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The
Mystery
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The Players: (in order of appearance)
Jack Deveraux, Jennifer Horton, Peter Blake, The Lady in White, Sarah, Laura Horton, Mike Horton, Kristen Blake, John Black, Tony DiMera, Hope Brady, Jude St. Clair, Bo Brady, Celeste, Lexie Carver, Abe Carver, Stefano DiMera, and Marlena Evans
Minor Characters:
Mickey Horton, Maggie Horton, Lou, The Parrot Man, Abby Deveraux, Shawn-Douglas Brady, Shawn Brady and Caroline Brady
Before you read, view "The Secrets of Aremid" commercial that ran on NBC. It's in both .avi and .mov format. Click on the icon to download the format of your choice. The movie is courtesy of Carrie Chafin.
The Story
THE MYSTERY OF AREMID -- TAKE ONE (August 1995)
When Jennifer accepts Peter's marriage proposal in part to spite Jack, Peter knows that he needs to get Jennifer away from Salem and her ex-husband. His fond memories of his childhood home in Aremid intrigue Jennifer while the mere mention of the town evokes fear in Celeste and evidently others as well. While the wedding was set to go in Aremid, mysterious things begin happening even before they leave Salem. Jennifer begins to receive mysterious phone calls warning her to stay away from Aremid, while the wedding invitations are sent out with a major exclusion -- the locale. "Picture heavy fog, dank pubs, old inns, and a house with more secrets than walls. Now, throw in a few odd locals that speak in rhymes and talk to stuffed parrots." (SOU Aug 22/95 p 23)
Unbeknownst to Jennifer and Peter, the culprit is Celeste, who does not want the secrets of Aremid to be revealed. She has been acting on her own as Stefano remembers nothing due to his amnesia. However, no matter what games Celeste plays, Jennifer and Peter make their way to Aremid just as Jack arrives in the run down, dark, and cold town. Jack is on a mission. A mission that involves exposing Peter as a corrupt man. Aremid and it's secrets are his last hope and hope is fading fast. Everywhere Jack turns, he hits a dead end. Files on the Blakes have been burned and the townspeople are keeping their mouths shut. But Jack instincts are far from wrong.
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As soon as Jennifer and Peter arrive at his childhood home, the strange occurrences continue. And the culprit is just as mysterious as the town. A Lady dressed in white haunts the house. The legend of the lady is not foreign to the townspeople, but her reality is often questioned. A strange man with a parrot warns all about the Lady in White. Nonetheless, the Lady is no ghost. In the beginning she is harmless. She blows out candles and moves about the house. Later, she writes "GO HOME" on the walls. However, Jen and Peter are stubborn and do not back down. Peter soon stumbles across Jack at the pub and is convinced he's the one responsible for the strange goings on. They begin to fight as Jennifer is in danger alone in the Blake house. Alone, she starts a fire but the Lady tampers with the fireplace and the thick smoke spreads quickly throughout the house. Jen panics, then stumbles and hits her head. Luckily Jack and Peter cool off long enough to join together and save Jennifer when someone warns them that a fire has started at the house. |
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Jack is consumed with worry that someone is trying to kill Jen. Peter convinces her that Jack is behind all of the strange happenings. When Jack is found near the the destroyed portrait of a lady in a wedding dress, the state police become involved and Jack is forced to leave Aremid to avoid an arrest. Jennifer and Peter also return to Salem with the damaged portrait. Jennifer decides to have the wedding dress re-created for her wedding.
Secrets in Aremid -- The Return (September 1995)
Back in Salem Jack continues to snoop around about Aremid. He hired a private investigator to dig up any dirt on the Blake family and Aremid. While Peter and Jennifer are at the Penthouse Grill, perhaps celebrating her birthday, they run into Jack, who has taken Laura out for a platonic dinner. Peter intercepts a phone call from Jack's investigator and freaks. He lures Jack out to the balcony where they go at it. Peter lays into Jack and works himself into a frenzy. He gets to close to the balcony railing, unaware that it is being repaired and goes over the edge, just as Jennifer and Laura make their way to the balcony. Luckily Peter lands on a ledge below and Jack risks his own life to save Peter.
