MARLENA EVANS FINALLY CALLS OUT RACHEL BLACK’S ATTITUDE — BUT DOES SHE KNOW THE FULL STORY?
TL;DR: Marlena Evans confronted Rachel Black on Days of Our Lives after the troubled child called her teacher “lame” and offered a halfhearted apology, telling her granddaughter “I don’t like your attitude.” But the real concern? Rachel later admitted she’s actively manipulating young Thomas DiMera, coaching him to use coercive tactics against Cat Green—and spoilers reveal their plot together will have “serious consequences.”
The Moment DOOL Fans Have Been Waiting For
Finally! FINALLY someone is actually parenting this child.
When Marlena Evans called out Rachel Black for that “lame” teacher comment, the satisfaction was REAL. Watching Marlena shut down that halfhearted apology with a firm “I don’t like your attitude” was everything fans needed after years—YEARS—of watching this kid run wild with zero consequences.
Rachel’s been coddled far too long by both parents. Brady Black has never truly disciplined his daughter for any of her increasingly disturbing behaviors. Not when she relentlessly tormented Chloe Lane until the woman left town. Not when her threatening text messages to Ava Vitali and subsequent running away directly led to Ava’s kidnapping. Not even for all those times she skipped school to visit Kristen DiMera in prison.
Brady just rolls over. Every. Single. Time.
And Kristen? She actively encourages Rachel’s worst impulses, turning her daughter into a mini version of herself. The woman literally confessed to shooting EJ DiMera to protect Rachel—because yes, Rachel was the one who actually pulled the trigger. That’s the level of enablement we’re dealing with here.
So watching Marlena step up with some actual grandparent discipline? Chef’s kiss.
What Did Rachel Admit to Marlena?
Here’s where things get REALLY concerning.
The “lame” comment wasn’t the issue—it was merely the doorway Marlena needed to dig deeper into what’s really going on with her troubled granddaughter. What Rachel revealed next? Chilling.
Rachel admitted she’s been actively coaching Thomas DiMera on manipulation tactics, specifically advising him to “leverage his power” to force Cat Green out of town. This isn’t a kid being sassy to her teacher. This is a child teaching ANOTHER child how to manipulate and coerce people to get what they want.
Marlena, who’s been a psychiatrist for decades and has dealt with her share of troubled family members (looking at you, Sami Brady), immediately recognized the red flags. For a child Rachel’s age to not only engage in manipulation herself but to actively recruit and train another child as an accomplice? That’s sociopathic behavior in the making.
And given that Marlena knows the dark secret about Rachel shooting EJ—a violent act that’s been completely covered up—this manipulation of Thomas represents a dangerous escalation in Rachel’s behavioral pattern.
Why Has Brady Failed Rachel So Badly?
Let’s talk about Brady’s spectacular parenting failures.
Brady Black parents from a place of guilt. His own tumultuous childhood, his struggles with addiction, and his toxic on-again-off-again relationship with Kristen have left him terrified of alienating his daughter. So instead of providing boundaries and discipline, he appeases. He excuses. He enables.
When Rachel was tormenting Chloe, fans watched Brady basically tell Chloe to deal with it instead of correcting his daughter’s behavior. When Rachel sent threatening messages to Ava and ran away, causing a kidnapping crisis, Brady was concerned but ultimately didn’t enforce meaningful consequences. Therapy was suggested, then conveniently avoided.
Kristen is even worse—she weaponizes Rachel to maintain her obsessive connection to Brady and uses the child as a proxy in her war against any woman who gets close to him. Rachel’s alienation tactics work PERFECTLY to serve Kristen’s agenda, even from behind bars.
Together, they’ve created a child who’s never faced real accountability for anything. And now that pattern has created a monster.
What’s Next for Rachel and Thomas?
Spoilers for the week of November 3 reveal that Rachel and Thomas will “plot together against Cat Green“—and their scheme involves a pumpkin and a catapult. Sounds childish, right?
Don’t be fooled. The spoilers specifically state this plot will have “serious consequences” that unfold throughout the week. This isn’t just kids being kids—this is Rachel orchestrating a premeditated act of aggression and recruiting an accomplice to carry it out.
Could this mean Thomas gets seriously hurt? Don’t be surprised if the “pumpkin catapult” incident goes horribly wrong and Thomas ends up injured—possibly explaining actor Cary Christopher’s upcoming departure from the role with a recast arriving in April 2026. The timing certainly suggests this incident will be a pivotal, character-altering event.
Given Rachel’s history, this likely leads to yet another cover-up. Brady will probably make excuses. Kristen will manipulate from prison. And Rachel will continue her descent into becoming exactly what Marlena fears most—the next Kristen DiMera.
The Sweet Relationship at Risk
Here’s the thing that makes this storyline so compelling: the relationship between Marlena and Rachel is genuinely sweet when Rachel isn’t acting out. You can see the love there, the connection. Marlena clearly adores her granddaughter and Rachel responds to her grandmother’s attention and affection.
But Marlena also has her hands FULL. She’s dealt with troubled children before—her own daughter Sami Brady set the gold standard for scheming, manipulative behavior as a teen. Marlena knows what happens when you coddle, excuse, and enable this type of behavior. She learned the hard way with Sami that understanding a child’s trauma doesn’t mean accepting their destructive actions.
With Rachel, Marlena has the wisdom of hindsight. She’s determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past. That “I don’t like your attitude” moment wasn’t just about discipline—it was a grandmother drawing a line in the sand, saying “this stops NOW.”
The Alternate Reality Fans Wish For
Part of the frustration in watching this storyline is knowing it could have been different. Some fans honestly wish Rachel had been Xander Kiriakis and Kristen’s child instead—just to free Brady and his family from being eternally tied to Kristen’s chaos.
In that alternate reality, Brady could finally move on and find peace. The storyline would shift from “good parent vs. manipulative villain parent” to a more complex dynamic between two morally gray characters fighting for their child’s soul. Xander has that complicated villain-turned-hero history that would make the parenting dynamics far more interesting.
But that’s not the story we got. We got Brady trapped in an endless cycle with Kristen, and Rachel as the living, breathing consequence of that toxic bond.
What Happens When Marlena Discovers the Truth?
The million-dollar question: what will Marlena do when she discovers the full extent of Rachel’s plot with Thomas?
Marlena’s already concerned after Rachel’s admission about manipulating Thomas. But she doesn’t know about the pumpkin catapult scheme yet. When that plot unfolds with its promised “serious consequences,” Marlena is going to be faced with a critical decision: continue trying to save her granddaughter through tough love and intervention, or acknowledge that Rachel may be too far gone down the path Kristen has set for her.
Given Marlena’s professional training and life experience, she’ll likely push for serious psychological intervention. But will Brady allow it? Will Kristen interfere from prison? And most importantly—is it already too late to save Rachel from becoming exactly what everyone fears?
One thing’s certain: that sweet grandmother-granddaughter relationship is entering its most critical phase. Affection alone won’t fix what’s broken in Rachel Black. It’s going to take boundaries, consequences, and probably professional help.
Let’s hope Marlena’s tough love arrives in time to make a difference.
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