Objects of Obsession

Obsession Objects

These are the objects that were obsessed over during particular storylines. These objects are often characters themselves, as Salemites will have conversations with the object. Many scenes have ended with characters staring at them, or with characters saying, "if I could just figure out what this means." Typically one or two people obsess over the object, but that can change as the item changes hands. Other objects are ones that characters are seeking and are trying to find, but don't yet have. Notice that John Black/Roman Brady has had several obsession objects over the years. Here I try to reveal the significance of each of these key objects.

Object

Storyline

Person obsessing

Significance

The Baka

1984

Tony, Stefano, Eugene

The baka, a talisman re-discovered in 1984, belonged to a DiMera ancestor and proved that there was a link between the DiMera family and the Bradford family many generations ago. The Baka was some sort of 300 year-old talisman that supposedly held negative power for the Bradfords and positive power for the DiMeras. The catch was that the Baka would always somehow fall back into the hands of the Bradfords, and they would keep it from being taken by the DiMeras to prevent them from abusing its power. In the late 18th century, a DiMera and a Bradford joined in marriage in order to get by this, but the offspring were still DiMeras so it didn't work out as planned, and all it did was cause more animosity between the two families.

prisms

The Three Prisms (1984-85)

Stefano DiMera

The prisms each had their own power, but it was the third that would cause an explosion deadly enough to eliminate all of Salem. Stefano wanted the three prisms because together they would be able to cure his brain tumor.

the Purse, the Power, and the Pawn (the 3 Ps)

Stefano, Victor and Petrov?

The person who had all three would be in control.

treasury bonds

Stockholm

The ISA, including Roman trying to get Marlena back and Victor and his henchman, plus Orpheus as the main man

The treasury engravings were a cover for what was really in the box, which were $25 billion dollars worth of fake treasury bonds. The real ones were to be delivered to Roman and they needed to recover the fake ones before the due date inscribed on the box, otherwise besides having the government come up with $25 billion dollars, they'll have to come up with $50 billion dollars. In the meantime, the entire American economy will collapse, and when that happens, it won't be long before the World Market goes into a shambles. There were three tattoos, that when put together, helped point to the location of the bonds. Bo, Steve and Britta each had one of the tattoos of a knife, or a "sai."

computer disk

Greece/Computer Disk (1987)

Mike, Diana, Shane

The ISA and the Salem police department were desperately looking for a top secret computer disk that had been stolen from the ISA main office in Washington D. C. The contents of the disk were very dangerous and therefore the American public could never learn what was on it. The disk came to town with the mysterious Hans, who had tracked the Donovans on their honeymoon in May 1987.

Greek icon

Greece/Computer Disk

Diana stole the icon from an exhibit, after being convinced to do it by her mother, Serena. Victor wanted it and Diana made an exchange for it.

Triad Ring

Stefano's Return/the Island

Roman Brady (John)

Roman had a ring with three interlocking circles. He eventually realized they could be stretched together and form three circles in a row. They were a key when stretched this way. They opened the door to a replica of the Brady house within a cave on Stefano's island. It was in this house that Roman found a woman resembling Marlena.

Loretta Toscano's diary and the "missing pages"

Cruise of Deception (1990)

Victor, Jack

Loretta had an affair with Victor Kiriakis, producing Isabella Toscano. Isabella had always believed her father to be Ernest. As everyone prepared to go on the Loretta for the Cruise, they were interested in the diary to find out more about Loretta. Victor? got his hands on the diary and removed the pages that revealed the affair, so even after Isabella saw the diary, she didn't find out about her true parentage. Jack wanted to get the diary to help Isabella.

San Cristobal medal

A Tale of Two Romans (1991)

John, Roman and Marlena

Marlena returned to Salem in 1991 after being in a coma for many years. She brought the medal with her, along with other loose coins. It led Roman, John and Marlena to a search about her missing years. Marlena recalled that a Spanish-speaking couple had given her the medal when she began her journey home, as St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. Victor had an identical medal.

Mayan codices

A Tale of Two Romans (1991)

Lawrence Alamain, the ISA (Gretchen), Stefano

The codices, which were ancient mayan documents, were located in the Castillo, a mayan temple in Chichen Itza. They belonged in a museum and the ISA wanted to put them there. Lawrence claimed his only motive in recovering the codices was altruism. He planned to turn them over to the Mexican government. However, Stefano appeared and demanded the codices in return for a satchel that would reveal John's true identity. Eventually, the codices arrived in Salem and there was a party to celebrate their return, thanking John and Roman for finding them. That very night a masked theif steals the codices and leaves behind a calling card with a picture of a wolf's head on it.

Charred photo with birthmark, melted gold, and half of a locket

A Tale of Two Romans (1991)

John Black

These items were in a satchel that Stefano said held all of the items to John's missing past. Of course Stefano threw the bag into flames and most of the items were destroyed. These items survived. The photo was eventually revealed to be Carly Manning and the gold was a originally a ring with a wolf's head on it and it had been John's while he was John Stevens. The locket had been given to Forrest Alamain, and supposedly taken to his grave, by his mother (thus revealing John's identity), with a matching piece given to his brother, Lawrence.

