Days of Our Lives sees Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) claims that he has modified his methods, however has he actually? We’re going to dive into Greg Rikaart’s character and the sins of his previous which might be being dredged up proper now.
The Evolution of Leo Stark: From Salem Schemer to Soul-Looking out Citizen
So, love him or hate him, you bought to confess Leo has left his mark on Salem since he first appeared again in 2018. Should you didn’t know earlier than that, Greg Rikaart was over on Younger and the Stressed on and off for a few many years enjoying Kevin Fiser the place he was a dodgy schemer there as effectively. And he was nice. I do like Leo higher than Kevin. I’ll say I take pleasure in him extra on days.
So again in 2018, Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel) had employed Leo to seduce Sonny Kiriakis (Zach Tinker) and trigger some large scandal. So Leo’s shenanigans pressured Sonny out of the CEO place at Titan Industries. And since then, Leo has accomplished so many horrid issues to the individuals of Salem. But on the similar time, he’s all the time been witty and enjoyable and likable and humorous. even when he was doing dastardly issues to Sonny, to Will Horton (Chandler Massey), to so many others on Days of Our Lives.
Days of our Lives: Leo’s Terrible Previous
And I’ll say over the previous, I don’t know, yr and a half or so, we’ve seen Leo performing some soul-searching and attempting to be a greater individual. What he did to Sonny and Will was fairly terrible. After which what he did to his greatest pal Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) by banging her husband Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte) was to me worse in some ways.
As a result of Leo and Gwen had been greatest buddies for years. The place when Leo first was focusing on Sonny and Will, he was employed to do it they usually have been strangers versus, you realize, doing horrible issues and violating the belief of your greatest pal.
However Leo was actually sizzling for her sizzling hubby Dimitri. And so Leo simply threw that friendship away. He simply crapped throughout it. And Gwen’s return is citing a whole lot of his previous sins proper now. Javi Hernandez is discovering out issues about Leo he by no means knew and that he undoubtedly doesn’t like to listen to about his boyfriend.
Woman Whistleblower and a Seismic Shift: Has Leo Stark Actually Modified?
With Woman Whistleblower in his rear view. You already know, it was feeling like Leo had actually modified his sneaky and conniving methods. However we received a query with Gwen again. Has he actually? You already know, there’s been a seismic shift particularly over the previous, I don’t know, perhaps 6 months or so. He satisfied Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) to let him swap from Gossip Lady to a critical investigative reporter on the Spectator. And for probably the most half, once more, previous six months plus, Leo has been an exemplary citizen of Salem.
I’ll say that him serving to fence the Horton household necklace that Doug Williams (Invoice Hayes) stole was the dodgiest factor that Leo’s accomplished shortly. However when he did it, he didn’t have all the knowledge. And lately, he wrote that very considerate article/obbituary about John Black (Drake Hogestyn) when he handed away. Not solely that, however Leo’s accomplished the work.
He has accomplished a whole lot of self-reflection. He received into counseling with Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Corridor). That got here after he received that Expensive John letter from Dimitri when he was in jail as a result of Dimitri received himself a prison romance and dumped Leo.
However based on his therapist Marlena, she undoubtedly feels that Leo has made vital progress in addressing his insecurities and traumas. However has he actually modified for the higher? Or is he simply the identical previous Leo however perhaps solely barely extra self-aware in holding the evil tucked away inside? That’s a great query.
Javi’s Affect and Gwen’s Warning: Unpacking Leo’s Emotional Baggage
I do assume that cutie Javi has been a extremely good affect on Leo. And now these two together with Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) are fostering Sophia and Tate’s son who they named Tasto. However with Gwen’s current arrival again to Salem, Leo in fact is considering his depraved previous. Gwen even warned Javi that he was making a mistake getting concerned with someone like Leo.
Now, all of us noticed Javi was a bit of shaken by what Mrs. Von Leuschner mentioned about Leo. And there are issues that he withheld from Javi, however he did share among the sins of his previous, however not all of them. Frankly, there’s so much. And due to Gwen, we noticed Leo being pressured to return clear to Javi on much more stuff. He needed to unpack extra emotional baggage for his boyfriend, Javi. Luckily, Javi nonetheless loves Leo.
Days of Our Lives: Javi Loves Leo
He simply doesn’t just like the issues he’s accomplished in his previous. However Javi was notably shocked to listen to that Leo was so disloyal to the one that was as soon as his greatest pal. Should you can betray your greatest pal like that, you possibly can most likely betray your boyfriend like that, you realize. So when Leo’s former bestie Gwen simply laid into Leo in entrance of Javi, actually all Leo may do was apologize and say that he discovered his lesson.
However now this complete ordeal is making Leo second guesses whether or not he’s worthy to be foster child’s gunk, homosexual uncle, by the best way, if you happen to didn’t know the phrase. However you realize, we’ve seen Leo’s softer facet. Is he and Javi are caring for the little child boy? and his boyfriend even mentioned he thought Leo would make a great father sometime.
Redemption and Forgiveness: Can Leo Stark Persuade Salem and the Viewers?
And when Will was on the town for John funeral, Leo made an effort to clear the air with him. He can’t undo what he did, however he did acknowledge how flawed he’d been for what he did to Will and Sonny. And naturally, we all know a whole lot of Leo’s points are all the way down to his depraved mother, Diana Colville (Judith Chapman), his abusive father as effectively.
It’s onerous to be a great accomplice and a dad once you don’t have a great instance once you’re rising up, proper? Should you bear in mind, Leo was so excited when Diana mentioned John was his father. You already know, Leo thought he lastly had a constructive male function mannequin in his life. And John was able to embrace the function of pop, however then Diana revealed she lied and she or he crushed her son but once more.
Days of Our Lives: Leo Stark’s Shady Transfer
And despite the fact that Leo helped fence Julie’s necklace, he was attempting to assist poor broke Doug. And now Leo is attempting to assist get the necklace again. So backside line, I don’t assume at this level that Leo needs to be unhealthy. He simply wasn’t raised proper. He didn’t know higher and he received wrapped up in unhealthy schemes that have been really orchestrated by different individuals. However perhaps now Javi’s love may assist save Leo from his darker impulses.
He appears to be doing okay, however Gwen’s return may trigger points as a result of it makes Leo assume again on how really terrible he has been up to now the identical approach that Will’s return did. However Will got here and went and Gwen’s going to be sticking round. So, she’s going to be a continuing reminder of Leo’s poor previous life selections and his betrayals. Nevertheless, if Leo an get Gwen to forgive him, that might assist all people transfer ahead.
Days of our Lives: Leo’s Large Turnaround Convinces Others
So, I imply, even Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus) who has hated him for a very long time due to the Will and Sonny stuff, advised Ari that she initially didn’t need Leo to maneuver in, however he’s been nice. And he or she is aware of Javi actually loves him, so she’s softening.
Chad has softened. He’s getting together with Leo, despite the fact that he stole Abigail Deveraux’s (AnnaLynne McCord) jewellery the day she was murdered. So, perhaps Leo’s received an opportunity to stay to the best path in life and persuade Gwen he’s actually modified. after which, you realize, perhaps he’ll persuade us viewers that he’s actually modified as effectively.