Peter is rushed to the hospital and it doesn't look good. Mike operates on him while Jack and Laura comfort Jennifer. Jennifer is extremely upset with Jack but when he tells her that he is sorry about Peter but not sorry for loving her, Jennifer seems to mellow. Peter pulls through the surgery but doesn't regain consciousness. In his unconscious state, he dreams of being a child in Aremid. He repeats over and over that he "can't tell, can't ever tell the secrets" in Aremid. Jack overhears this and gets all worked up. Jennifer is disgusted that Jack is obsessed with finding secrets about Peter.
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Jack secretly returns to Aremid, where he meets a young naive girl named Sarah. She dresses as the Lady in White to get closer to Jack. He becomes skeptical of the Lady's existence but Sarah is adamant that she is not the Lady. She takes a liking to Jack and they agree to help each other. Jack will tell Sarah about the world outside of Aremid and Sarah will be his 'guide' in Aremid.
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They return to Salem with a this new understanding. Jack must use all of his his willpower not to bring up Peter's bad side. This becomes all the more difficult when Peter moves in as part of his recovery. He is successful until Sarah arrives at his doorstep. He hides her in his room for the evening and wants to get her on a bus before Jen or Peter finds her there.
Bo and Hope also have a new understanding. They agree that they can work together even in the midst of Billie's departure from Salem. Billie had left to give Bo a chance to work out his feelings for Hope. He has been fighting those feelings and tries to remain loyal to Billie, but things change when Hope goes undercover at the Blue Moon to check out a suspected drug dealer named Jude St. Clair. Hope takes a job as a bartender and Jude immediately becomes smitten with her.
Tony finalizes his plan to kill himself and frame John for murder. His terminal blood disorder seems to have pushed him to insanity. Tony steals John's gun from the loft and now has the appropriate murder weapon with matching fingerprints. Tony also gets his hands on a unique device that looks like two bookends. The device opens up and a mechanism shoots and ejects the gun and then closes to reveal nothing. A pen is the remote control that fires the mechanism.
Lexie's search for her biological parents has hit a dead end. Her family lawyer seems to have some answers, but he is soon silenced by Celeste. Is this why she was so eager to keep Jennifer and Peter from Aremid? Lexie refuses to give up and spends much time at the Hall of Records to retrieve her birth certificate.
Back on Copper Lantern Drive, Jennifer discovers Sarah and Jack watching his graveyard tape and is furious. Jack insists that Sarah acted on her own but Jennifer is unconvinced. Peter confronts Sarah about her feelings for Jack and Sarah runs away. She meets a man in an alley who offers her a job. It's a job at the Blue Moon. It seems that there are extra curricular activities going on there. Hope has discovered that there are nights when strippers entertain high rollers. To get on Jude's good side, she realizes that she has to strip. Bo is livid. Could he possibly be jealous? Sarah is duped into stripping there, just as Jack tracks her down. Hope encourages him to get her out of there. However, Hope is not as lucky escaping the spotlight. Luckily Bo arrives in time to start a brawl that clears the stage. Later in the evening, Peter surprises Jude with a visit to the club. It appears that Peter is the man with the money behind the Blue Moon's illegal operations.
The next day, Peter has a surprise for Jennifer. They are going to go to Aremid right away. This couldn't come at a worse time for Jack, who has finally got Jennifer back on his side. Sarah also shows Jennifer Jack's touching poem and Jen holds on to it for safe keeping. Regardless of her mixed feelings, Jennifer agrees to the early trip and Sarah, Jennifer and Peter say their goodbyes. Hope attempts to comfort Jack and she gives him the idea to get the talk show involved in Jennifer's wedding in the mysterious town. Jack is on his way to Aremid.
