Misplaced Pages

#188811

177-597: The character is initially named Will Reed , after his presumed father, Austin Reed , but it is later revealed that Austin's half-brother and Sami's friend Lucas Roberts ( Bryan Dattilo ) is his father. Sami and Lucas fight each other for custody , and Will, who is renamed Will Roberts , has a "tumultuous upbringing". As a child, Will endeavors to bring his parents together, whilst his grandma Kate Roberts ( Lauren Koslow ) schemes to keep them apart. Will sees success when his parents marry in 2007; and his newly united family take

354-637: A Swiss person which was in use during the 16th to 19th centuries, and land . The English adjective Swiss is a loanword from French Suisse , also in use since the 16th century. The name Switzer is from the Alemannic Schwiizer , in origin an inhabitant of Schwyz and its associated territory , one of the Waldstätte cantons which formed the nucleus of the Old Swiss Confederacy . The Swiss began to adopt

531-411: A journalist . He is assigned to interview injured star baseball player Paul Narita ( Christopher Sean ), whom Will soon suspects is gay but closeted . Will sees an opportunity to get an important scoop about what it is like to be a gay professional athlete , and also to help another gay man to come out. Recognizing that Will is keen to confirm that he is gay, Paul seduces Will into bed with him. Will

708-681: A lower house (the National Council , with representatives elected from across the country). Referendums were made mandatory for any amendments. This new constitution ended the legal power of nobility in Switzerland . A single system of weights and measures was introduced, and in 1850 the Swiss franc became the Swiss single currency , complemented by the WIR franc in 1934. Article 11 of

885-676: A national personification of the Swiss confederacy in the 17th century in a 1672 play by Johann Caspar Weissenbach. The state of Switzerland took its present form with the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1848. Switzerland's precursors established a defensive alliance in 1291, forming a loose confederation that persisted for centuries. The oldest traces of hominid existence in Switzerland date to about 150,000 years ago. The oldest known farming settlements in Switzerland, which were found at Gächlingen , date to around 5300 BC. The earliest known tribes formed

1062-434: A break, Will and Mia start dating again, but when Mia two-times Will with Chad, Will (now Chandler Massey) breaks up with her. Despite starting out as rivals for Mia's love, Will and Chad become friends. Chad also befriends Will's best mate − Tad "T" Stevens (Brendan Coughlin). Will's mom marries the former FBI agent and policeman Rafe Hernandez ( Galen Gering ), and Will loves living with them and his three young siblings as

1239-422: A brief fling with Greta and Nicole, Austin and Sami remain on and off before becoming engaged in the spring of 2002. However, Sami blackmails Victor into transferring Austin's job to Hawaii to escape Lucas and when Austin finds out, he leaves Sami at the altar and leaves Salem. In 2005, Austin returned to Salem for his half-brother Lucas and Sami's next attempt at tying the knot. The wedding didn't happen and Austin

1416-517: A change of policy following threats from Germany. Over 100 Allied bombers and their crews were interned. Between 1940 and 1945, Switzerland was bombed by the Allies , causing fatalities and property damage. Among the cities and towns bombed were Basel , Brusio , Chiasso , Cornol , Geneva, Koblenz , Niederweningen , Rafz , Renens , Samedan , Schaffhausen , Stein am Rhein , Tägerwilen , Thayngen , Vals , and Zurich. Allied forces maintained that

1593-566: A couple, (named "Horita" by fans – a mash-up of their surnames, Horton and Narita). Will and Sonny reunite after Will regains his memories. When Dylan Patton played him, Will was characterized as straight. Will (aged 16–17) had a girlfriend in Mia McCormick ( Taylor Spreitler ), and Patton was unaware of any intention to make Will gay. At the start of Chandler Massey's era, Will was also characterized as straight. Massey told Afterbuzz TV "It wasn't till later" and "I guess something that I

1770-487: A couple. Paul encourages Will to apply to be a journalist with the Salem Spectator , and Will gets the job. His first assignment is to investigate the drug that was used to revive him. Will discovers accounts of Dr. Rolf's resurrection experiments, and finds that Rolf was working on a formula to counter the amnesia side-effect. With Paul's help, Will gets the chemical synthesized, and Marlena injects it into Will at

1947-413: A family. His friend Gabi Hernandez ( Camila Banus ) is Rafe's young sister, and Will begins dating her. They graduate high school together, and on graduation day, they meet Sonny Kiriakis ( Freddie Smith ), who has just returned to town after traveling the world. Will and Sonny quickly become friends, and Will learns Sonny is gay. After befriending Sonny, Will avoids being intimate with Gabi, and she ends

SECTION 10

#1732791598189

2124-468: A father and mother who live together. Several times it seems that Will's dream is going to come true, but Sami, or his grandma Kate, usually manage to throw a spanner in the works. So when Lucas marries Sami's sister Carrie Brady , and Sami gets engaged to Austin, Will is happy, as he loves both his aunt and uncle, and his parents. But when Sami jilts Austin at the altar, Will cannot cope and runs away to Chicago . Sami fears he has been kidnapped and goes onto

2301-412: A first for Will, and a first for Days of Our Lives . "For months after Will’s coming out, I can’t remember a time where I went out and wasn’t stopped by some darling young man saying things like, ‘You saved me,’ or ‘I didn’t know how to tell my parents [and because of this show] I was able to tell them.' " Actress Deidre Hall, portrayer of Will's Grandma Marlena. Sonny sees them at it, and Will

2478-473: A half to have him find a male partner (Will), the wait was well worth it. This steamy, star-crossed saga has had drama to spare (Paranoia! Blackmail! Impossible parents!), but its real success lies in the fresh, easy charm of these two young men." TV Source Magazine named Will and Sonny Best Couple of 2012 in the Days of Our Lives series, saying "One of the most refreshing things about Will and Sonny’s relationship

2655-582: A hot "steamy make-out" session as opposed to just a kiss, and Hilton praised the serial and NBC for not "bowing down to bigoted pressure". Sara Bibel of Xfinity said Will and Neil got the "full soap treatment" (as for heterosexual couples) claiming daytime soap operas in the past have panned the camera away during same-sex kisses. There were also jibes at Days of Our Lives belated featuring of man-to-man intimacy: Joachim Ohnona from Pure People pointed out it took more than ten thousand episodes for Days to air their first gay kiss; and Dan Avery of Queerty said

2832-429: A lot to deal with throughout his life, and so Will "has put his sexuality on the back burner and hasn't really dealt with it." According to Massey, Will is "living with self-loathing and disgust over not being able to accept himself", and Will drinks alcohol to make himself feel "less awkward". In the storyline, this leads to Will, boozed-up, kissing one of Sonny's gay friends, a young man called Neil (Jesse Kristofferson) –

3009-625: A police office who finds him underage-drinking. Will doesn't want to be in Salem any more – and wants to go live with his Uncle Austin and Aunt Carrie in Switzerland. His dad agrees to this, and Will leaves America. Six weeks later, Sami phones Will to tell him that his dad has been arrested for the shooting of EJ DiMera. After his dad is released from prison, and his mom divorces EJ, Will (now Dylan Patton, and aged 16) returns to Salem in February 2009. Disappointed his parents are not back together, Will

3186-617: A pureness to the role of Will that makes you love him. This is a brilliant young actor who will move you to tears based on a look alone." Massey submitted the episode where Will kisses Neil and talks to Marlena about it to the Daytime Emmys in 2013, and won. Anthony D. Langford of AfterElton.com noted the "terrific chemistry" of Massey and Hall; Rick Nelson of the Star Tribune found the storyline to be addictive viewing; and Hollywood reporter Greg Hernandez wrote "this storyline

3363-515: A red necktie in Ben's trash can, which makes Will think of the recent unsolved murders of two local women who were strangled with red neckties (found with their bodies). Ben arrives just as Will is holding the tie and thinking about this. Ben acts alarmingly, and Will realizes Ben is the Necktie Killer . Will tries to leave, but Ben knocks him out. Just as Will is coming to, Ben strangles Will with

3540-403: A relationship. Sami and Lucas deviously worked together to help Lucas further his relationship with Carrie. Sami's motive was to make sure Carrie was not available romantically for Austin, as Sami wanted Austin for herself. Eventually Carrie and Lucas married, and Austin and Sami were a couple and were planning yet another wedding. To ensure that Carrie would no longer want to be with Austin, Sami

3717-690: A remarkable size, while hundreds of agricultural estates ( Villae rusticae ) were established in the countryside. Around 260 AD, the fall of the Agri Decumates territory north of the Rhine transformed today's Switzerland into a frontier land of the Empire. Repeated raids by the Alamanni tribes provoked the ruin of the Roman towns and economy, forcing the population to shelter near Roman fortresses, like

