious. Soon after, Tony is shoved in—trying to keep calm, relying on logic to make sense of the chaos. Kristen arrives next, her usual bravado beginning to crack as she realizes she has crossed paths with a threat even she can’t manipulate.
But the final captive shatters them all:
Theo Carver.
Young, kindhearted, innocent Theo—dragged into the crypt with wide eyes and trembling breath. He was supposed to meet Jada for a date. Instead, he vanishes without a trace.
As flickering torchlight casts shadows across the stone walls, the four captives desperately try to understand why they were targeted. The crypt becomes even more horrifying when they discover human bones scattered in a neglected corner.
Whose remains are they?
A forgotten DiMera enemy?
A henchman disposed of decades ago?
Evidence of a crime Stefano hid long before any of them were born?
The bones become a silent threat—a reminder that Peter Blake has no intention of letting them leave.
THE SEARCH BEGINS — ABE, JADA, AND THE RACE AGAINST TIME
When Theo fails to show up for his date, Jada Hunter immediately senses danger. Theo isn’t the type to disappear without a message. And Abe Carver, his father and Salem’s mayor, feels panic flood through him. He’s been forced to grieve a child once before—he won’t lose Theo again.
Salem PD launches an urgent search. Theories rise. Suspects are questioned. But every trail leads to dead ends, and every clue gets swallowed by the shadows of the DiMera mansion.
Until one terrifying truth emerges:
This isn’t André’s scheme.
It’s not Stefan, EJ, or an old DiMera ghost.
The kidnapper is Peter Blake.
A name that hasn’t been spoken in years.
A man once presumed gone forever.
Now back—hungrier for destruction than ever before.
PETER BLAKE RETURNS — RECAST, REBORN, AND MORE DANGEROUS THAN EVER
Fans are in for a seismic shock as Peter Blake storms back into the storyline—but this version is unlike anything viewers remember. A major recast shakes Salem: Dan Gauthier, best known for playing Kevin Buchanan on One Life to Live, steps into the role.
And he brings with him a Peter Blake forged through years of isolation, bitterness, and stewing hatred.
In interviews, Gauthier reveals he didn’t study the original Peter. He wanted a blank slate—an opportunity to rebuild the villain from the ground up. This means the Peter returning in 2025 is not a retread but an evolution:
Smarter.
Harder.
More strategic.
And far more vengeful.
Peter’s history with Kristen, Jennifer, and the DiMeras is a mess of betrayal, manipulation, and emotional carnage. But now that he’s back, he’s not interested in rehashing old wounds.
He wants power.
He wants revenge.
He wants payback.
And he’s using the DiMera crypt—and the bones within it—to execute a plan more twisted than any Stefano ever orchestrated.
WHY THESE FOUR? PETER’S MASTER PLAN UNVEILED
Each captive serves a purpose in Peter’s design:
CHAD
The “good” DiMera. The moral one. The one Peter hates most because Chad represents the legacy Peter believes should have been his.
TONY
The diplomat. The conscience of the family. Peter needs him broken.
KRISTEN
The sister who abandoned him to save herself. Now she must beg for mercy at the feet of the brother she betrayed.
THEO
An innocent pawn—chosen specifically to torment Abe and ignite a citywide panic that will mask Peter’s real target:
taking control of DiMera Enterprises.
By abducting key players, Peter plans to destabilize the company board, weaponize secrets buried in the crypt, and establish himself as the rightful heir to Stefano’s empire. His goal isn’t chaos.
It’s domination.
KRISTEN’S BREAKDOWN — A SISTER’S GUILT
A preview clip shows Kristen sobbing at the hospital, collapsing to her knees before a shadowed figure. She begs for forgiveness, tears streaming down her face.
That figure?
Peter.
Whatever happened between them years ago—whatever betrayal she committed—has come back to swallow her whole.
This is not a reunion.
It’s reckoning.
TENSIONS IN SALEM — NEW RELATIONSHIPS UNDER PRESSURE
While the DiMera family fights for survival underground, life on the surface continues—though nothing is simple in Salem.
Kayla accidentally misjudges Xander at the hospital, thinking he’s there to hurt Sarah instead of comfort his former therapist Marina. The moment exposes old wounds and the fragile trust that still haunts Salem after years of betrayals.
Across town, Philip and Gabi attempt a first date—full of charm, nerves, and complicated feelings. Philip invites her to Thanksgiving with the Hernandez family, a sign he may want something real.
But the past refuses to stay buried. When Xander calls with news about Sarah’s condition, Philip’s heart lurches. Suddenly, romance takes a backseat to old loyalties.
Salem is a town where love never comes clean.
ROMAN’S TRIVIA NIGHT — A BRIEF MOMENT OF LIGHT
As panic spreads over Theo’s disappearance and the DiMera kidnappings, Roman launches a brand-new tradition at the pub: Trivia Night.
The event is chaotic, loud, funny, and unexpectedly healing. Steve and Kayla face off against Philip and Gabi in a spirited showdown filled with laughter and competitive shouts. In the end, Steve and Kayla win by a hair, reminding everyone that even in a town drowning in crises, joy can still find its way in.
Roman vows to make Trivia Night a weekly tradition—a small beacon of normalcy in a town built on secrets and chaos.
BUT THE SHADOWS RETURN…
Even as friendships strengthen and new traditions form, Salem can’t escape the truth:
The DiMera kidnappings have only just begun.
Peter Blake’s plan is far from over.
Bones have been discovered.
Secrets are unraveling.
And Kristen, Tony, Chad, and Theo are running out of time.
One thing is certain:
The DiMera empire will never be the same again.