The Mystery of Aremid -- A Wedding to DIE For (November 95)
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As soon as Sarah, Jennifer and Peter arrive, it is evident that the town is just as mysterious as ever. Peter plans a romantic dinner for Jennifer and leaves her alone in the house once more. As she sleeps, the Lady in White hovers over her and grabs her throat in a fit of rage. Jennifer awakens and screams just as Sarah and Peter return with the food. Jack has also arrived on the scene and he helps Peter break down the door to the room. Jen is alone in the room and Peter refuses to believe that there is a Lady in White. Jennifer is skeptical as she discovers bruises on her neck. She just wants to get out of the house and around other people. |
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Peter calls the state police while Jack and Sarah search for Jennifer. When Laura calls Peter, he can't lie and admits that Jennifer is missing. Mike and Laura immediately head for Aremid. Jack and Peter continue to argue over Jennifer, so much so that the state police believe that Jennifer simply left town of her own volition. They could not be more wrong as Jennifer is actually unconscious in a cave. When she comes to she is confused and has memories of being with Jack in the cave during the winter snowstorm. She begs Jack to come and save her.
Laura and Mike arrive and they set up a search party. Peter almost discovers that Jack and Laura had the affair at the Meadows, but Jack covers. Mike, Peter and Jack spend the night searching for Jen. In the morning, Jack's gut instincts take him to a rocky beach where Jennifer has been mysteriously placed. She is safe and suffers no medical ailments, but her heart is all the more torn between Jack and Peter.
Back in Salem, Kristen and John decide to head to Aremid early, which disturbs Tony. His plans will be ruined. He furiously re-reads his diary and decides that he can still frame John for his murder in Aremid. He also heads to Aremid with his diary and 'supplies' in tow. When John and Kristen arrive in Aremid, it appears that the Lady in White knows John. She watches him and repeats the name 'Johnny.'
Jude tracks down Hope in front of her apartment just before she heads to Aremid. He puts the moves on her and tells her that he fully expects a private strip show when she returns from her cousin's wedding. Just before he plants a wet one on her, Peter calls with instructions to dig up all that he can on Jack Deveraux. Thus, Hope escapes his clutches but Bo is still furious when he hears this news. Hope calms him down and they say their goodbyes as Bo will be remaining in Salem to keep an eye on Jude.
Despite all of Celeste's efforts, Lexie finds a copy of her birth certificate with the names of her parents. She gives the names to Abe and asks him to do use his police connections to find any information possible on her parents. Unfortunately, there are absolutely no information in any databases that cover the twentieth century. Lexie realizes that she will have to give up her search. Abe convinces Bo to head to Aremid, as well. Informants have made it clear that Jude will be leaving Salem indefinitely and the destination is not all that far from Aremid. Bo doesn't admit it, but he wants to be close to Hope for her own safety.
Hope arrives in Aremid, just as Jennifer needs a shoulder to lean on. Hope convinces her not to ignore what is in her heart. Peter, sensing that Jack is getting to Jennifer, pressures Jude to get some damaging information on Jack. Jude concentrates on Jack's year away from Salem and quickly discovers that Jack and Laura had an affair at the Meadows. Just as Jennifer decides that she wants to postpone the wedding, Peter learns the shocking news about Jack and Laura. Jack, in the meantime, has learned that Laura is still in love with him and he tries to comfort her. Knowing that the time is right, Peter strikes a fatal blow to Jack and Jennifer's reunion. He sets up Jennifer to find Jack and Laura together. His plan succeeds as Jennifer finds Jack in bed with Laura. Jennifer covers her mouth with her hand in horror. Even though it was platonic, Jack and Laura have to explain their past at the Meadows. Jennifer is hurt and devastated and Peter is there to pick up the pieces.
Jack's last hope of stopping the wedding comes late that night on the eve of Jennifer and Peter's wedding. Alone in the arbor, where Jen and Peter are to be married, he discovers the deed to the Blue Moon that Peter had just signed over to Jude. But before he can read it, Jude knocks him unconscious with a two by four and also knocks over the oil lantern. A fire engulfs the arbor with Jack inside. Peter and Jennifer enter the scene and are soon followed by Laura, Kristen, John and Tony. Tony takes this time to set up his device in the house. Peter saves Jack from the fire, but has him arrested and jailed in the pub.
