Days of Our Lives spoilers: Kristen begs EJ, Marlena distracts Rachel, and Tate struggles with loss

Spoilers of the upcoming episode of the Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives airing on August 21, 2025, tease that the jury will finally announce its verdict, while Kristen DiMera desperately tries to protect her daughter from a painful secret. At the same time, Marlena Evans works on a way to calm Rachel’s growing fears.

As the trial reaches its breaking point, EJ DiMera feels the weight of a difficult decision and may have to make a huge sacrifice for justice. Kristen’s emotional plea, Marlena’s efforts to distract Rachel, and Tate Black’s sadness over his baby will all shape today’s powerful storylines. Viewers can expect secrets to surface, lies to cause damage, and hard choices to change lives in Salem.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the episode set to air on August 21, 2025

The verdict and EJ’s moral dilemma

The jury has been going over all the evidence against Johnny DiMera, and Thursday’s episode finally delivers the moment everyone has been waiting for. Leo Stark, who is acting as the jury foreman, will guide the group in reaching a final decision.

EJ, however, is deeply conflicted. Now that he knows Rachel was the one responsible for the shooting, he feels the need to speak up in order to protect his son. Kristen begs him to stay silent, but EJ believes Johnny’s freedom can only be secured if the truth comes out.

Kristen’s desperate plea

Kristen has always done whatever it takes to protect her daughter, and this time is no different. Since Rachel was involved in EJ’s shooting, Kristen fears the truth could ruin her. She begs EJ to give her more time, hoping she can find a way to clear Johnny without revealing Rachel’s secret.

But with the jury about to deliver their decision, EJ feels there’s no time left. Kristen might even decide to take a huge risk by pretending she was the shooter to protect Rachel from the consequences.

Marlena’s concern for Rachel

Marlena has been keeping a close eye on Rachel’s fragile state of mind and thinks she may be dealing with dissociative amnesia. To stop Rachel from breaking down under all the guilt and confusion, Marlena tries to distract her.

She works to take Rachel’s mind off the trial and her fear that Johnny could be punished for what she did. Marlena knows she has to handle things gently so she doesn’t make Rachel’s mental health worse.

Brady consoles Tate

Meanwhile, Brady Black tries to comfort his son, Tate, who is heartbroken because he isn’t allowed to see his baby. What Tate doesn’t know is that he has already held his child without realizing it. The situation gets worse because Sophia Choi refuses to tell the truth.

Even though Sarah Horton Kiriakis urges her to be honest, Sophia sticks to her made-up story, creating even more lies. This leaves Tate hurt and confused, while Sophia risks getting herself into bigger trouble.

More lies and consequences

Thursday’s episode of Days of Our Lives highlights a common theme in Salem as secrets never stay hidden for long. From Kristen trying to influence EJ to Sophia refusing to admit the truth, the decisions made now will affect what happens next. As the jury announces its verdict, one family could be torn apart, while others deal with the fallout of buried lies.

Fans of Days of Our Lives can watch the new episodes of the show on Peacock