Who Is Days Of Our Lives' Mike Horton?
"Days of Our Lives" fans are about to see many characters return to Salem. Fan favorites such as Eli Grant (Lamon Archey), Rex Brady (Kyle Lowder), and Abigail Deveraux DiMera (Marci Miller) will all be appearing in one form or another during Season 58 of the soap, which has recently moved to Peacock. According to Soaps Spoilers, Steve Johnson's sons, Tripp (Lucas Adams) and Joey (Tanner Stine) will also be back in Salem, as well as Dr. Craig Wesley (Kevin Spirtas). Wendy Shin (Victoria Grace) will make her "Days of Our Lives" debut after being seen on "Beyond Salem" over the summer.
However, it seems that fans are really gearing up for one character's comeback in particular. Dr. Mike Horton (Roark Critchlow) is officially returning to Salem after being absent for over a decade. Mike is a legacy character with strong roots in Salem, and many fans may remember all of the interesting storylines he was a part of during his time on the sudser.
Mike Horton is a legacy character
Longtime "Days of Our Lives" viewers may remember the drama surrounding Mike Horton's early days. Mike's mother, Laura Horton, became pregnant after being raped by Bill Horton (via Soap Hub). At the time, she was married to Bill's brother, Mickey Horton, and passed Mike off as Mickey's son for years. As a teenager, Mike eventually learned the truth about his paternity and uncovered that Bill and Laura were having an affair. Mike eventually moved on from the shock of the situation and accepted Laura and Bill as his true family, as well as his younger sister Jennifer Horton when she was born later, per Soap Central.
During his younger years, Mike had feelings for Trish Clayton and engaged in a fling with Linda Patterson. He later fell hard for a woman named Margo Anderman, and the two got married. Sadly, Margo was later diagnosed with leukemia, which left the young couple drowning in medical bills. Margo later died from her illness, leaving Mike heartbroken. However, her death inspired Mike to go to medical school and follow the Horton tradition of becoming a doctor.
Mike Horton's adult years have been full of drama
In 1994, Mike Horton returned to Salem after a four-year absence, with actor Roark Critchlow taking over the role. "Days of Our Lives" viewers watched as he dealt with plenty of drama, such as being tricked into running illegal weapons, helping his sister Jennifer Horton through difficult times, and caring for his mentally ill mother, Laura Horton, per Soap Central. Finally, after a few years of being home, Mike found happiness with Carrie Brady (Christie Clark). Carrie and Mike started up a close friendship, and although she was involved with Austin Reed at the time, the two developed feelings for each other.
The couple had an affair, and when Austin found out, he ended the marriage. Once Carrie and Austin were divorced, Mike and Carrie had a clear path to be together, and they took it. They got engaged and left Salem in 1999, moving back to Israel with Mike's son, Jeremy Horton. Carrie later returned to Salem and revealed that she and Mike had split, per Soaps in Depth. In 2010, Mike had his own homecoming when he returned to grieve the death of his grandmother, Alice Horton (Francis Reid).
Mike is now set to make his big return to Salem in October 2022. As he comes home for a brand new storyline, fans can't wait to see what the future has in store for the beloved legacy character.