SECTION 20

#1732791598189

3894-405: A row in that category, as well as the first to win it for playing a gay character. Identical twins Shawn and Taylor Carpenter originally played Will. They were only six weeks old when they started, and they portrayed Will from babyhood until six years old (1995 to 2002). In 2002, Days decided they wanted a trained young actor playing Will, and nine-year-old Darian Weiss was cast, and the character

4071-616: A show with a reputation for being "socially conservative". "Head writers Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr. developed the character layer by layer, and then bounced him around like a ball in a pinball machine as he had to deal with the ‘am I gay?’ realization .... Having seen friends go through this before, I've never seen a more honest approach." Jessica Radloff, Glamour Magazine Fairman called Will's coming out story "excellent", "powerful", "emotionally impactful", "relatable", and "believable", and credited Days of Our Lives for keeping it "edgy, dark, and very raw". He said

4248-536: A sign of support. In September 2020, a referendum calling for a vote to end the pact that allowed a free movement of people from the European Union was introduced by the Swiss People's Party (SVP). However, voters rejected the attempt to retake control of immigration, defeating the motion by a roughly 63%–37% margin. On 9 February 2014, 50.3% of Swiss voters approved a ballot initiative launched by

4425-405: A significant impact on the psychology and society of Switzerland. The war convinced most Swiss of the need for unity and strength. Swiss from all strata of society, whether Catholic or Protestant, from the liberal or conservative current, realised that the cantons would profit more from merging their economic and religious interests. Thus, while the rest of Europe saw revolutionary uprisings ,

4602-525: A traumatic event can trigger memory, has Will assaulted and strangled again by Ben. Absolutely terrified, Will rejects his mom and hates the idea of regaining memories of her as his mother; but then the intervention of Will's Uncle Eric helps bring about a rapprochement with Sami. Sonny realizes he wants to be with Will, and dumps Paul. Sonny endeavours to rebuild a relationship with Will, but Will does not remember their love. Instead, Will crushes on Paul. Will also likes Paul because he does not feel pressured to be

4779-443: A while, but unfortunately Carrie and Austin's married bliss didn't last long. Sami returned months later, fought for custody of Will, and fell in love and became engaged to Franco Kelly. In September 1998, Franco was murdered by Lucas Roberts, and wanting revenge on Sami, Kate covered up the murder and made it look like Sami committed the murder. Austin fled town with Sami to help her, but Sami was caught, tried and set to be executed for

4956-556: A whole rather than being modified one amendment at a time. This need soon proved itself when the rise in population and the Industrial Revolution that followed led to calls to modify the constitution accordingly. The population rejected an early draft in 1872, but modifications led to its acceptance in 1874. It introduced the facultative referendum for laws at the federal level. It also established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters. In 1891,

5133-602: A wonderful future. And if you’re figuring out something about yourself and acknowledging it, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a cause for celebration." In Massey's words, the storyline shows Will's journey from "a young, wet-behind-the-ears kid who felt he was different in some way" to a happily out gay man, who has found "an amazing guy to be with". On the way the storyline deals with the reactions of his friends and family, and how their reactions impact Will (both positively and negatively), and includes one of his best friends rejecting (and then accepting) him, and Will being outed by

5310-504: Is "one of the bravest men I've ever known". Wilson said Will is "very passionate about everything he does". Will has a long-time best male friend in Tad "T" Stevens – played by Brendan Coughlin, who has played opposite Patton, Massey, and Wilson. With his best female-friend, Gabi Hernandez ( Camila Banus ), Will is the father of Arianna Horton (initially played by twins Harper and Sydnee Udell, and most recently by Sydney Brower). Arianna's birth

5487-441: Is "super embarrassed" and he seeks his grandma Marlena's advice "so she could make everything better". Will tells her he that he thinks he might be gay, and she says "Honey, I think it's okay. Remember that Lady Gaga song you played for me once where she said that sexuality is like the color of your eyes? It’s a thing that you’re born with? Well, I happen to agree with that. You were born with great good looks and charm and wisdom and

Will Horton - Misplaced Pages Continue

5664-417: Is Lucas's, but the boy ( Johnny ) is EJ's – and this is due to EJ having raped Sami on a night she made love to Lucas. Sami decides that the only way she can protect the lives of her family is to marry EJ, but Will is furious that his family is being torn apart by EJ. He is so upset that he does something very rash, that is only revealed years later. After Sami and EJ are married, Will is brought home to Lucas by

5841-910: Is Will's interview subject at the same time he hears about Will's infidelity, but he is stabbed in the park as he goes to confront them. Sonny's memory is impaired while he recovers, but when he remembers what Will has done, Sonny rejects Will and leaves Salem to convalesce. When he returns, they struggle to mend their relationship, but Will's infidelity is made public and the Kiriakis family turn against Will. Desperate to repair his marriage and terrified of losing Sonny to Paul, Will does all he can to get Paul to leave town. When this fails, Will tries playing match-maker to pair Paul with Derrick (Spencer Neville). To help things along Will shares his interview notes about Paul with Derrick, to help him win Paul's heart. But Paul realizes Derrick knows stuff he has only told Will. Sonny

6018-418: Is a cause for celebration as is this writing and these performances. Bravo to all – and thank you." Days of Our Lives executive producer Greg Meng talked about the reactions of viewers to a reporter at Outfest 2012: "The reaction has been tremendous. We’ve had some diverse reaction. We’ve had a few people in some different states who’ve been a little concerned that we’re telling this story. But to balance that

6195-468: Is a fictional character from the soap opera Days of Our Lives . The role was played by actor Patrick Muldoon from 1992 to 1995, and again from 2011 to 2012. The character was played for a longer duration by actor Austin Peck , from April 13, 1995, to 2002, from 2005 to 2006, and again in 2017 and 2019. According to his storyline on the series, Austin Reed's birth name is unknown. His father, Curtis, took

6372-554: Is arrested and publicly revealed as the Necktie Killer. In 2017, it is revealed that Will (now Chandler Massey) did not die when he was strangled. When Will had entered Ben's apartment, he was being followed by Susan Banks ( Eileen Davidson ), who was planning to abduct Will in an act of revenge against Sami, whom she blamed for her son EJ's death. When Ben slipped out after strangling Will, Susan and her associate Dr Wilhelm Rolf (who had revived Sami's step-dad John back when he

6549-458: Is best for WilSon!" In August 2013, it was reported Massey had left Days , and the show had recast due to the character's current storyline "and the timely discovery of new talent"; and in September 2013, it came out that Guy Wilson was cast in the role of Will. Wilson later revealed that when he tested for the role with his costar Freddie Smith, Smith did not know that Wilson was reading for

6726-459: Is born to Sami via Caesarean section . Sami has convinced herself, and everyone else, that Austin is the father, and Austin welcomes Will as his own. But when Will has an accident as a child, his blood is tested, and Sami then realizes that Lucas must be Will's real father. In order not to lose Austin, Sami says nothing, and changes hospital records so no one knows – but her brother Eric ( Jensen Ackles ) and sister Carrie ( Christie Clark ) uncover

6903-456: Is born. When they leave hospital, Gabi and Arianna move in with Will and Sonny, and together they form a three-parent family, with Gabi, Will and Sonny bringing up Arianna together. Will (Guy Wilson) marries Sonny in April 2014. Gabi rekindles her relationship with Nick, who pressures Gabi to seek a court decision that will drastically limit Will's access to his daughter. Shortly after a court date

7080-468: Is considered the confederacy's founding document, even though similar alliances likely existed decades earlier. The document was agreed among the rural communes of Uri , Schwyz , and Unterwalden . By 1353, the three original cantons had joined with the cantons of Glarus and Zug and the Lucerne , Zurich and Bern city-states to form the "Old Confederacy" of eight states that obtained through

7257-406: Is dead! Or is he! How can this be?! Tune in and find out! " Carlivati talked about his motivation to bring back Massey in an interview with Soap Opera Digest , saying "it seemed like the death of Will Horton was not a popular decision and was viewed as a mistake. I wanted to take a look at that and see if there was a way to repair some of that damage.” Executive producer Ken Corday said: "People hated

Will Horton - Misplaced Pages Continue

7434-419: Is fairly cohesive, being rooted in a common historical background, shared values such as federalism and direct democracy , and Alpine symbolism. Swiss identity transcends language, ethnicity, and religion, leading to Switzerland being described as a Willensnation ("nation of volition") rather than a nation state . The English name Switzerland is a portmanteau of Switzer , an obsolete term for

