1996
Marlena supported John when he was sentenced to death for Tony's murder...John wrote Marlena a letter confessing his love for her which Kristen hid...John was exonerated of murder charges...Marlena kept her love for John secret because of Kristen's high-risk pregnancy.

1997
After a miscarriage, Kristen faked being pregnant to keep John from Marlena...Marlena and Kristen were locked in a secret room by Kristen's twin, Susan...John saved Marlena and Kristen and discovered the truth about Kristen's child...Marlena and John became engaged...Roman became fatally ill and Marlena postponed the wedding to care for him...While John searched for a cure for Roman's disease, Marlena pretended to still be in love with him.

1998
Marlena and John reunited...Marlena was jealous over John's connection to Greta...Marlena helped John explore his mysterious past.

1999
Marlena's daughter Sami was sentenced to death, but saved at the last moment...John and Marlena married...Princess Gina kidnapped John and slept with him during his and Marlena's honeymoon...Marlena rescued John, who had no memory of Gina.

2000
Marlena clashed with her resentful stepson Brady, leading to Belle being injured and Brady being paralyzed...Marlena moved out of the penthouse following Brady's accident.

2001
Marlena reconciled with Brady and returned to John...Marlena met a look-alike waitress, Hattie, who hated her...Marlena worried about Belle's relationship with Shawn.

2002
John and Marlena learned that Tony DiMera was John's half-brother...Tony reappeared in Salem with a new connection to Marlena: Cassie and Rex, the Gemini twins, were said to be their children.

2003
Marlena had memories of caring for the twins in captivity...Many people close to Marlena were killed by a serial killer...Marlena learned that Cassie and Rex are Kate and Roman's children...Celeste warned that John will kill Marlena.

2004
Marlena told John to move out after Roman was killed at his wedding to Kate...Under a truth drug, Marlena confessed to being the serial killer, all for love of Roman...Marlena was "killed" during a jail-break...Marlena awoke on a tropical island inhabited by all her "victims"...Marlena and the New Salem captives are trying to escape back to Salem.