They've been through it all. Possession by the devil. Frequent bouts of amnesia. Faked deaths that lasted years. Being trapped in a literal giant pit. If you've watched Days of Our Lives at any point in the last forty years, you know that John Black and Marlena Evans aren't just a couple; they are a foundational pillar of daytime television. But for a massive segment of the audience, what we see on the screen isn't enough. Not even close. That’s where john and marlena fanfiction comes in, filling the gaps that network television either can't or won't explore.
It's about depth.
While the show has to move at a breakneck pace to keep up with ratings and cast changes, fanfiction writers take a breath. They slow things down. They focus on the quiet moments in the penthouse that get cut for time. Honestly, the sheer volume of stories dedicated to "Jarlena" on platforms like Archive of Our Own (AO3) and FanFiction.net is staggering when you consider the show first paired them up back in the 80s. You’d think people would run out of things to say. They haven’t.
The Evolution of John and Marlena Fanfiction
Back in the day, if you wanted to read stories about your favorite soap couple, you had to hunt down physical fanzines or join obscure mailing lists. It was a chore. Now, the digital landscape has turned john and marlena fanfiction into a living, breathing archive of television history. You can find stories written in 1998 sitting right next to a piece published five minutes ago.
The early stuff? It was all about the "Missing Scenes."
Fans were obsessed with the Roman vs. John identity crisis. Remember when John thought he was Roman Brady for years? That era provided endless fodder for writers who wanted to explore Marlena's internal conflict. Imagine waking up every day and wondering if you're actually in love with the man you think you are. Writers went deep into that psychological trauma. They didn't just gloss over it like the writers' room sometimes did to get to the next kidnapping plot.
Today, the tone has shifted. We see a lot more "Alternate Universe" (AU) stories. What if Marlena never became a psychiatrist? What if John never escaped the ISA? These "what if" scenarios allow the community to keep the characters fresh even when the show itself might be leaning into repetitive tropes.
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Why the Possession Arc Still Dominates the Narrative
You can't talk about Jarlena without talking about the 1995 possession. It’s legendary. It’s campy. It’s also deeply, weirdly romantic in a "soulmate" kind of way. Even when the show revisited the possession recently, the fanfiction community had a field day.
Why? Because the stakes are literally life, death, and eternal damnation.
In john and marlena fanfiction, the possession isn't just a special effects extravaganza. Writers use it to test the "Always" promise. They write about the aftermath—the PTSD that Marlena would realistically face after being a vessel for a demon. They write about John’s guilt for not being able to save her sooner. This isn't just fluff. It’s gritty, emotional exploration that mirrors how real people deal with trauma, just wrapped in a supernatural package.
Interestingly, many writers use these supernatural events as metaphors for real-world struggles. A story about Marlena fighting off an internal demon can easily be read as a story about battling depression or illness. That's the power of the medium. It takes these larger-than-life characters and makes them feel like us.
Breaking Down the Popular Tropes
If you spend more than ten minutes browsing the "Days of Our Lives" tag on AO3, you'll notice some recurring themes. People have preferences.
- The Penthouse Domesticity: This is a huge one. It’s basically "fluff." It involves John bringing Marlena strawberries, sitting on the balcony, and just talking. In a show defined by chaos, fans crave the stability of their domestic life.
- The ISA Years: John Black’s past is a mess of retcons. Fanfiction writers love to fix those plot holes. They write detailed spy thrillers featuring "The Pawn" or John’s time as a mercenary.
- The "Always" Motif: Every Jarlena fan knows that word. It's their vow. Writers use it as a thematic anchor, showing how the couple finds their way back to each other across different timelines or dimensions.
Some people think fanfiction is just about romance, but in this fandom, it's often a form of "Fix-It" fiction. When the show makes a choice the fans hate—like an unnecessary breakup or a character being written out—the writers take to their keyboards. They rewrite the ending. They give the characters the respect they think they deserve.
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Where to Find the Best Jarlena Stories
Finding high-quality john and marlena fanfiction requires knowing where to look. Not all sites are created equal.
AO3 is currently the gold standard. The tagging system is incredible. You can filter by "Established Relationship" or "Angst with a Happy Ending" to find exactly what you’re in the mood for. There’s a specific nuance there that you won't find on older boards.
FanFiction.net is a bit of a time capsule. You’ll find some of the most iconic stories from the early 2000s here. The formatting is a bit dated, and the search function isn't as robust, but it's a goldmine for nostalgia.
Then there are the dedicated forums. Places like the "Days of Our Lives Fan Fiction" boards have been around for decades. The community there is smaller but incredibly tight-knit. They often host challenges or prompts, like "Jarlena June," where writers produce a new snippet every day for a month.
Navigating the Ethics of Fan Labor
It’s worth noting that the people writing these stories aren’t getting paid. They do it for the love of the characters. This "fan labor" is what keeps soaps alive during the off-season or when the writing on the show gets stale.
Critics sometimes dismiss it as "low-brow," but have you read some of this stuff? Some of these writers have a better grasp of John Black’s history than the people actually writing the scripts in Burbank. They track decades of continuity. They reference minor characters from 1987. It’s a level of dedication that most professional writers don't have the time to maintain.
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There's also the community aspect. When you post a story about John and Marlena, you're not just screaming into the void. You're talking to people who have watched these same characters for thirty years. You’re sharing a collective history.
Moving Beyond the Screen
If you’re new to the world of john and marlena fanfiction, don't just jump into the first story you see. Start with the "Kudos" count on AO3. Look for authors like Tori7 or others who have a long history in the fandom.
Check the "Last Updated" date. There is nothing worse than getting 50 chapters into a sprawling epic only to realize it hasn't been updated since 2012. It’s a heartbreak worse than any soap opera cliffhanger.
Read the tags. If you don't want to read about Stefano DiMera’s latest scheme, filter it out. If you want 10,000 words of John and Marlena just drinking coffee and discussing their grandkids, search for "Slice of Life."
Actionable Steps for New Readers and Writers
For those looking to dive into this world, here is how you actually get started without getting overwhelmed:
- Set up an AO3 Account: It can take a few days to get an invite, so do it now. It allows you to bookmark your favorite stories and track updates.
- Use the "Exclude" Filter: Soap fans are passionate. If there's a character or plotline you hate (we all have one), use the filters to hide those stories entirely.
- Leave Comments: Writers live for feedback. A simple "I loved this" keeps the community active and encourages people to keep writing about Jarlena.
- Join a Discord: Many fanfiction writers hang out in private Discord servers. It's a great way to find "lost" fics or get recommendations that aren't on the main sites.
- Start Small: If you’re thinking of writing, don't try to write a 100-chapter epic. Start with a "drabble"—exactly 100 words. It’s a great way to practice capturing John or Marlena’s specific voice.
The world of Salem is vast, but John and Marlena are its heart. Whether they are fighting off the latest villain or just enjoying a quiet night at the Brady Pub, their story is far from over. As long as there are fans who care about "Doc" and her "pawn," the fanfiction will continue to thrive, bridging the gap between what is and what could have been.