While Alex and Stephanie were in fear of discovering the secret, another character also shook Salem: Theo Carver.

The normally calm and friendly man suddenly acted to make his father – Abe – restless.

In a shocking scene, Abe heard his son call in the middle of the night: “Do you have it yet?… Don’t let anyone know.”

The cold tone made him stunned.

The next morning, Abe confronted Theo. But instead of admitting it, Theo laughed and said: “Dad, you worry too much.” The answer was light but the empty eyes made the audience shiver. Some fans noticed the way the film was edited, repeating the “villain reveal” frame, signaling that Theo was involved in a series of conspiracies related to the mysterious box that Stephanie found.

Abe then tells Marlena, “I don’t recognize my son anymore.” This could be the start of the season’s most intense “father vs. son” storyline. As lies, secrets, and power intertwine, Abe and Theo’s relationship could fall apart—and Salem could soon have a new villain.

The episode ends with Theo looking through a window, light illuminating half of his face—half good, half evil. In Salem, no one is truly pure. And as Theo begins to enter the game of darkness, the audience can only exclaim, “The box has opened, and the nightmare has only just begun.”