“Being charming is not the same as being good” — Paul Telfer breaks down Xander’s fall from grace on Days of Our Lives

Recently, Xander and Sarah's loving relationship fell through on Days of Our Lives, after they confronted each other over their betrayals. While a showdown was expected since Sarah was holding on to the secret of Philip's treachery for too long, a broken marriage was unexpected. To add to the twist, Xander went back to his brutal old personality, bringing chills to his fans.

In a recent exclusive chat with Soaps.com, the actors, Paul Telfer and Linsey Godfrey, who portray Xander and Sarah, respectively, explained the reason why Xander's transformation was incomplete. Xander wooed his fans into thinking he had changed for the better. However, Paul pointed out:

"But being charming is not the same as being good. Since he’s charming, he can walk into one room and be a certain way and within a few seconds, snap and be basically a different way."

The actor also stated why Xander needed to go through this predicament for better character development.

"You can’t just say, ‘I’m trying to be better,’ and not be better. You have to take concrete steps that can be noticed by different characters and earned," he said.

Sarah actor, Linsey, explained:

"It’s so important for the longevity of characters to have them be well-rounded. And Xander, I think, is missing this one little piece. And now they’re taking the time to put that into the character. It’s a slow growth."

She also promised that the Days of Our Lives fans would see a different side of Sarah as well.

"Like Sarah does not back down. Sarah is going to stay strong and firm, and you will watch this journey with Xander that you’ve never watched," she said.

Meanwhile, rifts and alliances will continue to incite emotional upheavals on Days of Our Lives, one of the longest-running daily soaps, airing on Peacock.

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Days of Our Lives: Recap of Xander's current predicament

Paul Telfer's Xander mellowed on Days of Our Lives from being a mercenary and a crook to a loving family man and serious businessman for the love of Sarah. However, he became the victim of a major betrayal when Philip presented him with a forged letter to claim half his inheritance.

Xander's trusting relationship with his half-brother fell through after Vivian exposed the truth. In response, Philip Kiriakis plotted a Versavix theft to please his brother, which went astray. Xander's wrath erupted as a brutal assault on his brother till the latter fainted. However, before passing out, Philip revealed that Sarah was privy to his secret.

When the couple faced each other, Xander knew about Sarah's betrayal, and Sarah knew about Xander's violence. As they questioned each other, Xander realized Sarah never really trusted him, while Sarah pointed out how he proved her fear right. The couple decided to break up on Wednesday's episode, dated May 21, 2025.

A furious Maggie shifted Xander's things back to his old apartment to protect her daughter. However, the latter promised to stay connected to his daughter, Victoria. After DA Belle investigated Philip's battery, she informed Commissioner Jada about their prime suspect, Xander. In response, Thursday's episode, dated May 29, 2025, saw Jada arrest him.

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What does Xander's violent turn signify on Days of Our Lives?

Xander felt betrayed to the core by Sarah's deception, more than by Philip's. Moreover, Maggie stated that Victor would have been ashamed of him, leading to another injury. As Days of Our Lives fans would remember, Xander's transformation was superficial and incomplete.

Occasionally, his true self peeked out, such as when he tried to kill Brady with a bat, and Sarah stopped him, or when he pulled the gun on Philip, but the weapon was missing bullets. As such, his rage and violence were always hidden behind his facade, which he covered up with a suave demeanor and charming attitude.

As actors Paul Telfer and Linsey Godfrey clarified, Xander will need to evolve out of the situation. Not just the fear of losing Sarah and Victoria, but really having his loved ones taken out of his life will possibly ground him. He may realize the actual meaning of loss and become a more compassionate person, not someone who pretends to be nice for Sarah's sake.

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Paul and Linsey hinted that the couple would reunite in the distant future after Xander becomes the changed man that Sarah can trust. Continue watching Days of Our Lives to catch the updates on the fallen-out couple.