What Role Does Mark Colson Play On Days Of Our Lives?

Since its inception in 1965, "Days of Our Lives" has been packed full of surprises. Its decades-long run hasn't deterred fans of the critically acclaimed soap opera and has drawn in more viewers with jaw-dropping storylines, relatable characters, and powerful one-liners. The beloved soap opera is chock full of memorable moments, love triangles, and not-so-popular storylines.

But there's one storyline that caused division in the fanbase. For over 40 years, soap veteran Deidre Hall enchanted fans with her portrayal of fan-favorite Dr. Marlena Evans, per Soaps in Depth. During Hall's tenure on the soap opera, her character has been at the center of many shocking plot twists including her stint as the Salem Stalker, according to SheKnows Soaps. But the storyline that sparked the most controversy was set in motion decades ago. Per Soap Opera Network, Marlena's possession by the devil in 1994 had a lot of people talking. In spite of the criticism that the plot point faced for its religious themes, it brought in a lot of viewers.

Now, the soap opera is bringing back key players from the original storyline. In December 2021, Mark Colson returned to "DOOL" after a long time away.

The devil is in the details. Mark Colson made his first appearance on "DOOL" in 1994 at the height of the possession storyline. Originally, Colson played the role of archangel Gabriel and helped encourage an unsuspecting John Black (played by Drake Hogestyn) to perform an exorcism on Marlena, according to Soap Opera Spy. Colson's character was only in nine episodes but made a huge impact on fans — enough that the soap opera asked him to reprise his role.

In December 2021, Colson stepped into Gabriel's shoes once again, but this time as a hiker in disguise. Before Gabriel's surprise appearance, John brainstormed ways to help the possessed Marlena (who fans have lovingly nicknamed "MarDevil") from his hospital bed, per SheKnows Soaps. He reminisced about the love and support he received from his family, the church, and Gabriel the first time he cast out the devil. 

Right on time, Gabriel ran into fan-favorite couple Ben and Ciara (played by Robert Scott Wilson and Victoria Konefal) and MarDevil herself in the woods, per Soap Dirt. In a facsimile of the original storyline, Gabriel made his role as protector known.

Mark Colson told Detroit Free Press that the call to return to "DOOL" was well received. He shared both his surprise and excitement at the offer. He joked that "I got the call from my agent and I was like, 'Do they know I can still act?'"

Colson expressed his uncertainty with the news outlet over how long his character would be a part of this plot point and opened up about his time on set. "I could hear this voice across the soundstage (yelling) 'Where's Gabriel?'" he shared fondly of Drake Hogestyn.

Since his time on "DOOL," Colson has amassed many roles in different genres. He recently took on the role of dad on Netflix's "I Am Not Okay With This," per the New York Times. Still, he humbly reflected on the opportunities and path that the soap opera helped pave. "It didn't take me long to look at it for the gift that I was given. I really got to learn a lot from that time," he told Detroit Free Press.