7611-478: Is furious when he finds out about Will's machinations, and leaves town again, ostensibly to take care of Kiriakis family business. Will is distraught, but he holds onto the hope that they will be re-united. Gabi is released from prison on a technicality, and Will and Arianna welcome her back into their lives. Ben Weston ( Robert Scott Wilson ) asks Will to be his best man in his upcoming wedding to Will's cousin, Abigail Deveraux ( Kate Mansi ). Will calls on Abby at

7788-438: Is further hit when Sami tells Will that Grace was his biological (half) sister. Five months later, everyone is shocked to find out Nicole had surreptitiously swapped Mia's baby with Sami's baby (who she knew was EJ's child) just after their births, and has been bringing up Sami's daughter (named Sydney ) from the start. Mia learns her daughter, Grace, is dead. And Sami is re-united with Sydney; and Will meets his new sister. After

7965-514: Is immediately remorseful, but he continues to interview Paul and encourages Paul to come out to the world in his article, sharing his own coming-out story with him. What Will doesn't know is that Paul is Sonny's ex, to whom Sonny had proposed to before he had met Will, and Paul had only declined because he didn't think he could be an out gay athlete. Paul's athletic career is now at an end due to his injury, and unbeknownst to Will, he has already tried to get back together with Sonny. Sonny learns that Paul

8142-478: Is in a coma after a fire. However, after Lucas takes him on holiday to Africa in the summer of 2002, Will (now Darian Weiss, and nine years old) becomes spoiled, bold, and at times obnoxious. He cheekily talks back to his parents and calls them by their first names. He also starts to play rough with other children and ends up hurting his cousin Abby on more than one occasion. Everyone worries that his unstable home life

8319-639: Is it's portrayed just as any heterosexual couple would be. Watching them grow from friends to being in love was one of the highlights of the year for Days ." Jeremy Helligar of The Advocate declared Will and Sonny "groundbreaking" because "their domestic stability (and sex life!) is so front-and-center on Days ". He compared them favorably with 1992 series Melrose Place , whose gay character Matt Fielding "never got so much as on onscreen kiss", whereas Will and Sonny "are regularly shown in flagrante delicto and basking shirtless in post-coitus afterglow." "How far we've come", he exclaimed. Greg Hernandez called

8496-465: Is keeping secrets. Eventually, it comes out that Mia herself had a baby in secret after getting pregnant by an ex-boyfriend, Chad Peterson-Woods ( Casey Deidrick ). She gave away her daughter to Nicole Walker ( Arianne Zucker ), the new wife of EJ DiMera: the plan being that Nicole, who had just miscarried EJ's child (and not told him), would pass the baby off as hers and EJ's. Will and Sami are distraught when Grace contracts meningitis and dies. Will

8673-409: Is largely discouraged – but on Days of Our Lives that's how people thrive! I like being able to explore Will's wide range of emotions, and really being able to go there in ways that you can't always in real life." In the show, Will cheats death, but is left with total amnesia of his life before – and Massey discussed the challenges of playing a character who does not know his own past or family: "It

8850-453: Is not ready to come out as gay, and, trying to resist his sexuality, he has a one-night stand with Gabi that results in a pregnancy. As Will enters into a relationship with Sonny, Gabi, with Will's agreement, pretends that the baby has been fathered by her new boyfriend Nick Fallon ( Blake Berris ), who is Will's second cousin. Will and Sonny split when the paternity of Gabi's baby is revealed, but soon reunite. Nick doesn't want Will involved in

9027-412: Is over-the-moon that his dream has finally come true. But his happiness does not last, as crime lord Stefano DiMera ( Joseph Mascolo ) tells Sami she has to divorce Lucas and marry Stefano's son EJ DiMera ( James Scott ) to end the longstanding Brady- DiMera feud. When she refuses, Sami's step-dad (Will's "grandpa John ") is killed (or so they think). Sami gives birth to twins, and the girl ( Allie )

SECTION 50

#1732791598189

9204-670: Is set, Nick is shot and killed. Thinking that Sonny did it, Will confesses to protect him. This causes Gabi, the real killer, to admit to killing Nick, who she felt was a threat to her and Arianna. Gabi accepts a plea deal and goes to prison, leaving Arianna in the care of Will and Sonny. In October 2014, Will and Arianna leave Salem temporarily with Sami, who is mourning EJ's death, but they return in December 2014. Will's absence and Sonny's financial troubles with his new club have strained their relationship. Will finds out that Sonny has spent all their money, and Will plunges himself into his work as

9381-407: Is strangled and written out of the show. At Will's revival in 2017, Massey talked about how the character had changed, saying: "He has grown up to be very much like his mother Sami, which is fun to play. Will can be bitchy, like Sami", adding fun-to-play characteristics can be fun for the audience too, saying "audacity can be very entertaining"; and he later told Soap Opera Digest that Will has "all

9558-454: Is stunned when his mom tells him she has adopted a new baby – Grace Brady . Sami is lying to Will, as in truth, she got pregnant by EJ, and after divorcing EJ, gave birth to a daughter – and the "adoption" is Sami's way to keep EJ from knowing. Will meets and befriends Mia McCormick ( Taylor Spreitler ), who like Will, is a new student at school. Mia encourages Will to accept Grace as his sister. Mia and Will start dating , but Will realizes she

9735-535: Is the cause of his antics. Eventually his childish behavior subsides. But when a serial killer (the Salem Stalker) begins offing his relatives he gets afraid - and it doesn't help that both his parents are, for a time, suspects! Will (now Christopher Gerse) comes home from school one day with a black-eye, after he has gotten into a fight defending his parents honor. Will does everything he can to get his parents together, so that he can be like "other kids" with

9912-659: Is the highest, although the Matterhorn (4,478 m or 14,692 ft) is the best known. Both are located within the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais , on the border with Italy. The section of the Bernese Alps above the deep glacial Lauterbrunnen valley, containing 72 waterfalls, is well known for the Jungfrau (4,158 m or 13,642 ft) Eiger and Mönch peaks, and its many picturesque valleys. In

10089-444: Is the parent in the relationship" (with his mom Sami); Massey said: "He’s like the voice of reason in his family." Will has a relationship with his dad Lucas that is more than father and son – they are "best friends". As a big brother, he is close to his siblings. Will also has a close relationship with his Grandma Marlena ( Deidre Hall ), his "most-trusted confidante", who helps him through his struggles to come out. She tells Will he

10266-529: Is the type of person who would do that. Wanting to understand, he seeks out Paul to find out how it happened and finds himself "super attracted" to the athletic young man. Amnesiac Will really likes that Paul accepts him as he is, without expectations of who he was before, and he spontaneously kisses Paul on two occasions. Will realizes he has "no business being married to anyone", and in March 2018 he divorces Sonny, whom he does not remember at all. Will and Paul become

10443-466: Is why I will be forever grateful to this soap for giving us this episode, this wedding that was filled with love and supportive family and friends. It’s the way it should be and always should have been", and he "loved every minute of it". Michael Fairman declared it the "best wedding" of 2014, and praised it for being "beautifully acted", with "inspired writing" and "touching speeches", saying "every time we watch this we need hankies". When on June 26, 2015,

10620-542: The Axis and Allied powers. Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the Allies and the Axis. Economic cooperation and extension of credit to Nazi Germany varied according to the perceived likelihood of invasion and the availability of other trading partners. Concessions reached a peak after a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland (together with Liechtenstein ) entirely isolated from

10797-628: The Castrum Rauracense near Augusta Raurica. The Empire built another line of defence at the north border (the so-called Donau-Iller-Rhine-Limes). At the end of the fourth century, the increased Germanic pressure forced the Romans to abandon the linear defence concept. The Swiss Plateau was finally open to Germanic tribes . In the Early Middle Ages , from the end of the fourth century, the western extent of modern-day Switzerland

SECTION 60

#1732791598189

10974-558: The Congress of Vienna fully re-established Swiss independence, and the European powers recognised permanent Swiss neutrality. Swiss troops served foreign governments until 1860 when they fought in the siege of Gaeta . The treaty allowed Switzerland to increase its territory, with the admission of the cantons of Valais , Neuchâtel and Geneva . Switzerland's borders saw only minor adjustments thereafter. The restoration of power to

11151-866: The European Union (EU), the European Economic Area , or the eurozone ; however, it participates in the European single market and the Schengen Area . Switzerland is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons , with federal authorities based in Bern . Switzerland is one of the world's most developed countries having the highest nominal wealth per adult , and the eighth-highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita . Switzerland performs highly on several international metrics , including economic competitiveness and democratic governance . Cities such as Zurich, Geneva and Basel rank among

