Days of Our Lives Spoilers for the Week of 8-14-23: Saying Goodbye to an Iconic Character

We've known for months it would happen.

After John Aniston passed away in November of 2023, it was only a matter of time before his alter ego did too.

And spoilers for Days of Our Lives during the week of 8-14-23 suggest Victor Kiriakis's death will send shockwaves through Salem.

Rather than have Victor die in his sleep, as many fans expected, Victor's plane will disappear, and after a search, Victor will be confirmed to have perished in a crash.

This unexpected death will leave his loved ones heartbroken and shocked, but is it the best way to go?

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Victor was a powerhouse who was said to be traveling the world long after his portrayer passed away, so it makes sense that he'd die in an accident while flying back from Greece, where he was supposedly visiting his comatose son Bo.

But viewers remember how his portrayer's body failed toward the end. Victor began walking with a cane and eventually didn't walk at all; during his last appearances, the character was always sitting.

His speech slowed down, and he lost weight. Clearly, he was getting older and far more fragile than a character like Victor Kiriakis would ever admit.

That makes it hard to believe that he hopped a plane off-screen, went halfway around the world, and was on his way home when an accident did him in.

Although a plane crash pays tribute to the man Victor Kiriakis was in his younger years and would have liked to have been up until the end, it doesn't square with reality.

It would have been equally moving a tribute for Maggie to discover that he had passed away in his sleep one morning.

That would have been realistic since Victor suffered several strokes throughout his lifetime, leaving Maggie wondering if she could have done something for him had she awakened before he died.

Either way, Victor's death will be heartbreaking. The man was one-of-a-kind, and Salem will not be the same without him.

Please check out our complete list of Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 8-14-23.

Justin updates the group on the whereabouts of Victor's plane.

Victor's friends and family are gathered to welcome him home, so this shocking news will hit doubly hard.

At first, the plane will only be missing, so the group will likely hold out hope that Victor is still alive.

Although bringing Victor back is impossible (short of a soap opera recast that most viewers probably wouldn't accept!), you can't blame his family for hoping for the best. After all, there's been an epidemic of people returning from the dead lately.

Li and Melinda debate starting over.

Li and Melinda's budding romance fell apart when Melinda tried to use their date to coerce a confession out of Li. It's hard to imagine how they can come back from that!

Melinda's not trustworthy, and she's supposed to be prosecuting Li for his role in brainwashing Harris into attempting to kill Stefan.

How is this unlikely romance going to work?

Abe attempts to take his job back.

We've had amnesiac mayors before. Jack nearly destroyed Salem when his amnesia turned him into an arch-conservative who hated all his old friends.

Still, Acting Mayor Rawlings enjoys his power too much. And if it's true that Rawlings is a racist, he won't easily give up the position to a Black man, even if he's only supposed to be filling in while Abe is incapacitated.

The battle will likely push Abe and Paulina closer together as they plot to get Abe back in the mayor's office. Could that be the thing that sparks Abe's memories?

Johnny confesses his feelings for Chanel.

Will he tell Chanel or just Grandma Marlena?

Marlena already counseled Talia to express her interest in Chanel, only for Johnny to show up seconds later to discuss the same issue.

But if Johnny doesn't tell Chanel, it's a non-starter. Let's hope he does, and soon, before Chanel stupidly decides to give Talia another chance.

Gwen makes a discovery during her honeymoon.

There was no way this wasn't going to blow up in Dimitri's face. He's so addicted to sex with Leo that he insisted on Leo coming to Iceland too.

What did Dimitri expect would happen? Gwen would go to sleep, and he'd sneak out for a booty call with Leo and be back before she awakens?

Cheating on your new bride during a honeymoon is a horrible thing to do. It's also stupid; the chances of getting caught are far higher than if Dimitri waited til he got home.

Still, things could get interesting if Gwen discovers the inheritance contract rather than Dimitri in bed with her best friend. She seems like someone who'd stay in the marriage for a cut of the money, but will things go that way?

Gabi tries to learn Rachel's secret.

Rachel's known for weeks that Dimitri and Leo slept together, and if Gabi gets her hands on that intel, it could help tip the scales at the board meeting.

Gabi could blackmail Dimitri into supporting her bid for CEO or discredit him to the board if he tries to support EJ.

Kristen won't like Gabi manipulating Kristen's daughter to get her way, but that won't stop Gabi. Besides, it's not like Kristen wouldn't do the same thing if she had the opportunity to use someone else's child to further her goals.

Victor's friends and family mourn.

After Victor's death is confirmed, his friends and family will be heartbroken.

In Shawn's case, it'll be an excuse for guilt and drinking. Victor was on that plane because he had to visit a comatose Bo, which wouldn't have happened if Shawn hadn't shot Bo.

Someone needs to remind Shawn that his father died in a plane crash after Ava sabotaged it and that something similar likely happened here. Also, it's not about him; he doesn't need to take over for Brady as the resident Kiriakis alcoholic.