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The next morning (November 21, 1995), Sarah lets Jack out just as Jennifer is about to walk down the aisle. He drops to his knees and fights back the tears as he begs her not to give up on their love. Jack pulls out his wedding ring. "I know to you it means a string of broken promises but to me it means one promise that I have never broken, that I have always kept. That is the promise that I have to love you forever. It's the only reason that I am here, Jen. The only reason," he says. As a result of the events of the last 24 hours, Jennifer can not place her trust in Jack and goes ahead with the ceremony. "You have managed to kill whatever was left of our love," she responds. Jack is crushed and goes off on his own to remember the good times with Jennifer. Hope finds him and comforts him as Jude watches on. Peter had ordered him to leave town, but upon seeing Hope, he decides to stay. |
At the wedding reception, Tony begins to set up John for his murder. He stages an elaborate scene in which John attacks him. He goes as far as to threaten little Brady and Belle. John lashes out at Tony and threatens to kill him in front of the wedding party. Kristen tries to calm John down, but John just wants to be alone and heads outside where he almost has a run in with the Lady in White. Tony realizes that he must act fast. His disease is making him weaker by the minute. He heads up to the study and gives the performance of his life. He screams and pleads with 'John.' He begs 'John' not to kill him as the wedding party frantically tries to get beyond the locked study door. Kristen yells at both Tony and John through the door as Bo tries to break it down. Suddenly the shot rings out and there is silence.
Tony is shot but not fatally. With the right medical attention, he will survive. Bo and Mike finally are able to break the door down and Mike and Laura immediately go to work on Tony. Bo and Hope start an investigation as unofficial police officers. John quickly shows up at the scene and is shocked to find out that, not only has Tony been shot, but he is being accused of the crime. Abe and Lexie are soon informed about the shooting and head to Aremid, which worries Celeste. She follows in order to keep the secrets of Aremid buried. Marlena and Stefano get word of Tony's shooting and immediately head for Aremid. Stefano is confused as to his feelings due to the amnesia, but Marlena is sure that John could not have shot Tony.
Problems are developing with Tony's wounds and things don't look good as Aremid doesn't have a hospital. They will have to airlift him to a nearby town, but a storm has moved in making any helicopter travel impossible. As Mike and Laura continue to work on Tony, Hope and Bo question John, who is adamant that he was nowhere near Tony at the time of the shooting. They are all confused as they heard Tony begging John not to shoot him. Tony still critical, but able to speak makes it very clear that John shot him. John thinks that he is delusional.
Hope returns to the Inn for a change of clothes and almost discovers Jude in her room. Jack, in the meantime, has heard about the shooting and heads over to the honeymoon cottage to makes sure that Jennifer is okay. Peter is furious about the interruption, but once he hears about the shooting, he calms down and heads to the house while Jack stays by Jennifer's side.
Marlena and Stefano arrive in Aremid and Stefano says a tearful goodbye to his son. Without the medical attention that he so desperately needs, Tony succumbs to his wounds. After everything dies down in the study, the Lady in White enters and takes Tony's diary, which reveals his whole plan in detail. When she sees Stefano, she remembers a violent past with him. Peter is determined to make John pay for his brother's death while Kristen begins to question John's innocence. Marlena has no doubts and stands behind his innocence one hundred percent.
Bo and Hope decide to check out John's story about being in the woods at the time of the shooting, but can not find any clues to confirm it. Hope goes off to the pub on her own and Jude makes his move. Jude is furious that she lied to him. He still does not know that she is a cop, but he has learned much about Miss Williams while in Aremid. Hope pretends to be attracted to him to calm him down, but when that fails and he becomes violent, she stabs him in the eye and escapes.
While the whole encounter was frightening and disturbing, the attack leads the investigation away from John for a while. Jude could very well have killed Tony. Peter refuses to believe that Jude is a suspect as he knows that Tony was in no way connected to Jude, and he pressures the police into detaining John. Peter soon gets his wish when John's fingerprints are found on the gun and gunpowder residue is found on his hands. While Marlena continues to stand by John, Kristen is torn.
