The recent storyline involving EJ bribing Leo to keep quiet about Sloan’s lies regarding the paternity of Nicole’s baby has left many Days of Our Lives fans scratching their heads. While Leo’s drunkenness and self-absorption could partially explain his failure to question EJ’s motives, the lack of logical continuity feels like a stretch, even for a soap opera plot.
At the core of the issue is Leo’s apparent obliviousness to the fact that if EJ is truly the father of Nicole’s baby, he would have no reason to bribe Leo or want to keep the truth from coming out. As a seasoned con artist, one would expect Leo to be more perceptive and inquisitive about EJ’s actions and their underlying motivations.
Fans have rightly pointed out that Leo should be asking himself fundamental questions like: “Why doesn’t EJ want his own son?” and “What does EJ have to gain by keeping this a secret from Nicole?” These are reasonable queries that any somewhat self-aware individual in Leo’s position should be pondering, drunk or sober.
Instead, the writers seem to be portraying Leo as either too inebriated or too dense to connect the dots and recognize the inherent contradiction in EJ’s behavior. This conveniently allows the plot to progress without Leo uncovering the truth prematurely, but it comes at the expense of character credibility and viewer immersion.
Another puzzling element is Leo’s continued presence in Salem and his failure to capitalize on his newfound wealth from EJ’s bribe. As a lover of luxury, one would expect Leo to immediately upgrade his living situation and lifestyle upon receiving such a substantial sum of money. Instead, he is still depicted as a down-and-out drunkard, seemingly squandering his windfall on cheap booze in the park.
Again, while Leo’s self-destructive tendencies could partially explain this behavior, it seems like a missed opportunity for the writers to explore the nuances of his character and motivations. A more nuanced portrayal could have shown Leo initially reveling in his ill-gotten gains, only to be consumed by guilt or other psychological demons that drive him back to his self-destructive ways.
Why wouldn’t EJ tell Leo one of the conditions of their arrangement is that Leo has to leave town? #Days
— Ed Kane Chandler (@JasperTylerKane) May 14, 2024
Fans have also questioned why EJ, a typically shrewd and calculating individual, would allow Leo to remain in Salem given his propensity for loose lips and drunken indiscretion. It would seem logical for EJ to have stipulated that Leo leave town as a condition of the bribe, removing the risk of him inadvertently revealing the truth to the wrong person.
The fact that the writers appear to be setting up Leo as the one who ultimately exposes Sloan’s lies feels like a convenient plot device, rather than an organic outgrowth of the characters’ established traits and motivations.
While suspension of disbelief is a necessary component of enjoying soap operas, this particular storyline has stretched credulity to the point where many fans are struggling to reconcile the characters’ actions with their established personalities and the internal logic of the narrative.
Ultimately, whether the writers course-correct and provide more satisfying explanations for the characters’ behavior, or simply lean into the melodramatic contrivances, will determine how this storyline is received and remembered by fans. For now, many are left scratching their heads at the seemingly illogical choices being made by both EJ and Leo.
