Two wrongs don't make a birthright

Will Nicole learn the true extent of Sloan's betrayal? If so, will E.J. go down with Sloan? And can Bobby overcome the fact that he's not a complete person? Let's discuss all the possibilities of existence in this week's Two Scoops.

The entire baby snatching reveal felt like it fit into a wonderful three-act play format -- and we ended just at the beginning of the third act.

First, Sloan's blackmailed confession led to Eric doing the right thing (shocker) and turning Jude over to Nicole and E.J. This scene happened in a doorway -- probably the least grand place in the DiMera mansion, not even entirely inside the DiMera mansion. Nicole was in shock. Eric was in pain. And E.J. was eerily passive. This was brilliant writing. The whole thing felt very unsettling, and that's exactly the point. This is how it had to be. The story isn't over. While we've been waiting for this news, and most of us are genuinely happy for Nicole, this isn't the finale.

In a truly heart-tugging move, they added Holly to the mix next. Good on Nicole for not bashing Sloan to Holly. Even better on Eric for coming out with the truth. Even, even better on Holly for offering condolences to Eric. Nicole caught that and offered the same type of condolences. She let him hold Jude and extended an open invite to come visit Jude whenever Eric wants. Then, Holly rushed to hug Eric, and I almost burst into tears for the man. Of course, E.J. completely stews in this display of affection, for this is the type of family he so desperately wants with Nicole.

But, you guys, Eric did the thing! He did the thing that is so rare on soaps. Upon learning a secret, he marched right over to the wronged party and told the truth. How many times have we screamed at our TVs to tell a character to do this? How many times have we said, "Ugh. If they'd just come clean when they found out about it, they wouldn't be complicit now!"? This was like spotting a soap unicorn.

The next act was the comfort and reflection. Nicole and E.J. had various scenes with the baby where they're grateful, thankful, #blessed. Marlena and John rushed to Eric's side when they knew something was wrong. John's story of giving up Eric and Sami when they were little was touching. And the low-key MVP of this act might be Rafe, who shared his own story of having to give up David and was emotionally there for Eric in a way Rafe isn't for a lot of people.

Then, the reflection started. Nicole wonders how Sloan could have done this alone. Nicole knows from experience that you at least need a shady doctor to pull this off. Rafe calls complete B.S. on Melinda not knowing about the swap, considering she was the attorney of record on the adoption. And Leo starts to wonder why on earth E.J. would want to pay to keep the secret quiet in the first place. Of course, they're all right. Of course, these are three people who don't stop digging. So, we're not far off.

This all led to the start of the third act -- the resolution. Eric confirms that Melinda was part of the baby handoff. So, Rafe marches right over and arrests Melinda. Leo starts to confront E.J. on why he would pay this hush money. And, for reasons that make no storyline sense, Sloan sneaked into the DiMera mansion to confront? apologize to? maybe just swipe some expensive wine from? Nicole.

This felt like a make-good scene, since we didn't get to see Nicole confront Sloan before. Maybe it was the timing, but this one didn't sit as well for me. Nicole got to punch Sloan, which I guess was cathartic. And I did love how Nicole hand-waved off Sloan's "what-about-ism" argument that since Nicole swapped Sami's baby, Nicole should be a-okay with Sloan telling Nicole that Nicole's baby died. (I still stand on the hill that the nuances in those two storylines make what Sloan did much, much worse.)

But I think the scenes next week will be the really cathartic ones, since Eric walked into the mansion as Friday's cliffhanger. Ohhhhh...I can't wait to see how Sloan lies out of this one. Something tells me Nicole will be more mad at Sloan lying to Eric than she would about Sloan lying to her. Eric's the one who has to deal with a loss...for now.

In other must-see-TV news, did you all know Blake Berris works here? Good soap lord, this man turned out to play this week!

First, to get the absurd out of the way, Chad, Stephanie, Jada, Rafe, et. al., all acted shocked (shocked, I tell you!) to hear Marlena declare that the man who had been identified under two names might have DID. Next week, Marlena will diagnose a child with chocolate all over his face as someone who ate all the cookies.

Anyway, Chad and Stephanie had a conversation about loving someone with a mental illness that was very real and quite touching. Chad warned that it's hard. This is an ugly but essential take! Yes! Yes, it is hard for the partner or caretaker to handle, too.

Then, Steph went to Mar for game prep before the intervention. Jada met her at Everett/Bobby's apartment, and we were off to the storyline races. We learned that Bobby was the alter. (Oh, Jada. I have so many questions for you.) Everett is the real man. There was some sort of trauma that Everett can't face. Bobby's here to protect Everett. And when Bobby opened that door to see Marlena standing there like the cowboy in the white hat, I nearly cheered. This was soap camp at its best!!

This masterclass from Blake Berris was especially impressive in a completely bananas plot point. I can't stress enough how masterful of a craftsman you must have to be to sell this nonsense. We lucked out before with Marci Miller. Now, with Blake Berris, we again have a performer who is equally equipped to play a villain (Bobby) and an ingnue (Everett).

When Stephanie and Jada (hat tip to Abigail Klein and Elia Cantu here, as well) looked into this man's eyes and pleaded to talk to Everett, the suspense was palpable. When he collapsed on the bed and looked exhausted, we couldn't help but wonder if Bobby would emerge like Jaws from the ocean. The fact that we don't know what's going to happen with this creature from minute to minute is a pleasure we only acquire with a killer performance. I love every second of it!