Peter gets himself named prosecutor in the case, which disturbs Jennifer. She and Jack are also supporting John in their investigation of the murder for the TV show. Jen heads back to Salem to stop the station from airing biased coverage of the murder. Jack stows away and once back in Salem, the two go undercover, just like old times.
At the funeral, everyone makes an emotional farewell to Tony. John's presence upsets Peter and by the end of the funeral Peter has John officially arrested for the murder of his brother. Lexie's presence at the funeral makes Celeste extremely nervous. Celeste becomes even more nervous when Lexie strikes up a friendship with the Parrot Man, who seems to know Celeste and her secrets.
As John sits in his jail cell, Marlena attempts to convince Kristen that John could never kill anyone. Kristen wants to believe in him and a part of her does, but she also knows what she heard and she can not forget that Tony told everyone that John shot him. Peter doesn't help the situation by badmouthing John and questioning Kristen's loyalty to Tony and the DiMeras. The Lady in White attempts to get the diary to John while he is in jail, but she never quite seems to have it all together. But it does become evident that she knows John.
In Salem, Jack and Jennifer go undercover at the Blue Moon. They are as convinced that Jude is responsible for Tony's death. Jack distracts the bartender as Jennifer makes her way to the office to try to confirm that Tony was indeed Jude's boss (this was Melissa Reeves' last episode, December 18, 1995). Jack joins her and the two are caught in a police raid just as they were about to find out that Peter is the man behind the Blue Moon. When Peter hears of Jennifer's arrest, he heads for Salem. But first he pays Jude off with an account number in the Cayman Islands. He writes the number on the inside of a matchbook.
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As Christmas approaches, John organizes a Christmas party for the children of Aremid from his jail cell. Since Peter is in Salem, Mickey takes the opportunity to get John released from the makeshift jail below the pub. Lexie also receives a Christmas present from the Parrot Man who gives her clues that lead to the graves of her parents in the Aremid graveyard. Bo, Hope and Shawn-Douglas spend the holiday season together as a family. Jennifer and Peter return to Aremid to spend Christmas with Abby and Jack follows with the traditional Horton family ornaments. |
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On Christmas morning, John and Marlena spend some quiet time together as Kristen remains at the Blake house with the Hortons. They are completely surprised when Brady and Belle arrive thanks to Stefano. Stefano is jealous of the closeness between John and Marlena and suggests to Kristen that she stand by John even if she doesn't believe in his innocence. |
By New Years 1996, Bo and Hope have come to the realization that they still love each other, yet they continue to be stubborn and haven't officially reunited. Their New Years together is interrupted when Jack informs them that he has seen Jude in the woods. Everyone goes in search of Jude. Jude in the meantime has run into Jen and he kidnaps her. He ties her up in an abandoned building and goes to check if the coast is clear for an escape. While he is gone, Jennifer manages to free herself and unwittingly takes the matchbook with the account number. Jack comes across Jude and manages to subdue him, but when Jude tells him that he has Jennifer and will let her freeze to death, Jack lets Jude go.
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Abe and Lexie attempt to learn more about what the Parrot Man is saying, but he seems unwilling to reveal everything he knows. With clues from the Parrot Man, Lexie ends up at the Aremid orphanage and is shocked to discover that Celeste has been making large donations for quite some time. Celeste's refusal to talk causes friction in their relationship. Her mind is briefly taken off her parents when Abe, Bo and John set up a romantic date for Lexie, Hope and Kristen at the Blake house. They dress in antique clothing found in the attic and dance the night away. |
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Lexie takes Abe to her parents grave to reveal something rather shocking. They can not possibly be her parents as the dates of their deaths are 1864 and 1870. Lexie is frustrated that she will never know her real parents, but Abe reminds her that she is somehow connected to Aremid, as the person who forged her birth certificate borrowed the names from Aremid records. Her parents could very well be alive in Aremid.