Laptop computer

Maison Blanche (1994)
Aremid (1995)

John Black

This was Stefano's computer, which supposedly held info about John's past. It was discovered at Maison Blanche. Tony went (temporarily) blind while retrieving it for John from a burning Maison Blanche. John had to figure out the password to get the info. He finally figured out the password, which was a name Stefano had called Kristen. The computer revealed John had been a priest.

puzzle box

Gina's identity (1995)

Gina/Hope

The box was once Tom Horton's. Hope had known how to solve it. Everyone believed that if Gina could figure out how to open it, it would prove that she was Hope. When the box was finally opened, there was a letter that Hope wrote to Bo on their wedding day. Hope's memories flodded back to her.

compact

Billie's schemes (1998)

Hope, Billie

Bo and Hope left behind a compact during their visit to Louisiana which was important to Hope's past. A mysterious "swamp girl" took the compact after noticing it and buried it in the dirt. The compact was soon washed down stream by a terrible storm and its rainwater. Billie found the compact, with the engraved "G" and she believed it stood for her daughter's name, Georgia.

Alice's ruby

Tropical Temptation (2001)

Shawn

Alice Horton had a ruby necklace given to her by Tom years ago. It had subsequently been stolen by Paul Mendez. Shawn decided to track it down for his grandmother.

key

Gemini twins (2002)

John, Tony

John stole this key from Tony DiMera, soon after Tony returned to Salem. Stefano told Tony it was the key to his past and future. John discovered it was made of a material developed for use in outer space.

Marlena's pillow

Stefano's death/Gemini twins (2002)

John and Marlena

Stefano willed this pillow to Marlena. On the front, it said "La belle au bois dormant" which means, "the beauty in the woods." On the back, it had the constellation of Gemini.

"the goop"

ISA/DiMera adventures (2003)

Bo, Hope, Maya, Tony and Rex

Maya came to Salem with information about the mysterious substance, which was soon referred to as "the goop." It was revealed that Tony was in cahoots with Maya, as both attempted to locate this amazing substance. Maya had one portion of the coordinates, while Tony had the other. Tony ended up in the hospital while Maya ended up in jail. So, Bo and Hope decided to go after the goop. Hope found it on an Indian reservation, where she soon met up with Bo, who had learned (from Rex, via Shawn) that the substance was an explosive, similar to dynamite.

pirate coin

Jack's death/Jennifer's pregnancy (2004)

Patrick Lockhart

The pirate coin disabled the force field on "captive island" where the Salemites were held, after their presumed deaths at the hands of the Salem Stalker.