11328-680: The Federal Palace in 1902 and after 1948 used in the official seal (e.g., the ISO banking code "CHF" for the Swiss franc , the Swiss postage stamps ('HELVETIA') and the country top-level domain ".ch", are both taken from the state's Latin name). Helvetica is derived from the Helvetii , a Gaulish tribe living on the Swiss Plateau before the Roman era . Helvetia appeared as

11505-677: The First War of Villmergen , in 1656, and the Toggenburg War (or Second War of Villmergen), in 1712. In 1798, the revolutionary French government invaded Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution. This centralised the government of the country, effectively abolishing the cantons: moreover, Mülhausen left Switzerland and the Valtellina valley became part of the Cisalpine Republic . The new regime, known as

11682-577: The Hallstatt and La Tène cultures , named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel . La Tène culture developed and flourished during the late Iron Age from around 450 BC, possibly influenced by Greek and Etruscan civilisations. One of the most prominent La Tène tribes were the Helvetii , who primarily occupied the Swiss Plateau , alongside the Rhaetians in

11859-615: The Holy Roman Empire around 1000 AD. In the 10th century, as the rule of the Carolingians waned, Magyars destroyed Basel in 917 and St. Gallen in 926. In response, Henry the Fowler , the then ruler of East Francia, decreed the fortification of key settlements to defend against these invasions. Large villages and towns, including strategic locations like Zurich and St.Gallen, were fortified. This initiative led to

12036-593: The League of Nations , which was based in Geneva , after it was exempted from military requirements. During World War II , detailed invasion plans were drawn up by the Germans, but Switzerland was never attacked. Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military deterrence, concessions to Germany, and good fortune, as larger events during the war intervened. General Henri Guisan , appointed

12213-656: The Old Swiss Confederacy established in the Late Middle Ages , following a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy ; the Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the country's founding document. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognised in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Switzerland has maintained a policy of armed neutrality since the 16th century and has not fought an international war since 1815 . It joined

12390-532: The Peacock streaming service , and later headlined the spin-off Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas , in December 2021. Beginning in March 2022, Massey would again start making appearances on the main series, in a recurring role. For playing Will, Massey won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in 2012, 2013, and 2014, becoming the first to win three years in

12567-755: The Supreme Court of the United States ruled to make same-sex marriage a right across all states of the US, soapcentral.com published an article celebrating the Supreme Court's ruling with a look back at the first same-sex marriages shown in USA soap operas: the first female-female marriage ( Bianca and Reese on All My Children ) and the first male-male marriage (Will and Sonny on Days of Our Lives ), saying both were "incredibly special". Commenting on

12744-576: The Swiss Alps to the south, the Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau, and the Jura mountains on the west. The Alps are a mountain range running across the central and south of the country, constituting about 60% of the country's area. The majority of the population live on the Swiss Plateau. The Swiss Alps host many glaciers, covering 1,063 square kilometres (410 sq mi). From these originate

12921-613: The Swiss economy . During the Cold War , Swiss authorities considered the construction of a Swiss nuclear bomb . Leading nuclear physicists at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich such as Paul Scherrer made this a realistic possibility. In 1988, the Paul Scherrer Institute was founded in his name to explore the therapeutic uses of neutron scattering technologies. Financial problems with

13098-508: The commander-in-chief for the duration of the war ordered a general mobilisation of the armed forces. The Swiss military strategy changed from static defence at the borders to organised long-term attrition and withdrawal to strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps, known as the Reduit . Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides and often mediated communications between

13275-674: The Bold of Burgundy during the 1470s, and the success of the Swiss mercenaries . The Swiss victory in the Swabian War against the Swabian League of Emperor Maximilian I in 1499 amounted to de facto independence within the Holy Roman Empire . In 1501, Basel and Schaffhausen joined the Old Swiss Confederacy. The Confederacy acquired a reputation of invincibility during these earlier wars, but expansion of

13452-658: The EU was attained that eliminated quotas on EU citizens, but still allowed favourable treatment of Swiss-based job applicants. On 27 September 2020, 62% of Swiss voters rejected the anti-free movement referendum by SVP. Extending across the north and south side of the Alps in west -central Europe, Switzerland encompasses diverse landscapes and climates across its 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi). Switzerland lies between latitudes 45° and 48° N , and longitudes 5° and 11° E . It contains three basic topographical areas:

13629-589: The French in the name of the Helvetic Republic. In 1803 Napoleon organised a meeting of the leading Swiss politicians from both sides in Paris. The Act of Mediation was the result, which largely restored Swiss autonomy and introduced a Confederation of 19 cantons. Henceforth, much of Swiss politics would concern balancing the cantons' tradition of self-rule with the need for a central government. In 1815

13806-596: The Gloved Hand slid a note under Sami's apartment door and Lucas, Carrie and Austin discovered the truth behind Sami's blackmailing of Lexie. After Sami finally admitted the truth about her misdeeds, a furious Carrie attacked her. The two sisters fought and Carrie swore she would make public what Sami had done to Lexie. Later, Carrie ran into Lexie and revealed to her that she knew the truth behind Sami's blackmail. Although Lexie tried to plea her case, Carrie didn't care and promised to get even with Lexie by reporting her to

13983-644: The Helvetic Republic, was highly unpopular. An invading foreign army had imposed and destroyed centuries of tradition, making Switzerland nothing more than a French satellite state . The fierce French suppression of the Nidwalden Revolt in September 1798 was an example of the oppressive presence of the French Army and the local population's resistance to the occupation. When war broke out between France and its rivals, Russian and Austrian forces invaded Switzerland. The Swiss refused to fight alongside

14160-588: The Helvetii were forced by Caesar to return to their original lands, where they were subjected to stringent restrictions on their autonomy and movements. In 15 BC, Tiberius (later the second Roman emperor) and his brother Drusus conquered the Alps, integrating them into the Roman Empire . The area occupied by the Helvetii first became part of Rome's Gallia Belgica province and then of its Germania Superior province. The eastern portion of modern Switzerland

14337-591: The Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality . During the Early Modern period of Swiss history, the growing authoritarianism of the patriciate families combined with a financial crisis in the wake of the Thirty Years' War led to the Swiss peasant war of 1653 . In the background to this struggle, the conflict between Catholic and Protestant cantons persisted, erupting in further violence at

14514-570: The Justice of the Peace with their signed marriage licenses and got married (but not before being briefly interrupted by a drunk Sami and Carrie disowning her). After saying their goodbyes to John, Kate, Marlena and Roman, Austin and Carrie took a plane and left Salem. In June 2010, Carrie also briefly returned to town and told Sami that she and Austin were happy and trying to start a family. On September 26, 2011, Austin and Carrie returned to Salem. It

14691-499: The Swiss Alps. 90% of Switzerland's 65,000-kilometre-long network of rivers and streams have been straightened, dammed, canalized or channeled underground, in an effort to prevent natural disasters such as flooding, landslides, and avalanches. 80% of all Swiss drinking water comes from groundwater sources. Forty-eight mountains are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) or higher in height. At 4,634 m (15,203 ft), Monte Rosa

14868-586: The Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) to restrict immigration . This initiative was mostly backed by rural (57.6% approval) and suburban groups (51.2% approval), and isolated towns (51.3% approval) as well as by a strong majority (69.2% approval) in Ticino, while metropolitan centres (58.5% rejection) and the French-speaking part (58.5% rejection) rejected it. In December 2016, a political compromise with

15045-620: The Swiss drew up a constitution that provided for a federal layout , much of it inspired by the American example . This constitution provided central authority while leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. Giving credit to those who favoured the power of the cantons (the Sonderbund Kantone), the national assembly was divided between an upper house (the Council of States , two representatives per canton) and

15222-537: The USA) and Sony Pictures Entertainment (its international distributor) approved of the storyline. Co-Executive Producer Greg Meng said "we are excited to have the encouragement and support from both NBC and Sony to tell the inspiring story of a young man learning who he is as he defines and creates his relationships with others." Massey told Entertainment Weekly that he was "thrilled" to play Will in an "empowering way that will show his struggle to accept who he is", and hoped

15399-866: The United Nations only in 2002 but pursues an active foreign policy that includes frequent involvement in peace building . Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross and hosts the headquarters or offices of most major international institutions including the WTO , the WHO , the ILO , FIFA , the WEF , and the UN. It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but not part of