Stefano is struck by lightning when an electrical storm hits Aremid. Celeste finds him and takes him back to the Blake house where Mike examines him. They startle the Lady in White, who escapes without being seen, but she leaves behind Tony's diary. Stefano survives the lightening strike with a more than a case of static cling. His memory is restored, but he keeps mum when Marlena comes to visit him. As a result of Marlena's visit, he is more determined than ever to rid himself of John. When John waives his right to a jury, Stefano visits the judge in charge of John's trial and threatens him if the verdict does not find John guilty of murder. Peter also asks for the death penalty which raises the stakes.
Things are looking good at the beginning of John's trial as Mike and Laura both testify on his behalf. But by the time Abe takes the stand, Peter is able to easily prove that John had a motive and was connected to the murder weapon.
During the trial, Bo, Hope and Shawn-Douglas go on a little family trip, where Bo finally confesses his undying love for Hope. The bliss does not last long, as Hope is caught in an avalanche when they decide to go skiing. She covers her head and screams in terror when the snow falls from above. Bo hears the avalanche and fears the worst. A ranger tells Bo that there is little chance that anyone could survive, but Bo is not ready to give up and sets up a search party.
Kristen is on the stand when everyone gets word that Hope in missing. She is relieved because she was just about to admit that she had doubts about John. Everyone joins in the search for Hope, including John, much to Peter's dismay. Kristen tells John to take this opportunity to escape but John won't hear any more on the subject. Shawn and Caroline come to Aremid to join in the search and to comfort their son, but Bo becomes defensive and shuts everyone out. The search comes to an end and Hope is legally declared dead, once again.
However, Hope is not dead. She survived the avalanche and she is slowly running out of oxygen in an air pocket under the snow, but she is rescued by Jude, who has his own plans for Hope. He wants to make her pay for blinding him and rejecting him. Fortunately, she is so delirious that he has to nurse her back to health before he can carry out any plans.
The Parrot Man gives Lexie a copy of her birth records from the orphanage and she is horrified to learn that Celeste is her mother. She feels betrayed by Celeste, who could have made everything so much easier by just admitting the truth months ago. Celeste fights back the tears as Lexie begs to know the identity of her father. But Celeste vows never to tell.
The cunning and calculating Stefano learns of Tony's plan to frame John for his murder when he spots the Lady in White in his room with the diary. The Lady runs off in fear and the diary is left behind for Stefano to read. He continues to threaten the judge and reminds him of the debt that is owed. Stefano also reminds the judge of what he is capable of.
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Peter introduces a tape that Tony made into evidence as the trial continues. Tony speaks of his fear of John on the tape and Kristen breaks down on the stand and admits that she thinks that John may have killed Tony. John is shocked as is Marlena, but she continues to support John. John begins to assess who has really been there for him during this ordeal. He forgives Kristen when she begs for forgiveness, but things will never truly be the same between them. When Marlena tries to confront Kristen about these feelings, she runs into the Lady in White who tells her that "the dead man talks." She goes on to say that the evidence is in the Blake house. |
Bo and Shawn-Douglas return to Salem as he attempts to resume his life without Hope. Hope, in the meantime, has regained consciousness and realizes that she must escape from the cabin where she is being held captive on her own. It will be difficult as she remains very weak. On top of that Jude continues to chain her to the bed.
Even as the trial winds down, Jack continues to try to connect Jude to Tony's death and he manages to trace the account number on the matchbook to a bank in the Cayman Islands. He heads there right away and is pleased when Jennifer wants to join him in his investigation. They pose as a married couple in a bank teller training program in order to gain access to the computer system. Jack flirts with a bank employee and does gain access to the account, but back in Aremid, Peter caught on to Jack's plan and hires a hacker to break into the bank's system to erase his name. Peter's name is erased before Jack's eyes and Jennifer refuses to believe Jack when he says that the name on the account was Peter's. They argue and end up locked in a vault together.
