DOOL FANS AT WAR: COULD BABY-SNATCHER SLOAN PETERSEN BECOME SALEM’S NEXT ANTI-HEROINE?
TL;DR: Following Nicole Walker’s July 29, 2024 exit from Days of Our Lives, fans are divided over whether villain Sloan Petersen, who fled Salem after kidnapping Nicole’s baby Jude, should return as a complex antagonist similar to Kate Roberts.
The Shocking Debate That’s Tearing Salem Fans Apart
Salem is missing one of its most compelling villains, and fans can’t stop arguing about it. After Sloan Petersen fled town to escape arrest for kidnapping Nicole Walker’s baby, you’d think the audience would celebrate her departure. Think again. A surprising number of DOOL viewers actually want the baby-snatcher back — and their reasoning might shock you.
With Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker) officially off the canvas as of July 29, 2024, Salem has a massive void. The 25-year veteran left with Eric Brady and their son Jude for their happily ever after. But her exit wasn’t the only departure that has fans talking. Sloan Petersen (Jessica Serfaty) vanished into the night after her baby-switch scheme exploded in her face.
What Happens to Sloan Petersen After Her Crimes?
Sloan Petersen is currently a fugitive from justice. After EJ DiMera confronted her with an ultimatum to return baby Jude within 24 hours, Sloan confessed everything. She’d stolen Nicole and Eric’s newborn after her own miscarriage, raised him for months with Eric believing it was their adopted child, and even tampered with DNA tests to hide the truth. With help from Melinda Trask and blackmail from Leo Stark, the deception became Salem’s biggest storyline of 2024.
The aftermath was swift and brutal. Nicole got her son back, learned Eric was the father, and the reunited family left Salem together. Sloan ran to avoid certain imprisonment for kidnapping. Case closed, right? Not according to a vocal segment of the fanbase.
Why Do Some Fans Actually Miss This Villain?
Here’s where things get wild. Fan forums are erupting with comments like “I miss Sloan. There was a lot more that character could do.” Some viewers called Sloan and Eric a “fun couple” and praised her for shaking up stale dynamics. The most revealing comment? “I enjoy Sloan she reminds me of an Updated Kate without having to be a victim or prostitute. She’s tough and has a heart.”
That comparison to Kate Roberts is crucial. Kate has thrived for decades as Salem’s complex anti-heroine — never fully good, never completely evil, always compelling. These fans don’t want Sloan redeemed. They want her back as a permanent antagonist who owns her villainy.
The parallel between Nicole and Sloan is impossible to ignore. Remember, Nicole herself stole Sami Brady’s baby Sydney back in 2009. She passed the child off as her own for months. Sound familiar? The writers deliberately created Sloan as a mirror image of Nicole’s darkest moment. If Nicole could evolve from baby-stealer to beloved heroine over 15 years, couldn’t Sloan follow a similar path?
Is Sloan Petersen Salem’s Most Hated Character?
Not everyone’s buying the Sloan sympathy tour. The other half of the fanbase expresses pure rage at the mention of her name. Comments range from “conniving face” and “a true bitch” to “I hate her with a passion!!!!” These viewers see her crime against beloved Nicole as unforgivable. They want justice, not redemption arcs.
For this crowd, Sloan represents everything wrong with Salem — criminals who never face real consequences. After what she put Nicole through, letting her believe her baby died, there’s no coming back. Prison is where she belongs, period.
What’s Next for Salem Without Nicole or Sloan?
The strategic analysis is clear: Sloan Petersen cannot and should not directly replace Nicole Walker. They serve opposite narrative functions. Nicole was a protagonist we rooted for despite her flaws. Sloan is an antagonist who creates the conflict that makes stories interesting.
Could Sloan return? In the soap world, anything’s possible. But here’s the twist — she shouldn’t come back seeking forgiveness. The most compelling path would position her as a permanent high-functioning antagonist. Picture Sloan returning as a ruthless lawyer taking on the Bradys, Hortons, and DiMeras in court. No redemption arc needed. Just pure, intelligent villainy in the tradition of Kate Roberts or Kristen DiMera.
The fans who miss Sloan aren’t asking for a new heroine. They’re recognizing that Salem needs smart, complex villains who aren’t victims and don’t apologize. Someone who makes the heroes’ lives harder and the stories more exciting. That’s the void Sloan could fill — not as the next Nicole, but as the antagonist Salem desperately needs.
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