15576-482: The apartment she shares with Ben, to give her wedding venue information that Sonny had put together when they were engaged. Abby has to go out, but the cable guy is due to come, and Will offers to wait in the apartment. While there, Will reminisces about his own wedding, and calls Sonny (who is in Paris, and a different time zone ) and leaves him an emotional voice message, admitting his fault in their breakup, and expressing his unconditional love . Afterwards, Will notices

15753-568: The area of forest that was burned and cleared to build. The name was extended to the area dominated by the canton, and after the Swabian War of 1499 gradually came to be used for the entire Confederation. The Swiss German name of the country, Schwiiz , is homophonous to that of the canton and the settlement, but distinguished by the use of the definite article ( d'Schwiiz for the Confederation, but simply Schwyz for

15930-493: The bombings, which violated the 96th Article of War , resulted from navigation errors, equipment failure, weather conditions, and pilot errors. The Swiss expressed fear and concern that the bombings were intended to put pressure on Switzerland to end economic cooperation and neutrality with Nazi Germany. Court-martial proceedings took place in England. The US paid SFR 62M for reparations. Switzerland's attitude towards refugees

16107-543: The canton and the town). The long [iː] of Swiss German is historically and still often today spelled ⟨y⟩ rather than ⟨ii⟩ , preserving the original identity of the two names even in writing. The Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica was neologised and introduced gradually after the formation of the federal state in 1848, harking back to the Napoleonic Helvetic Republic . It appeared on coins from 1879, inscribed on

16284-465: The children (Austin and his sister Billie) and changed their names to prevent their mother Kate Roberts from finding them. All that is known is that his original surname was Brown. Muldoon's return in 2011 was short-lived. In April 2012, it was announced that Muldoon, along with Clark and several other actors, had been let go from the series. Muldoon tweeted : "#DAYS been great 2 us. It will always be home. We all feel sick". On September 15, 2016, it

16461-555: The citizens, the membership application was withdrawn. Nonetheless, Swiss law is gradually changing to conform with that of the EU, and the government signed bilateral agreements with the European Union. Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein, has been surrounded by the EU since Austria's entry in 1995. On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed by a 55% majority to join the Schengen treaty , a result that EU commentators regarded as

16638-405: The coming baby's life because he is gay, and when Nick discovers that it was Will, not Lucas, who had shot EJ years before, he blackmails Will to sign away his parental rights. After Will and Nick are both attacked by a former prison-mate of Nick's, and Will is shot while trying to save Nick's life, Nick relents – and Will is correctly named as baby Arianna 's father on her birth certificate when she

16815-525: The confederation suffered a setback in 1515 with the Swiss defeat in the Battle of Marignano . This ended the so-called "heroic" epoch of Swiss history. The success of Zwingli 's Reformation in some cantons led to inter-cantonal religious conflicts in 1529 and 1531 ( Wars of Kappel ). It was not until more than one hundred years after these internal wars that, in 1648, under the Peace of Westphalia , European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from

16992-526: The constitution forbade sending troops to serve abroad, marking the end of foreign service. It came with the expectation of serving the Holy See , and the Swiss were still obliged to serve Francis II of the Two Sicilies with Swiss Guards present at the siege of Gaeta in 1860 . An important clause of the constitution was that it could be entirely rewritten, if necessary, thus enabling it to evolve as

17169-561: The constitution was revised with uncommonly strong elements of direct democracy , which remain unique today. Switzerland was not invaded during either of the world wars. During World War I , Switzerland was home to the revolutionary and founder of the Soviet Union Vladimir Illych Ulyanov ( Vladimir Lenin ) who remained there until 1917. Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the short-lived Grimm–Hoffmann affair in 1917. In 1920, Switzerland joined

17346-476: The core"; and soap journalist Michael Fairman called Massey's performance "beyond sensational". Will and Sonny became the show's first same-sex supercouple (commonly referred to by the portmanteau " WilSon "), and in 2014 Guy Wilson took over the role of Will as Days broadcast the first male gay wedding in US daytime drama history. The character was graphically murdered in the episode of October 9, 2015, with Will being shown strangled to death, lying dead in

17523-453: The course of time, Sami regained her memory as well as learned—due to seeing medical records—that Wil wasn't Austin's son, and a told only Lucas. The wedding was set to take place in September 1997. However, the wedding ceremony was interrupted by Carrie, who exposed the truths that Lucas was Will's actual father and that Sami had been faking amnesia. Austin, heartbroken, left Sami at the altar and married Carrie that same day. Sami left Salem for

17700-556: The defence budget and ethical considerations prevented the substantial funds from being allocated, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 was seen as a valid alternative. Plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped by 1988. Switzerland joined the Council of Europe in 1963. Switzerland was the last Western republic (the Principality of Liechtenstein followed in 1984) to grant women

17877-541: The development of what were essentially early urban strongholds and city governments in Eastern Switzerland. By 1200, the Swiss Plateau comprised the dominions of the houses of Savoy , Zähringer , Habsburg , and Kyburg . Some regions ( Uri , Schwyz , Unterwalden , later known as Waldstätten ) were accorded the Imperial immediacy to grant the empire direct control over the mountain passes. With

18054-423: The eastern regions. Facing pressures from Germanic tribes, in 58 BC, the Helvetii, influenced by Orgetorix , a wealthy aristocrat, decided to abandon the Swiss Plateau for better opportunities in western Gallia. After Orgetorix's mysterious death, the tribe continued their migration but was decisively defeated by Julius Caesar's armies at the Battle of Bibracte , in present-day eastern France. Following their defeat,

18231-632: The end of the 15th century. The expansion led to increased power and wealth for the confederation. By 1460, the confederates controlled most of the territory south and west of the Rhine to the Alps and the Jura mountains , and the University of Basel was founded (with a faculty of medicine) establishing a tradition of chemical and medical research. This increased after victories against the Habsburgs ( Battle of Sempach , Battle of Näfels ), over Charles

18408-640: The extinction of its male line in 1263, the Kyburg dynasty fell in AD 1264. The Habsburgs under King Rudolph I (Holy Roman Emperor in 1273) laid claim to the Kyburg lands and annexed them, extending their territory to the eastern Swiss Plateau. The Old Swiss Confederacy was an alliance among the valley communities of the central Alps. The Confederacy was governed by nobles and patricians of various cantons who facilitated management of common interests and ensured peace on mountain trade routes. The Federal Charter of 1291

18585-466: The fact that we killed Will, but we did. Now we’re fixing it." Shortly before his first new episode in September 2017, Massey chatted about Will's revival with the New York Post , saying: "Soaps have their ways, you know? Will certainly wouldn’t be the first person to come back from the dead. They have a medically plausible explanation." Carlivati later revealed that bringing back Massey was one of

18762-492: The first ideas he pitched to Days , and credited creative consultant Ryan Quan with the idea of using Susan Banks ( Eileen Davidson ) as the "villain" of the story. "Will's paternity drove story for DAYS in the 90's. The character provided a living crucible for the twisted love quadrangle of Sami, Austin, Carrie and Lucas. Will was also a central factor in the delicious, decades-long war Kate and Sami waged against one another." Jamey Giddens, Daytime Confidential Will

18939-661: The headwaters of several major rivers, such as the Rhine , Inn , Ticino and Rhône , which flow in the four cardinal directions, spreading across Europe. The hydrographic network includes several of the largest bodies of fresh water in Central and Western Europe, among which are Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French), Lake Constance (Bodensee in German) and Lake Maggiore . Switzerland has more than 1500 lakes and contains 6% of Europe's freshwater stock. Lakes and glaciers cover about 6% of

19116-413: The highest in terms of quality of life, albeit with some of the highest costs of living . Switzerland holds an international reputation for its established banking sector, alongside its distinctive recognition for their watchmaking and chocolate production. It has four main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian and Romansh . Although most Swiss are German-speaking, national identity

19293-541: The hospital board and the AMA. After showing up with Dr. Finch to keep her promise, Lexie was immediately fired and Carrie felt that her stay in Salem was nearly complete. During dinner, Austin suggested that they move to Switzerland, where he can work at the Mythic Communications division there and Carrie can reclaim Highstyle. Carrie agreed on one condition—that they get married first. The two immediately went to

19470-518: The hospital. Initially there is no effect, but later a brief memory of Will's early experience with Sonny flashes into his head. Will wants to take another dose, but the hospital board forbids it; so Will steals the remaining chemical. Worried for him, Paul is upset when he finds out Will intends to inject himself with more, but seeing Will's determination, he injects Will himself. Will gets a few more isolated snippets of memories, and then in August 2018, at

