In one of the finest episodes of Days of our Lives in a long time, the series legacy heroes, John Black and Bo Brady, are both at a crossroads. By the end of the Friday May 23rd cliffhanger, their two lives hang in the balance, and in what had been promised by head writers, Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford, and executive producer, Ken Corday, the soap opera would craft an exit befitting the legacy of John and its portrayer the late Drake Hogestyn. The story perfectly intersects the lives of Bo (Peter Reckell) and John and their best friend, Steve, played heartbreakingly by Stephen Nichols.
As it begins, Hope (Kristian Alfonso) is at Bo’s bedside wishing him happy 40th wedding anniversary as this was the date that they got married in 1985, and we flashback to their London wedding ceremony. In the present, Bo has been given his last rites. Ciara (the returning Victoria Konefal) arrives to be with her mother and father, and sits at Bo’s bedside remembering special moments with her dad when she was growing up (which included flashbacks of a young Ciara played by Lauren Bowles).
KAYLA INFORMS MARLENA OF JOHN’S NEW MISSION TO SAVE BOMeanwhile, Marlena (Deidre Hall) visits Kayla’s (Mary Beth Evans) office at the hospital and Kayla learns that John didn’t return home and go directly to see Marlena. He made a pit stop to help Steve in their quest to get the drug to save Bo. Kayla explains the situation to Marlena and how they just need a single dose of the medication and all they went through, and then Kayla says to Marlena that they both know how Bo is like a brother to both men. Next, we get a flashback of Bo telling his sister, that she can always count on In the present, with tears in her eyes, Kayla recalls the countless times that Bo, John and Steve have stepped up and saved them. Kayla worries this time Bo won’t be able to be saved in time and she will lose her brother. Kayla reassures Marlena that John will finish his mission with Steve and be back to her in no time.
BO TRAVELS TO SALEM IN HIS MIND
Back in Bo’s hospital room (which is unclear where he is exactly), while Ciara remembers moments in her life with her dad, Bo is transported to Horton Town Square and eventually to the Brady Pub, where he sees Steve and Kayla holding hands and talking, but he is locked out of the pub and can’t get to them – which is the analogy that Bo is trying to get home to those he loved, but he’s still unable to wake up out of his coma as death looms.
DISABLING THE SECURITY SYSTEM
Now outside in an alley, Dr. Russell (Michael Dietz) meets John who begins to help Steve and Shawn (Brandon Beemer) to try to trick the security system of the meth lab so they can get inside and look for a vial of Versavix. Suddenly, Hope (Kristian Alfonso) has joined them just in time when they learn that there is a two-part security system. Hope cuts the wires and disables one system and John disables the other. Next, John, Hope and Dr. Russell enter the lab. Hope asked Dr. Russell to come with them to identify and locate the drug.
IN THE WAREHOUSE LAB
There is a person in an unresponsive state on the floor which could be Asher. Hope, John and Dr. Russell try to get in and get out but no such luck. Russell spots the Versavix, but Asher jumps up and attacks Dr. Russell from behind. Hope grabs the drugs as Asher gets into a fight with the doctor and suddenly smoke is filling up the lab. As Asher pulls a knife to kill Russell, John saves the day as he get into a fight with Asher, as Hope gets Dr. Russell out. When she tries to go back, the warehouse is now engulfed in flames. Later, the firefighters arrive and say they found one survivor and wheel out a badly burned John, who has in his hand the vial of Versavix to save Bo! Shawn gives it to Hope to hurry and rescue his dad.
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL LIVES ON THE LINE
At University Hospital, Kayla tells Marlena that there was an explosion and John has been seriously injured. Hope and Shawn arrive in Bo’s room and tell Ciara they have secured the drug, Hope tells Bo to fight, and how fitting would it be for him to awake with this being their 40th wedding anniversary? Next, Hope, Ciara and Shawn recite the Lord’s prayer as Bo is being administered the sepsis drug as one last ditch effort to save his life.
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL WAITING AREA
In the moment of the episode, Steve tells Dr Russell the man who attacked him is dead and shared that John not only saved Dr Russell’s life but also his life’s work. In a surprise move, Steve hands the doctor all of the vials of the drug. An emotional Steve says, John protected them with his body. Steve tells Dr. Russell that he must continue his life-saving work, especially because John put his life on the line for it. Once alone, Steve breaks down in tears. He is wracked with guilt over John’s condition and the thought of losing his best friend. Marlena is now John’s beside. Steve enters the room and stands by Marlena’s side. Then, in a perfect moment, Steve says that Stefano DiMera may have called himself the Phoenix, but he had nothing on John Black. Then, DAYS flashes back to John’s origin story, his many identities, the moment he looks at himself in the mirror and calls himself “John Black” – all from the decades of scenes featuring Drake Hogestyn.
Back in the present, John whispers, “I love you, Doc.” First, Marlena is overjoyed to hear his voice, but it soon becomes life-altering as John’s heart monitor flatlines. Kayla runs in and says he’s coding. Steve tries to get Marlena out of the room, but she calls out to her husband that she is right here with him. While everyone was excellent in the episode, nothing was more gut-wrenching than Stephen Nichols performance as Steve breaks down after John saved the day for Bo, as well as Mary Beth Evans remembering what the love of her brother Bo means to her. It looks like in the coming two weeks viewers will be reaching for the hankies more often than not. Stay tuned.
