If you’ve been watching Days of Our Lives lately, you know that Sarah Horton is basically the human equivalent of a Whack-A-Mole game. Every time she finally gets her life together, something—or someone—smacks her right back down.
Honestly, it’s exhausting to watch. But we can't look away.
Sarah has evolved from the "good girl doctor" into one of the most complex, frustrating, and deeply empathetic characters in Salem. Between her disastrous taste in men and her penchant for keeping secrets that inevitably blow up in her face, Sarah is a whirlwind. Some fans find her "nagging," while others see a woman just trying to survive a literal hit-and-run nightmare.
The Reality of Sarah Horton Days of Our Lives Right Now
Let’s get real about where Sarah stands in 2026. After the absolute chaos of the last two years, she is currently caught in a messy rebound with Brady Black. It’s the kind of relationship that makes you want to reach through the screen and shake her.
Why Brady? Because he’s the "safe" choice. He’s the anti-Xander.
But here is the thing: Sarah and Brady (or "Sadie," as the fans call them) are fundamentally built on a foundation of "we’re both sad and sober." It’s a classic soap opera bandage for a gaping wound. Sarah signed her divorce papers with Xander Cook, but the ink barely feels dry.
Why Xander is Still the Elephant in the Room
You can’t talk about Sarah Horton without talking about the man who ruined—and then saved—her life about a dozen times.
🔗 Read more: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads: Why This Live Album Still Beats the Studio Records
The Xarah dynamic is the heartbeat of her character's modern era.
Look at their history:
- The Baby Swap (The ultimate betrayal)
- The Kristen DiMera Kidnapping (Where Sarah was stashed on an island for a year)
- The 2024 Hit-and-Run (The darkest arc yet)
The hit-and-run storyline was particularly brutal because it felt so personal. Linsey Godfrey, who plays Sarah, actually survived a real-life car accident years ago where she was struck by a vehicle. You could see that raw, lived-in trauma in her performance. When Sarah was paralyzed and eventually learned that her mother-in-law, Fiona, was the one behind the wheel, it wasn't just another soap twist. It was a masterclass in grief.
The "High Horse" Criticism: Is Sarah a Hypocrite?
If you spend five minutes on soap message boards, you’ll see the same complaint: Sarah Horton is a hypocrite.
Critics point out that she holds Xander to an impossible standard of "being good" while she herself has committed some pretty shady acts. Remember when she kidnapped baby Rachel and fled to Paris? Or how she recently lied about Xander’s brutal beating of Philip?
She wants a hero, but she keeps falling for the villain.
Basically, Sarah is a woman who values "truth" until that truth becomes too painful to bear. Then, she pivots to self-preservation. It’s a very human flaw, which is probably why Linsey Godfrey keeps getting those Daytime Emmy nominations. She makes the "unlikable" moments feel like the actions of a desperate, broken person rather than a "bad" one.
💡 You might also like: Wrong Address: Why This Nigerian Drama Is Still Sparking Conversations
A Legacy Character with Deep Roots
For the newer viewers, it’s easy to forget that Sarah isn’t just some random doctor who showed up a few years ago. She is soap royalty.
- Mother: Maggie Horton (The matriarch of Salem)
- Biological Father: Neil Curtis
- Legal Father: Mickey Horton
- Siblings: Half-sister to the legendary Daniel Jonas (RIP)
This lineage is why her downward spirals feel so heavy. She carries the Horton name, which usually stands for moral uprightness. When she fails, she isn't just failing herself; she’s failing the legacy of Tom and Alice.
The Current Love Triangle: Brady vs. Xander
The 2026 forecast for Sarah looks like a collision course. While she’s cozying up to Brady at the Kiriakis mansion, Xander is spiraling.
"I believe Xander truly loves her, I do not believe she really loves him." — A common sentiment among the "Xarah" skeptics on Reddit.
But love in Salem isn't about who is "better" for you. It's about who you can't live without. Spoilers for the upcoming May Sweeps suggest a proposal is coming from Brady. If Sarah says yes, it’s a death knell for her happiness. If she says no, she’s admitting that the "bad boy" still owns her heart.
The word on the street (and from the leakers) is that we are looking at a long-game reconciliation for Sarah and Xander. But it won't be easy. They are headed toward therapy—actual, professional help—which is a refreshing change for a show where "therapy" usually involves Marlena Evans just telling you to follow your heart.
📖 Related: Who was the voice of Yoda? The real story behind the Jedi Master
What Most People Get Wrong About Sarah
People often mistake Sarah’s indecisiveness for weakness.
It’s not weakness. It’s a reaction to a life where the rug is constantly pulled out from under her. Think about it. She lost her daughter (Mickey/Mackenzie), found out her husband swapped her baby, got kidnapped, got paralyzed, and was betrayed by her new mother-in-law.
You’d be a little "nagging" and "whiny" too.
She’s a survivor who is currently in a "freeze" state. She’s choosing Brady because he’s stable, but stability doesn't create the kind of sparks that keep a character on the canvas for decades.
How to Stay Ahead of the Sarah Horton Storyline
If you're trying to keep up with the daily chaos of Sarah Horton Days of Our Lives, you need to look beyond the surface-level spoilers.
- Watch the background: Keep an eye on Sarah's interaction with her daughter, Victoria. Her parenting style often mirrors her own internal state.
- Listen to the medical jargon: When Sarah gets buried in her work as a doctor, it’s usually because she’s avoiding a personal crisis.
- Follow Linsey Godfrey’s socials: The actress is very open about her mental health and often gives subtle hints about the emotional toll of her current scripts.
The next few months are going to be pivotal. Whether she chooses the "safe" life with Brady or the "stormy" life with Xander, Sarah is the one driving the car now—and hopefully, this time, nobody gets run over.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Revisit the 2024 episodes: If you missed the hit-and-run reveal, go back and watch the scenes between Sarah and Fiona. It provides the necessary context for why she's acting so "erratic" with Xander now.
- Check the Casting News: Rumors of exits always swirl in Salem; keep an eye on official soap news sites to see if Godfrey’s contract is up for renewal, as that usually dictates whether a "happy ending" or a "tragic exit" is coming.
- Focus on the Kiriakis Titan Drama: Sarah is increasingly being pulled into the business side of things through Xander and Philip. Her role at Titan might be more important than her role at the hospital this year.