The trial ends in Aremid and Mickey is very optimistic. But Stefano makes one last call to the judge and when the judge returns to the courtroom he finds John Black guilty of murder. Marlena, who is sitting directly behind John yells no repeatedly as Kristen just looks on in horror. But the judge isn't finished yet. He then sentences John to be executed. The courtroom is shocked as John is comforted by Marlena and then Kristen. Stefano is ecstatic with the verdict and his behavior begins to make Marlena wonder if he has his memory back. She tracks down the Lady in White and finds out that the information that can save John is in a diary in the Blake house. The Lady is afraid of Stefano and is in awe that Marlena will do anything to save John, including risk the wrath of Stefano.
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Marlena brings Brady and Belle to see John for perhaps the last time. She tells John of her plans to get to into the Blake house and find the diary. John doesn't want her to place herself in such danger but Marlena won't hear any of it. She heads off to the Blake house for dinner with Stefano, but she can't get away from Stefano, long enough to look for the diary. The Lady appears once again and Marlena asks her for help in locating the diary. The Lady tells her that it is in Stefano's bedroom in a box in a nightstand. Marlena seductively gets Stefano to take her upstairs to the room and manages to get the diary to the Lady and prays that it will save John in time. She kisses Stefano passionately in an effort to keep him from noticing that the diary is missing. |
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Lexie, Abe, Kristen and Mickey say some words of hope to John as he spends his last moments (February 23, 1996) in the cell before being executed in the gas chamber. John takes his final moments to write Marlena a letter expressing his undying love for her. She was the one who stood by him through it all and he feels the need to leave something to woman who is in his heart. John is then taken to the gas chamber. Kristen, Abe, Mickey, Peter, Laura and Mike are in attendance. The judge is also present.
In the park, the Lady drops the diary when she hears voices in the distance. It's Jack and Jennifer, who have returned to Aremid after being released from the vault and escorted off the Cayman Islands. Jennifer kicks something in the snow. Jack picks it up and is intrigued. It's a book and he begins to read.
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John is strapped in and the gas pellets are dropped as everyone looks on in horror. John tries to fight it, even though he is told not to. He thinks of times past. Good times with Kristen, but more importantly, the special moments with Marlena and the kids. In what appears to be his final moments, he realizes that Tony must have killed himself and concocted this evil plan. As his head drops and he gasps his last breaths, Jack and Jennifer rush in with the diary. Jack assaults the judge and tries to get him to stop the execution. Jennifer explains that the diary proves that John didn't kill Tony. Jack breaks into the gas chamber himself and tries to free John. When Peter looks at the diary, he aids Jack in the rescue. They manage to get John out in time. |
But poor Marlena is now out of time. Stefano realizes that she has taken the diary and he shows his dark side. He calls the judge and even though he knows John is alive, he tells her that John is dead. Marlena is distraught and attempts to find out for herself. Before she can, Stefano drugs her with ether and takes her to his hideout in the caves.
Lexie learns from Celeste and the Parrot Man that Stefano is her father. She refuses to believe it at first, but sees how upset Celeste is and knows it's the truth. While Lexie is better able to understand her mother's secretiveness, she is not ready to forgive her just yet. She goes to confront Stefano and realizes that he has kidnapped Marlena.
Lexie interrupts the little celebration for John at the pub with the news. Everyone searches for Stefano and Marlena, with the help of the Lady in White but it is Lexie who finds them in the cave. She tells him that he is under arrest and that she is his daughter. Unfortunately, a cave-in allows Stefano to escape with Marlena. He takes her to his boat with John in pursuit. The other watch from the shore, helpless. Even though he hasn't completely recovered from the effects of the gas chamber he swims to Stefano's boat. John almost dies once again as Stefano chokes him, but John prevails and Marlena is saved. Stefano, however, makes his way from the boat to his helicopter above. Marlena is relieved to see that John is alive and well and more than glad that she is in his arms.
As everyone gets ready to leave Salem, they think back to how their lives have changed in Aremid. Lexie must come to grips with learning that she is a DiMera. The Lady in White realizes that she must enter the 'real' world after an incredibly long absence. Marlena and Kristen invite her to come to Salem, where they hope to help her remember who she is. Jack is more sure than ever that Peter has many dirty secrets. John is more torn than ever over his feelings for Marlena, even though he has reunited with Kristen. His letter to Marlena is also missing which makes the situation even more volatile. Marlena fears that Stefano will return for her. And everyone has to comes to terms with the fact that they are returning to Salem without Hope.