Loose Ends

The whole Alex/Theresa/Kristen storyline is starting to feel like a bad version of a reality dating show. There are shopping spree dates involved. No one seems to care that this man is openly sleeping with multiple people. They're all age-of-consent adults here, but it feels gross because no one is being honest about their consent. Kristen's never been one to share things, but she's supposedly cool with it now. Alex admitted he's sleeping with Kristen but said nothing to Theresa about how he thinks Theresa is after his money. And Theresa lied when she said she wasn't expecting anything from Alex. This will all end well...for Marlena...who is about to gain so many more clients.

I felt the massive pivot in E.J.'s character on Friday. He's getting a little too comfortable too quickly. Looking over Jude, planning to change Jude's name, accepting condolences from Marlena...it all felt stone cold. I mean, sure, E.J.'s father gave one relative plastic surgery to look exactly like another relative so he could replace his own son at one point. But E.J. hasn't been that dark of a character for a while. And while E.J. has always been jealous of Eric, Eric hasn't ever schemed or fought back. So, E.J.'s deep-seated hatred of Eric feels slightly off-center. It will be interesting to see him return to the Prince of Darkness status.

Xander and Sarah told a thrilled Maggie that they're engaged. I adore seeing Maggie happy. But she asked if they could wait until after her and Konnie's wedding. She said some nonsense about not being able to focus on their wedding with her own coming up. Because we all know if there's one thing about Maggie, it's that she can't shut down that selfish/competitive streak. Really a nightmare, that one.

Andrew Donovan (Hey, Andrew! Hey!) contacted Ho-Hum Harris to confirm that they've cracked the Clyde Code. This sent Harris off in some direction and Lucas and Ava off in a much more interesting other direction. More on that later, but I loved Lucas' inclusion in this storyline.

HOTSince her first run on the show, I've always been a Tamara Braun fan. And I thought Ava's establishing story -- the mafia princess kept drugged by her ruthless father for years, causing her to do terrible things -- was intriguing. It was the She-Pawn storyline, but with an added layer of tragedy. If you remember back to that storyline, you'll remember Kate was an integral part of the resolution, as she had witnessed Martino Vitali's ruthlessness.

Additionally, and with all due respect, Steve and Ava always felt too far apart in age. She was closer with Rafe, but I always wanted her with someone else. That person was Lucas. He's the perfect age. There's an integral Kate connection. I needed this to happen.

So, imagine my utter delight when I got Ava and Lucas this week, and they did. not. disappoint. Their banter was perfect. Their joint focus on putting Clyde to rest was right up there with everyone in the audience. I even loved that their combined costume looked like blind Robin Hood from the Disney cartoon movie.

Look, Lucas couldn't handle Ava back in the day. She's a mafia princess who orders hits and eats grilled mozzarella and tomato sandwiches. But now, he's a multiple-time prison inmate, turned secret informant. He brought down an armed villain with a three-point football defensive stance and some bear spray. Ava has always been ready. Lucas is now ready. Let's do this, writers. It's been years in the making.

NOTOh, lord. Kristen thinks that someone is terrible to steal a baby? Do we need to run that by Tate and Theresa?

LINE OF THE WEEKJada (in a dream sequence regarding Everett's storyline): "I don't think I could explain it if I tried!"

Same, Jada. Same. There are two smart women, a man, and a coma....and then no one cared? Even though the man was a journalist, one woman a cop, the other a PR specialist? My head still hurts. Thank you for vocalizing it.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

I must hear that conversation when Mar tells Sami that Sloan stole Nicole's baby for Eric. Please. I'll do anything.

Aww! Jada called Patch "Papa Steve."

Welcome to the land of stereotypes, Ennis, Montana. With love, Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

I'm still not down with the "Eric's always wanted to be a father his whole life" angle. He joined the priesthood.

Sarah has a surprise idea for the wedding. I'd love for it to be that we're traveling to Scotland (see old-school soaps on location), but I suspect it will be to invite Xander's mom.

Oh, Maggie. Good luck with Justin being a good influence on Alex. I don't know that penicillin would be a good influence on Alex.

I've grown to really like Melinda, especially her scenes with Leo. So, I don't know how I feel about her possibly going to prison. Then again, that would mean either Justin or Belle would have to come back to assume roles as the D.A. Neither of those would disappoint me at all!

Ha! Xander dubbed them "Hurricane Alex and Tornado Theresa." Accurate.

I had to chuckle when Everett said he didn't remember punching Eric. Consequently, being punched in the face was the least of Eric's problems over the previous 48 hours.

Rafe has to have had it up to *here with Harris's secret missions. But at least Harris asked for leave in person, unlike Ava, who left a note (facepalm!) for Roman. I'm sure Kate won't intercept that.

Sloan took off and left only the necklace with Jude's birthstone in it. I'm guessing she's keeping the one with Jude's name? I'd probably swap that.

I'm not not laughing at Bobby referring to Stephanie with, "The spoiled princess thing isn't my vibe."

I laughed when Alex skipped "girlfriend" and went for "someone with the Kiriakis heir." Sorry, I just don't feel bad for Theresa in this storyline at all.

I loved how Ava answered the phone immediately after Harris told her to be careful. My children follow this same logic. Be careful = Jump off the fireplace hearth.

We were supposed to think the apartment was a mess when Rafe and Eric went back to confront Sloan. But let me tell you -- that's exactly what an apartment with a newborn would look like. Most accurate thing I've seen on soaps!

That's it for this week! Tony will be back next week to usher us through the final act of the baby snatch saga -- complete with more Eric tears and E.J. lies (wild guess). Until then, see if you can get us an extra plus one at Maggie and Konnie's festivities. Since that wedding probably won't make it to the reception, we really want the extra cheese cubes and fruit kabob appetizers.

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