19647-530: The importance of the couple at the time of Will's revival, Krystyn Burtt of SheKnows said, "The storyline began to play out in 2012, when few states had marriage equality. By the time the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that same-sex marriage was a right in all 50 states on June 26, 2015, Will and Sonny were already married. Days of Our Lives had shown fans how important all types of love stories were and how they deserved representation on daytime TV." Austin Reed (Days of Our Lives) Austin Reed

19824-450: The impulsiveness and scheming tendencies of Sami". In another interview he said Will can be "very sneaky". Massey also enthused about the characteristics of Will that he loves playing, saying "I love how mad Will can get sometimes! And I love that Will can yell at people. And I love that he is fearlessly protective of Ari, his daughter. And he's not afraid to confront and embrace confrontation. In real life that's discouraged – yelling at people

20001-556: The last widely recognised state without full UN membership. Switzerland is a founding member of the EFTA but not the European Economic Area (EEA). An application for membership in the European Union was sent in May 1992, but did not advance since rejecting the EEA in December 1992 when Switzerland conducted a referendum on the EEA. Several referendums on the EU issue ensued; due to opposition from

20178-584: The media. In reaction to the killing of Will, "fans were outraged in a way rarely seen before in Days history, not comprehending the purpose of killing a legacy character ... who we watched grow from birth in real time onscreen", according to soap journalist Hope Campbell. On January 23, 2017, news broke that Days of Our Lives had a new headwriter in Ron Carlivati . Then on May 8 news broke of Chandler Massey's return as Will, and Carlivati engaged fans on Twitter with an exclaim of " Whaaaattt??? Will Horton

20355-418: The midst of Will and Sonny's relationship difficulties, Will breaks his marriage vows, and has sex with his interview subject, the star baseball player Paul Narita ( Christopher Sean ) – who turns out to be Sonny's ex, and the son of Will's step-grandpa, John Black ( Drake Hogestyn ). Sonny leaves Will in August 2015. Will endeavours to fix things with Sonny, and they are on the verge of re-uniting when Will

20532-409: The morgue, and being buried and grieved by his family. Viewers reacted with "major" backlash, the decision was highly criticized by professionals, and there was a feeling Days of Our Lives was pandering to anti-gay sentiment in its audience base. In January 2017 Days of Our Lives announced a new head-writer in Ron Carlivati ; and in May 2017 Entertainment Weekly reported that Massey was reprising

20709-466: The murder of his father, Curtis. Billie was the prime suspect. At the trial, both Billie and Austin learned that Kate Roberts was their biological mother – making Lucas Roberts their half-brother. Meanwhile, Carrie's half-sister Sami Brady was obsessed with Austin and plotting any way she could to get him. After Alan and Sami's relationship came to an end, and Carrie and Austin broke up, Sami went so far as to drug and rape Austin, making him believe she

20886-436: The murder. At the last moment, the truth came out. Because Austin had spent so much time with Sami in a misguided attempt to help her, Carrie felt their relationship was falling apart. Mike Horton stepped in to fill the void as he was attracted to Carrie, and eventually Carrie and Austin broke up. Carrie moved to Israel with Mike on November 19, 1999. Austin then rekindles his romance with Sami later that same year, and despite

21063-507: The name Horton , to distance themselves from his grandma Kate. Cast in the role when Will was 17, Massey played Will's transition to adulthood and is noted for his portrayal of Will coming out as gay and beginning a same-sex relationship with Sonny Kiriakis ( Freddie Smith ). Massey's performance and the coming out storyline received high praise: Glamour magazine said it "has never been done better – not on primetime, daytime, or in feature films", and "it's raw, it's touching" and "honest to

21240-570: The name for themselves after the Swabian War of 1499, used alongside the term for "Confederates", Eidgenossen (literally: comrades by oath ), used since the 14th century. The data code for Switzerland , CH, is derived from Latin Confoederatio Helvetica ( Helvetic Confederation ). The toponym Schwyz itself was first attested in 972, as Old High German Suittes , perhaps related to swedan 'to burn' (cf. Old Norse svíða 'to singe, burn'), referring to

21417-762: The national territory. Lake Geneva is the largest lake and is shared with France. The Rhône is both the main source and outflow of Lake Geneva. Lake Constance is the second largest and, like Lake Geneva, an intermediate step by the Rhine at the border with Austria and Germany. While the Rhône flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the French Camargue region and the Rhine flows into the North Sea at Rotterdam , about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) apart, both springs are only about 22 kilometres (14 miles) apart in

21594-418: The news to plea for his safe return. When Will returns, he is surprised to find out the kerfuffle he has caused. Carrie has an affair with Austin and they leave Salem (the show's fictional town) together, and Lucas moves back in with Will and Sami. Will is pleased to have his parents together once more, and to his delight, Lucas and Sami become engaged. They marry despite Kate's attempts to stop them, and Will

21771-418: The old Will with him, whereas he feels Sonny wants him to be someone he does not remember being. Thinking he may never remember, Will decides to divorce Sonny, believing it best for both of them. Will and Paul become friends, and when Paul suspects John of poisoning Will's Uncle Steve , they investigate together. Their adventure brings them close, and Paul develops feelings for Will. They start dating, and become

21948-582: The patriciate was only temporary. After a period of unrest with repeated violent clashes, such as the Züriputsch of 1839, civil war (the Sonderbundskrieg ) broke out in 1847 when some Catholic cantons tried to set up a separate alliance (the Sonderbund ). The war lasted less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties, most of which were through friendly fire . The Sonderbundskrieg had

22125-627: The reaction has been enormous – in places we couldn’t even imagine." Chandler Massey spoke about the story's impact in a speech to the Human Rights Campaign Atlanta Gala of May 2018: "We received letters from young men and old men [from] all across the world that said they saw something of themselves in Will Horton. I received a letter from a mom in the Midwest , and she said that she had always known that her son

22302-480: The relationship. Will catches Sami cheating on Rafe with EJ, and in an angry and upset mood, he goes to a party with Sonny, gets drunk and kisses a young man named Neil (Jesse Kristofferson). Will talks about the kiss with his grandmother Marlena Evans ( Deidre Hall ), who promises him her support and love. His grandma Kate also supports and accepts him, saying she has known for a long time. Will confides in Sonny that he

22479-414: The right to vote . Some Swiss cantons approved this in 1959, while at the federal level, it was achieved in 1971 and, after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden (one of only two remaining Landsgemeinde , along with Glarus ) in 1990. After obtaining suffrage at the federal level, women quickly rose in political significance. The first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive

22656-468: The role of Will, saying "I wasn't supposed to tell him". Wilson said "the whole experience was a soap opera, because everyone knew something that someone else didn't know." Smith said the on-screen switch between Massey and Wilson would happen as quick as the news of the recast, saying, "If you blink and open your eyes, you'll be like, ' Wait, there's a new Will?! ' ... It's literally just ' BOOM! '" Wilson first appeared on January 8, 2014, and his last air date

22833-472: The role of Will. Carlivati indicated, via social media, that Will may not have died after all, and the ensuing storyline showed how Will survived. Massey's new episodes played from September 15, 2017 to September 1, 2020, and he returned again for the Christmas season in December 2020. In the fall of 2021, he reprised his role as Will in the Days spin-off miniseries Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem , on

23010-455: The role to return to university when his current contract expired. Executive Producer Ken Corday said, "I wish he would stay. I keep telling him to change his mind, don't go away .... The door will always be open here to Chandler. We are not going to recast Will, but I wish him well". Massey said he supported a recast, saying "I don’t want Will and Sonny to break up. I want them to be together forever and go off and get married", and "I want what

23187-401: The serial "made television history yesterday when it became the absolutely last show to show two men kissing", and "he’ll get some bed scenes by 2016". Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice commented "a first gay kiss is no longer much of a milestone on broadcast TV, but for Days of Our Lives it represents the latest effort to remain relevant", and Xfinity 's Bibel noted it was remarkable for

23364-477: The show. Wilson called the couple "great communicators", and "one thing that Will and Sonny have is a sense of humor"; and Massey felt "they complement each other. They cover each other’s flaws and mesh very well.” Beginning with the marital conflict storyline that kicked off in the fall of 2014, commentators thought Will was written as if he had had a sudden "full-on personality transplant"; and in January 2015, in

23541-778: The sixth century, following Clovis I 's victory over the Alemanni at Tolbiac in 504 AD, and later Frankish domination of the Burgundians. Throughout the rest of the sixth, seventh and eighth centuries, Swiss regions continued under Frankish hegemony ( Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties) but after its extension under Charlemagne , the Frankish Empire was divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. The territories of present-day Switzerland became divided into Middle Francia and East Francia until they were reunified under