Thanks to: Fritzi, cebr, Dyzlo, Ken

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Object	Storyline	Person obsessing	Significance
The Baka	1984	Tony, Stefano, Eugene	The baka, a talisman re-discovered in 1984, belonged to a DiMera ancestor and proved that there was a link between the DiMera family and the Bradford family many generations ago. The Baka was some sort of 300 year-old talisman that supposedly held negative power for the Bradfords and positive power for the DiMeras. The catch was that the Baka would always somehow fall back into the hands of the Bradfords, and they would keep it from being taken by the DiMeras to prevent them from abusing its power. In the late 18th century, a DiMera and a Bradford joined in marriage in order to get by this, but the offspring were still DiMeras so it didn't work out as planned, and all it did was cause more animosity between the two families.
prisms	The Three Prisms (1984-85)	Stefano DiMera	The prisms each had their own power, but it was the third that would cause an explosion deadly enough to eliminate all of Salem. Stefano wanted the three prisms because together they would be able to cure his brain tumor.
the Purse, the Power, and the Pawn (the 3 Ps)		Stefano, Victor and Petrov?	The person who had all three would be in control.
treasury bonds	Stockholm	The ISA, including Roman trying to get Marlena back and Victor and his henchman, plus Orpheus as the main man	The treasury engravings were a cover for what was really in the box, which were $25 billion dollars worth of fake treasury bonds. The real ones were to be delivered to Roman and they needed to recover the fake ones before the due date inscribed on the box, otherwise besides having the government come up with $25 billion dollars, they'll have to come up with $50 billion dollars. In the meantime, the entire American economy will collapse, and when that happens, it won't be long before the World Market goes into a shambles. There were three tattoos, that when put together, helped point to the location of the bonds. Bo, Steve and Britta each had one of the tattoos of a knife, or a "sai."
computer disk	Greece/Computer Disk (1987)	Mike, Diana, Shane	The ISA and the Salem police department were desperately looking for a top secret computer disk that had been stolen from the ISA main office in Washington D. C. The contents of the disk were very dangerous and therefore the American public could never learn what was on it. The disk came to town with the mysterious Hans, who had tracked the Donovans on their honeymoon in May 1987.
Greek icon	Greece/Computer Disk		Diana stole the icon from an exhibit, after being convinced to do it by her mother, Serena. Victor wanted it and Diana made an exchange for it.
Triad Ring	Stefano's Return/the Island	Roman Brady (John)	Roman had a ring with three interlocking circles. He eventually realized they could be stretched together and form three circles in a row. They were a key when stretched this way. They opened the door to a replica of the Brady house within a cave on Stefano's island. It was in this house that Roman found a woman resembling Marlena.
Loretta Toscano's diary and the "missing pages"	Cruise of Deception (1990)	Victor, Jack	Loretta had an affair with Victor Kiriakis, producing Isabella Toscano. Isabella had always believed her father to be Ernest. As everyone prepared to go on the Loretta for the Cruise, they were interested in the diary to find out more about Loretta. Victor? got his hands on the diary and removed the pages that revealed the affair, so even after Isabella saw the diary, she didn't find out about her true parentage. Jack wanted to get the diary to help Isabella.
San Cristobal medal	A Tale of Two Romans (1991)	John, Roman and Marlena	Marlena returned to Salem in 1991 after being in a coma for many years. She brought the medal with her, along with other loose coins. It led Roman, John and Marlena to a search about her missing years. Marlena recalled that a Spanish-speaking couple had given her the medal when she began her journey home, as St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. Victor had an identical medal.
Mayan codices	A Tale of Two Romans (1991)	Lawrence Alamain, the ISA (Gretchen), Stefano	The codices, which were ancient mayan documents, were located in the Castillo, a mayan temple in Chichen Itza. They belonged in a museum and the ISA wanted to put them there. Lawrence claimed his only motive in recovering the codices was altruism. He planned to turn them over to the Mexican government. However, Stefano appeared and demanded the codices in return for a satchel that would reveal John's true identity. Eventually, the codices arrived in Salem and there was a party to celebrate their return, thanking John and Roman for finding them. That very night a masked theif steals the codices and leaves behind a calling card with a picture of a wolf's head on it.
Charred photo with birthmark, melted gold, and half of a locket	A Tale of Two Romans (1991)	John Black	These items were in a satchel that Stefano said held all of the items to John's missing past. Of course Stefano threw the bag into flames and most of the items were destroyed. These items survived. The photo was eventually revealed to be Carly Manning and the gold was a originally a ring with a wolf's head on it and it had been John's while he was John Stevens. The locket had been given to Forrest Alamain, and supposedly taken to his grave, by his mother (thus revealing John's identity), with a matching piece given to his brother, Lawrence.
Laptop computer	Maison Blanche (1994) Aremid (1995)	John Black	This was Stefano's computer, which supposedly held info about John's past. It was discovered at Maison Blanche. Tony went (temporarily) blind while retrieving it for John from a burning Maison Blanche. John had to figure out the password to get the info. He finally figured out the password, which was a name Stefano had called Kristen. The computer revealed John had been a priest.
puzzle box	Gina's identity (1995)	Gina/Hope	The box was once Tom Horton's. Hope had known how to solve it. Everyone believed that if Gina could figure out how to open it, it would prove that she was Hope. When the box was finally opened, there was a letter that Hope wrote to Bo on their wedding day. Hope's memories flodded back to her.
compact	Billie's schemes (1998)	Hope, Billie	Bo and Hope left behind a compact during their visit to Louisiana which was important to Hope's past. A mysterious "swamp girl" took the compact after noticing it and buried it in the dirt. The compact was soon washed down stream by a terrible storm and its rainwater. Billie found the compact, with the engraved "G" and she believed it stood for her daughter's name, Georgia.
Alice's ruby	Tropical Temptation (2001)	Shawn	Alice Horton had a ruby necklace given to her by Tom years ago. It had subsequently been stolen by Paul Mendez. Shawn decided to track it down for his grandmother.
key	Gemini twins (2002)	John, Tony	John stole this key from Tony DiMera, soon after Tony returned to Salem. Stefano told Tony it was the key to his past and future. John discovered it was made of a material developed for use in outer space.
Marlena's pillow	Stefano's death/Gemini twins (2002)	John and Marlena	Stefano willed this pillow to Marlena. On the front, it said "La belle au bois dormant" which means, "the beauty in the woods." On the back, it had the constellation of Gemini.
"the goop"	ISA/DiMera adventures (2003)	Bo, Hope, Maya, Tony and Rex	Maya came to Salem with information about the mysterious substance, which was soon referred to as "the goop." It was revealed that Tony was in cahoots with Maya, as both attempted to locate this amazing substance. Maya had one portion of the coordinates, while Tony had the other. Tony ended up in the hospital while Maya ended up in jail. So, Bo and Hope decided to go after the goop. Hope found it on an Indian reservation, where she soon met up with Bo, who had learned (from Rex, via Shawn) that the substance was an explosive, similar to dynamite.
pirate coin	Jack's death/Jennifer's pregnancy (2004)	Patrick Lockhart	The pirate coin disabled the force field on "captive island" where the Salemites were held, after their presumed deaths at the hands of the Salem Stalker.