If you’re tired of DOOL constantly “trapping people in crypts,” the bad news is they’re doing it again this week, and even more so.

The DiMera crypt has swallowed yet another person, and the story escalates in a way everyone understands: this is no longer an incident, but a system of traps.

The crypt now resembles a psychological grinder.

You’re not just locked in by the door, you’re locked in by fear: fear of death, fear of being forgotten, fear of loved ones being forced to follow orders to save you.

In this storyline, Theo Carver and Chad DiMera become two characters with a “sober but helpless” vibe. Chad, having experienced too much tragedy, sees everything in a very dark light: he understands that once DiMera wants to hide something, they will hide it at all costs. Theo is like someone thrown into the hellish world of the DiMera family without any preparation, so Theo’s reaction will be very “human”: a mixture of anger, confusion, and a desire to save someone immediately.

The trap of the catacombs is that it forces outsiders to do dirty. Because when there are hostages underground, those above ground are threatened with “do as I say, and I’ll let you go.” That’s how DOOL forces characters to cross moral boundaries without portraying them as evil. A mother can lie. A husband can betray an ally. A good person can remain silent when they should have called the police. All because of the fear of losing loved ones. And once you’ve made a mistake once to save someone, it’s easier to make the same mistake again.