23718-462: The south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau , the Alps and the Jura ; the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, whereas most of the country's population of 9 million are concentrated on the plateau, which hosts its largest cities and economic centres, including Zurich , Geneva , and Basel . Switzerland originates from

23895-404: The steward of such an important LGBT icon ". Massey made his return in the episode of September 15, 2017. Then in February 2020, it was revealed that Massey was again let go from the serial, with his last appearance airing September 1, 2020; but Executive Producer Ken Corday said Will would be "returning on and off", and Massey re-appeared as Will in the 2020 Christmas season. In February 2023, it

24072-626: The story really accurately, and also so it would hopefully be helpful to somebody who might be watching, going through the same thing." As the story began, TV Guide 's Michael Logan noted Will "is gay and deeply, desperately in denial about it", and that the story would not take a "politically safe route". In the storyline, after Will meets Sonny, he starts rebuffing his then girlfriend Gabi Herdandez 's attempts at intimacy; and when she ends her relationship with Will, he has an emotional breakdown and smashes up his aunt's kitchen (the place where Gabi breaks up with him). Massey explained that Will has had

24249-458: The storyline would "inspire others to be true to themselves as well". Days showcased the storyline at the Outfest film festival , in March 2012, where Meng told reporters: "We wanted to do a gay storyline for several years. And we didn’t want to do just something splashy or just do a gay story to be telling a gay story. So we needed to find the right time, when it was organic, when it fit in. Will

24426-551: The tie. Will is apparently killed on October 9, 2015. Sonny is elated to get Will's message, and immediately gets ready to return to Salem, to reunite with Will. While packing, he is told Will has been murdered. Sonny is devastated, and he returns to Salem to bury his husband rather than reconcile with him. Meanwhile, Ben has made sure Chad (now Billy Flynn ) is the prime suspect in the murders; but as Ben's relationship with Abigail self-destructs, he becomes increasingly violent and unhinged. After he nearly murders Abigail and Chad, Ben

24603-543: The truth, just before she is to marry Austin. The wedding is stopped, and over the following years, Will is centric to several custody battles between his parents. In addition, he is caught up in the bitter feud between Sami and Kate Roberts ( Lauren Koslow ), who is the mother of both Austin and Lucas. Despite his turbulent upbringing, for many years Will is a quiet, eager to please little boy (played by Shawn and Taylor Carpenter). He loves both Austin and Lucas, and he gets upset when he cannot see them, and when his father Lucas

24780-970: The truth. When investigation reveals that the claim that Will is alive originates from Dr Rolf, this ignites hope that it is true. The investigation leads to an address in Memphis , where they find Susan. Will is working at a local bar, and Lucas is the first to see him, but he is inebriated, and thinks he is hallucinating and does not realize he has really seen Will. Paul then sees Will, but is afraid to tell people in case he loses Sonny. Eventually he confesses to Sonny, and Sonny and Sami find Will, and discover that he does not recognise them, and does not believe that they are his real family. But John persuades Susan's partner Roger ( John Enos ), whom Will trusts, to admit to Will what Susan has done. And Will, with some encouragement from Marlena, decides to return to Salem, to find out who he really is. Even meeting his daughter does not trigger Will's memory. Sami, learning that re-living

24957-410: The turmoil of his upbringing, and grew up to be a "kind-hearted" and "level-headed" teenager. In an early interview, Massey said Will is "a great guy .... he kind of had an interesting upbringing, but he turned out to be a really good kid, very forgiving." Massey added: "He doesn’t like being lied to, definitely, but that happens all the time to him. He's very mature for his age. Sometimes it seems like he

25134-413: The two develop a "strong bond" as father and son. Austin is "beloved" by Will, and their strong bond continues even after it is revealed, two years later, that Will is actually the son of Austin's half-brother, Lucas Roberts. Initially Will is a quiet child; the twins who initially played Will, and who started on the show as babies, had a tendency to be quiet in front of the cameras. But when, in 2002, Will

25311-449: The wedding "great, great stuff", and said he was "wiping away tears left and right". He confessed, "I used to get lost in fantasy as a teenager that I would marry a guy" and explained how his imagined festivities were very much like Will and Sonny's wedding. He was thrilled that "with gay marriage becoming legal in a growing number of states" his fantasy "can actually come true for young gay people dreaming about that today", and he said "that

25488-476: The wedding of his grandma Marlena and John Black, he suddenly recalls Marlena marrying him and Sonny. Overwhelmed, he slips away from the wedding. Sonny runs into him, and Will experiences a cascade of memories of their wedding and their love together. Sonny encourages Will, and in an avalanche of recall, Will remembers his family, his love for them, and his entire life. Will remembers everything – and he and Sonny embrace and kiss. Days of Our Lives "first gay kiss"

25665-412: The week" to Chandler Massey and Deidre Hall (playing Will's grandma Marlena , who helps Will come out), and gave Massey his "Best Overall Performance" of a daytime younger actor in 2012, and praised Massey's performance as "remarkable", "fabulous", and "beyond sensational". Jessica Radloff of Glamour Magazine , said: "In any other actors hands, the story would not carry the same weight. Massey brings

25842-695: The wider world by Axis-controlled territory. Over the course of the war, Switzerland interned over 300,000 refugees aided by the International Red Cross , based in Geneva. Strict immigration and asylum policies and the financial relationships with Nazi Germany raised controversy, only at the end of the 20th century. During the war, the Swiss Air Force engaged aircraft of both sides, shooting down 11 intruding Luftwaffe planes in May and June 1940, then forcing down other intruders after

26019-444: The writers and actors did "a subtle, compelling and beautiful job relating the struggles of young man trying to face and accept who he is, and the ramifications he fears it will have for him with his family and society"; and he also praised the writing for "addressing what parents fear for their child when they come out", saying "a lot of important points were made throughout the dialog." Fairman gave his accolade of "power performances of

26196-496: The younger Will "became available", and Gerse was retained to "preserve the believability of Alison Sweeney and Bryan Dattilo as his parents". Will was not aged again, and Gerse continued until 2007 when Will was temporarily written out (by having the character go to live with his uncle and aunt in Switzerland ). In addition, for one episode in January 2008, Gerse provided Will's voice for a phonecall. In 2009, Will, now sixteen,

26373-496: Was Elisabeth Kopp , who served from 1984 to 1989, and the first female president was Ruth Dreifuss in 1999. In 1979 areas from the canton of Bern attained independence from the Bernese, forming the new canton of Jura . On 18 April 1999, the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favour of a completely revised federal constitution . In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving Vatican City as

26550-400: Was rapidly-aged three years. A year later (2003), Christopher Gerse took over as Will. Gerse was able to attend regular school while working on Days, including playing on his school's basketball team, just like his character. In 2005, Days were again planning to rapidly age Will, and were "actively seeking out a new actor to play the role" — but the plans were shelved when a new storyline for

26727-428: Was Carrie in January 1995. The following morning, Austin was horrified to awaken and find Sami in his bed. Austin rejected Sami and she fled Salem. Carrie and Austin attempted to find Sami, traveling to Los Angeles, where they reunited. Carrie and Austin managed to survive all the drama and returned to Salem. Austin soon proposed and Carrie and Austin planned their wedding. Sami ruined their happiness by announcing that she

26904-412: Was October 13, 2015, with the character portrayed as dead. On May 8, 2017, Entertainment Weekly announced that Massey was reprising the role of Will, airing in September. Massey told the publication: "I am so excited to be bringing Will back [...] I can't wait for the fans to see what we have planned"; and Wilson expressed "joy" about Will's revival, and happiness that Massey was "back in the saddle as

27081-451: Was able to get Austin to marry her in order to bring Will home in September 1996. The marriage was annulled shortly afterwards. In December 1996, Sami was in a dangerous car accident on News Year's Eve. Austin blamed himself as he had told Sami he hated her shortly beforehand. The accident rendered Sami with no memory of the previous 3 years. As Austin took care of Sami, he decided it would be best for her and Will if they would remarry. Over

27258-493: Was aged to nine years and Darian Weiss cast to play him, the character was given an outspoken streak; a trait that was carried on with later portrayals. Will's parents, Sami and Lucas , fight each other for custody of Will for several years, and Will's chaotic upbringing has an influence on his character. The Sony Pictures web page for Will stated his "turbulent upbringing" made the young Will "moody and suspicious", however About.com ' s character profile said Will overcame