If Hope could return to Salem, she would in a heartbeat. But while Jude manages to nurse her back to health, she is still in danger as he is promising her that he will get his revenge. Hope makes an escape attempt, but she is too weak to get very far. She decides the only way to escape is to give him what he wants. She promises him a night of passion, but she needs time alone to set the mood and prepare the meal. She starts a fire in the old stove and prays that someone will see the smoke.
In Salem, when Bo hears of Kate's return from the dead, he decides to head back to Aremid to find his Fancy Face. Jack hears this and immediately returns to Aremid to help Bo. Bo searches the mountains of Aremid but collapses in a snow storm. When Jennifer hears that Jack has gone to help Bo, she wants to help too. She and Peter travel back to Aremid once more. Jack and Jennifer team up to save Bo, but he is not ready to give up. Jack and Peter argue about true love. "Love can't defy death," Peter says. "No, but it does defy logic," Jack responds. Jennifer sees Jack in a new light.
Hope, in the meantime, narrowly escapes being raped by Jude. She tells him of an idea to scam rich men. He backs off to think about it. Jude is just about to give into Hope when he discovers that she is a police officer. He's furious, but also caught off guard and Hope is able to make a run for it. At the same time, Bo sneaks out of the pub to search for Hope once again. To his joy and delight he finds her in the mountains. They are reunited at last, but unfortunately it does not last long. Jude closes in on them with gun in hand. He is going to let them be together -- in death. Bo and Hope prove to be more clever than Jude and they escape, but not before Bo is shot.
Jude takes off when he hears Jack, Jennifer and Sarah coming. They are ecstatic to learn that Hope is alive. Jack heads off to find Jude as the others tend to Bo. Bo proclaims his love for Hope when he comes to (March 21, 1996). Hope couldn't be happier. She can't wait to get home to Salem and Shawn-Douglas.
Jennifer tells Peter that Jack is still out there looking for Jude. Peter is desperate to get to Jude before Jack does. He takes Lou's rifle and heads up into the mountains. Jack catches up with Jude and wrestles the gun away from him. Jude bargains for his freedom but tempting Jack with information about his boss. Jack ultimately decides that Jude belongs behind bars and tries to call the police, but Jude surprises him and the men struggle for the gun just as Peter spots them. They exchange punches and wrestle on the ground as Peter sets up the rifle and gets ready to fire.
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Jennifer decides that she can't wait around at the pub, so she heads up the mountain and slowly makes her way to the fight scene. Just as Jack appears to get the upper hand in the brawl, Peter fires the gun. Jennifer lets out a blood curdling scream. Jack and Jude fall to the ground. It appears that Peter has killed both men, but Jack is just stunned and bloody. Peter claims that he was trying to save Jack's life. Jack isn't so willing to thank him as he now has proof that Peter will go as far as murder to get what he wants. When the state police arrive on the scene, they determine that Peter acted justly and will not press charges. Jack is mortified. Jennifer begins to have doubts about Peter but will stand by him. They say farewell to Aremid once and for all without ever really discovering much about the Mystery in Aremid. |
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POST-AREMID
The Lady in White comes to Salem with Marlena and John. She lives in the DiMera house with John, Marlena, Kristen and Peter for a couple of months, while Marlena gives her therapy to help her come to grips with her past. She is hypnotized numerous times, but never remembers much. Kristen nearly kills her, not realizing the woman is her own mother. It is finally revealed that The Lady in White is actually Peter and Kristen's mother, Rachel Blake, who was horribly disfigured in an accident set up by Stefano when Peter and Kristen were children.
Thanks to Anthony Rosenberg for writing this summary. Thanks to Ken for the pictures of Jude and Peter and Bo and Hope dancing. Thanks to Stacy Krugman for the picture of the Lady in White and her portrait. Thanks to JHindo for the Aremid pic.
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