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Finally, it’s time for answers! On Friday, March 6th, Days of Our Lives EJ is going to give Paulina a real eyeful and show her what — and who — he’s been working on. And boy is it going to be a gut punch when she sees Abe’s beloved wife, dead for over 16 years, alive once more! TV Insider‘s revealed that Nikki Crawford will be stepping into the role played by Renee Jones for almost 20 years. And it’s going to be one heck of a ride!

With all the hints that the show’s been dropping, we can’t say we’re surprised — but we’re still excited at the prospect! Abe, Paulina, Theo, the DiMeras — there’s just about no one who this won’t touch.

Crawford spoke to TV Insider to give a tease of what’s to come, saying that, “at her core, Lexie is driven by love. Her family is everything to her. And now that she’s been given a second chance at life, that raises the stakes.”

Days of Our Lives is Crawford’s first soap, but the actress is a longtime vet, from primetime TV to films like How to Deter a Robber (above).

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

She knows how beloved and iconic Jones was in the role, and ultimately, Crawford just wants to honor that legacy, while building on who Lexie is now. And that may be a big question. Will Lexie remember everything? Will she be changed at all after being “dead” for so long? Will she be lost in a world and a Salem that’s almost unrecognizable from the one she last saw?

That’s tough to say, but it sounds like Paulina may have reason to worry. In fact, she’ll have a lot of reason to!

“Her return is going to shake things up,” Crawford teases, “especially with Abe now being married to Paulina.” Lexie’s going to fight for what she loves. And if that’s Abe and a now-grown Theo, the Carver-Price family could be in for one heck of a shock. “Most people, if given a second chance, would do the same thing,” Lexie’s portrayer insists. “So, she may come in with love, but she’s not coming in quietly.”

This could be bad news for Paulina and Chanel. Because one thing we don’t expect Lexie to stay quiet on is Theo’s involvement with DiMera. Abe warned their son that Lexie wouldn’t be happy about him getting sucked in, and now he can hear it firsthand. If he backs out of returning to head the company, then Johnny’s staying in it — and that could push Chanel to the breaking point.