27435-406: Was almost like starting with a blank canvas again. Amnesia’s often associated with some pretty drastic personality changes, so it was a chance to completely recreate Will’s personality in some sense… and yet I also tried to stay faithful to the kind of things that might be hardwired into his body.” In the storyline, amnesiac Will is shocked to learn that he cheated on his husband, and hates thinking he

27612-425: Was also able to blackmail Dr. Lexie Carver after finding out about Lexie's affair with young detective Tek Kramer. Lexie thought up of a bogus story to tell Carrie, which was that Austin and Carrie shared rare genetic markers and if they ever had children, the child would suffer extreme birth defects that could result in death. Carrie then moved on romantically with Lucas, and even became engaged. She soon believed she

27789-460: Was announced Massey would again exit the role. On October 3, 2024, it was announced Massey would reprise the role, when Will returns in June 2025. When Will is born, his mother Sami is in love with Austin Reed ( Austin Peck ) and desperately wants to marry him. To this end, she has convinced Austin (and maybe herself too) that Austin is Will's father. So Will begins life with Austin as his father, and

27966-456: Was announced that Peck would reprise his portrayal as Austin, alongside Christie Clark's Carrie. The couple returned on January 11, 2017 as Carrie (a lawyer) came to assist her mother Anna. After accomplishing this, Peck and Clark departed on February 16, 2017. Peck later reprised the role in two spinoffs in 2019 and 2021. In July 1992 an aspiring boxer named Austin Reed came to Salem, and his troubled sister Billie Reed followed weeks later. He

28143-575: Was complicated and controversial; over the course of the war, it admitted as many as 300,000 refugees while refusing tens of thousands more, including Jews persecuted by the Nazis. After the war, the Swiss government exported credits through the charitable fund known as the Schweizerspende and donated to the Marshall Plan to help Europe's recovery, efforts that ultimately benefited

28320-448: Was doing made them think, ' this guy should be gay! And this will be great! '". Massey explained: "They sat me down and told me ' we have this great story for Will – he's going to be coming out – and we want to let you know that's the direction we're going in.' " After Massey learned of this in February 2011, uncertainty was cast over the storyline, as Days of Our Lives changed head writers and executive producers. Massey said that, while he

28497-441: Was gay but they never talked about it, or they never even acknowledged it, and she said that seeing Will Horton come out of the closet gave them a roadmap to have that conversation for the very first time." Will Horton's romance with Sonny Kiriakis was generally well received by critics and the audience. TV Guide said that "while it took 45 years for the show to introduce its first openly gay character (Sonny) and another year and

28674-416: Was her son EJ. In the fall of 2017, Sonny and Paul are to marry, and Ben escapes from Bayview Sanatarium, and crashes their double wedding with Chad and Abigail to announce that Will is alive. This is met with a high degree of skepticism, but Sonny, who thinks Will died thinking Sonny didn't love him, really wants to know the truth, and says he can't marry Paul until he knows. Sami returns to Salem to find out

28851-418: Was indeed Carrie's but did not tell Austin. Lucas knew that once Carrie and Austin saw each other, they would get back together. Lucas had fallen for Carrie and wanted her to himself for several years, and knew Carrie would not get back with Austin if Austin took over her company, so he allowed it to happen. Carrie was furious with Austin for taking over her company, and Lucas stepped in to comfort her; they began

29028-420: Was instantly smitten with Carrie Brady . Carrie gave Billie a place to stay, which led to the two of them spending a lot of time together. Carrie and Austin were doing great until Sami came to town in January 1993 and Austin didn't throw a fight, which drew the ire of a lot of bad people. Due to this, acid was thrown on Carrie's face, scarring her. Carrie went through reconstructive surgery, while Austin dealt with

29205-405: Was integrated into the Roman province of Raetia . Sometime around the start of the Common Era , the Romans maintained a large camp called Vindonissa , now a ruin at the confluence of the Aare and Reuss rivers, near the town of Windisch . The first and second century AD was an age of prosperity on the Swiss Plateau. Towns such as Aventicum , Iulia Equestris and Augusta Raurica reached

29382-711: Was not told whether or not they would proceed, he played Will "with his sexuality in mind". In June 2011, actor Freddie Smith joined the show to play Sonny Kiriakis , an openly gay character. Will and Sonny quickly become friends, and initially, the two characters share a " bromance ". Massey told Jacobs of We Love Soaps that Will has a close relationship with Sonny, and Will looks up to and respects Sonny because Sonny has encountered hate but remains confident and comfortable with who he is. Massey said Will admires these qualities in Sonny as "they are rare to see." In November 2011, Days of Our Lives announced that Will would be coming out as gay. Both NBC (the show's broadcaster in

29559-403: Was part of the territory of the Kings of the Burgundians , who introduced the French language to the area. The Alemanni settled the Swiss Plateau in the fifth century and the valleys of the Alps in the eighth century, forming Alemannia . Modern-day Switzerland was then divided between the kingdoms of Alemannia and Burgundy . The entire region became part of the expanding Frankish Empire in

29736-420: Was portrayed on the show, as was Will's and his mother's. Will is a great-grandson of the show's original couple, Tom and Alice Horton . Will begins a romantic pairing with Sonny Kiriakis in September 2012, and they marry in April 2014. Talking about Will and Sonny's relationship, Massey said Will "being insecure" creates drama, but Will and Sonny were "by far the most stable, most logical and loving" couple on

29913-423: Was pregnant due to an inaccurate pregnancy test, causing her and Lucas to rush their wedding date. When Carrie found out there was no baby, and had a "hysterical pregnancy", she was distraught and cheated on Lucas with Austin (who was still engaged to Sami) on the roof of their apartment building. Carrie was extremely relieved when Austin did not marry Sami. Prior to the ceremony she had expressed to Marlena that she

30090-417: Was pregnant with Austin's child, who was later named Will , in July 1995. Austin decided the right thing would be to stay with Sami and try to make a go of it, even though his heart would always be with Carrie. In June 1996, Kate and Jamie Caldwell (Sami's BFF) exposed that Sami drugged Austin and he and Carrie reunited. In August 1996, Will was abducted by a neighbor of Sami's and whisked off to France. Sami

30267-463: Was reintroduced with actor Dylan Patton . In 2010 the role was again recast with Chandler Massey , the first adult in the role, reportedly to facilitate a new storyline. Before he started, Massey watched as many old episodes as he could find to familiarize himself with the character. In 2013, his younger brother Christian played Will in flashbacks for the episode of February 8. In June 2013, after Massey's second Emmy win, he told reporters he would vacate

30444-401: Was revealed that Austin had become a forensic accountant after Mythic Communications had been forced to close down. In October 2015, Austin couldn't attend his nephew Will's funeral. Switzerland in Europe  (green and dark grey) Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe . It is bordered by Italy to

30621-472: Was still in love with Austin, and admitted to loving Lucas but not being in love with him. After secretly meeting with Austin to make love and comfort one another, Lucas and Sami came to the roof and caught them. After a bitter tirade on Sami and Lucas' part, Carrie was kicked out of their apartment. Soon after, Carrie handed Lucas annulment papers and Lucas was more than willing to sign them in order to immediately get Carrie out of his life. However, minutes later,

30798-408: Was the right age … and who better with his family history on the show, all the family connections! It just felt right." Meng said Will's story "goes on and on and on. So it’s not a splash!" He added: "We actually have used consultants on the show to help us with the storyline. We used a man who is a volunteer at the Gay and Lesbian Center . So we’ve actually had input from outside people to help us tell

30975-401: Was there for Sami when no one else was. With no place to stay in Salem, Austin moved in with Sami. They formed a company along with Nicole called Austin Reed and Company, or ARC. The company took over High Style, a company that was run by Carrie. Austin did not know Carrie was back in the United States and did not know High Style was her company. Lucas found out the company Austin was taking over

31152-457: Was thought to be dead) secretly entered, and Dr Rolf found Will to be unconscious but breathing. He then injected Will with something that would make him appear to be dead. After Lucas and Sami had viewed Will in the morgue, Dr Rolf (William Utay) revived Will. It turns out that Will's family unwittingly buried an empty coffin at his funeral, and Will, who had lost all his memories, was taken by Susan, who took care of him, but made him believe that he

31329-514: Was welcomed by critics. Soap journalist Michael Fairman called it "one of the best daytime television coming out kisses", and said the best part was "Sonny sees the whole thing!" Online blogger Perez Hilton described the scenes as "incredible" and "absolutely wonderful". Pascal Parvis of Têtu noted Will and Neil's kiss was "not a little" and said "what could be better" than the serial's first gay kiss lasting two episodes. Both The Huffington Post and Perez Hilton remarked favorably on Days showing

#188811