Previously… – Spencer was upset to learn that Natalie told Elly that he and Natalie were sleeping together again. Later, Elly found Spencer outside the courthouse, and he broke down, admitting his conflicted feelings over Loretta’s death. – Rosie hit another dead end when she discovered that Finn had an alibi for the window during which Loretta was poisoned. – Travis secretly met with the District Attorney, Lois Kam, and asked for a plea deal that would guarantee him a shorter sentence.
“You asked for what?!”
Rosie Jimenez stares at her husband, as if she might be able to will what he has just told her to make sense. But the explanation never comes.
“A plea. Manslaughter,” Travis Fisher repeats, arms folded across his chest, as he leans back against the kitchen counter of his parents’ home, like he might need more support than he is willing to admit.
She lets out a short, incredulous laugh, shaking her head as she turns away from him. She paces a few steps before swiveling back.
“No. No, that’s–” She gestures vaguely, as if reaching for a shape that she cannot quite conjure. “You don’t do that. You don’t just ask to be convicted of something you didn’t do.”
“I didn’t say I did it.”
“Then why would you–“
“Because I could lose. Because I’m going to lose.”
The words land heavier than anything he’s said so far. Rosie blinks at him, thrown — not just by the idea, but by how plainly he has stated it.
“I see how this is going,” Travis says, pushing off the counter. “I’ve seen what they have, and I see what they’re doing. They’re going to bury me. And I’m not doing life in prison for first-degree murder. I can’t.”
“But fifteen years for a murder you didn’t commit is okay?”
“It’s tolerable. I can be out in ten, if I’m a model prisoner. Which I will be.”
“Prison is dangerous, Travis.” She lays it out with such gravity, such conviction, that for a moment, she thinks she’s got him. “Come on. Think about this. We can still find something to establish reasonable doubt.”
He shakes his head. The spell is broken. “I don’t think we can. And I’m… I’m worried about what could happen in the process. To you, and…”
He steps forward and places his hand on her pregnant stomach. Rosie inhales sharply at his touch. She cannot fathom going without it for ten years. Fifteen years.
“What happened in New York,” he says, “it could happen again. Worse. I need you and this baby to be okay.”
“So you’re gonna leave me to raise a baby on my own?”
The kitchen falls quiet, the weight of that settling between them.
“You’ll be on your own if I go to prison for life,” he says at last. “This way, I have a chance of getting to know my son or daughter before he or she is even a teenager. And you have support. You have your mom. You have my mom and dad. My grandma. Sam, Tempest, Sebastian…”
“They’re not you.”
From elsewhere in the house, they hear the sound of the front door opening. Voices drift in, indistinct but growing.
“This is why you called everyone over here?” she asks. “To tell them you’re giving up?”
“I’m not giving up. I’m accepting reality and making the best choice for my family,” he says. “Rosie, I need to do this. I’m sorry. I’m sorry we wound up in this situation. I’m sorry I couldn’t fix it in a better way. I’m just… I’m sorry.”
She shakes her head — once, twice — and then throws her arms around him, like it might be the only way to keep him from walking out that door.
—–
The front door swings open before the knock fully lands.
“Mom.”
Tim Fisher pulls it wider, stepping back to let Paula inside. But she freezes at the threshold, concern etched into her face.
“What is going on?” she asks, eyes shifting between her son and Claire, who is right by Tim’s side. “The trial is postponed? And then you call me over in the middle of the day? Is Travis okay?”
Claire manages a small, apologetic smile as she takes her former mother-in-law’s coat. “He’s okay. At least for now. We’re waiting for him to tell us what’s going on.”
Tim closes the door, the click a little louder than it needs to be.
“He and Rosie are in the kitchen,” Tim says. “But we’re waiting for a few more people: Sam, Tempest, Landon, Tori, Sarah, Matt…”
“What in the world is happening?” Paula asks, knotting her fingers together in distress.
From deeper in the house, faint voices drift in: Travis and Rosie, impassioned but indistinct.
“Well,” Paula says, “I suppose we’re about to find out.”
—–
Natalie Bishop kicks the front door of her own home closed behind her with a stiletto heel.
“Natalie?” a voice calls out. But she doesn’t answer right away, instead taking a moment to set down the numerous shopping bags that have been clutched in her hands.
“Yeah, it’s me,” she says. “And before you come out here and freak out, I needed a little retail therapy. Frankly, I deserve it. Things have been–“
She stops short when she sees Spencer Ragan arrive in the hallway that links the foyer to the kitchen. He crosses his arms as he takes in the bounty of shopping bags.
“It’s barely noon,” he says.
“Well, I stopped for an iced coffee after I dropped Peter off at school, and one thing led to another.” She shrugs and moves to place her camel-colored Birkin Kelly bag down on the console table. “Like I said, things have been stressful. I just thought–“
“They’ve been stressful for you?” he cuts in.
Her smile falters. Her hand slowly releases the strap of the Birkin. “I didn’t say they haven’t been stressful for you. Obviously they have. But I’m allowed to–“
“What? Blow my money like none of it matters?”
Her eyes narrow. “Where is this coming from?”
Spencer exhales loudly and then gestures at the bags. “Might as well enjoy it while you can.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asks.
“I’m done,” he says, straightening his posture. “I want a divorce.”
—–
By now, Tim and Claire’s living room is full. It doesn’t feel crowded, just tight, like everyone has instinctively given each other a little more space, without fully understanding why. Voices overlap in low conversations:
“–a trial doesn’t get stopped just for nothing–“
“–there has to be a reason–“
“–maybe there’s finally another suspect–“
The questions and theories circle, unanswered.
Claire hovers near the edge of it all, hands clasped. Tim is a few feet away, arms crossed and jaw set, listening without really engaging.
Sarah Fisher Gray sits on the couch, elbows on her knees, already in problem-solving mode. Her husband is right behind her, one hand resting lightly on her shoulder, grounding her — or maybe himself.
“You really don’t know what this is about?” she asks.
Landon shakes his head, his black hair still rumpled from the brief nap he managed after his and Sarah’s all-nighter. “Not a clue. I was asleep for probably 45 minutes when Travis called me.”
Sonja Kahele is huddled on the staircase with TJ, who is occupied with her phone as she listens. She has the sleeves of her sweater pulled over her hands.
“Because.” Tempest looks at her fiancée, not really sure what else to add. “Travis didn’t do it.”
Samantha narrows her eyes. “You suddenly have faith in the legal system?”
Tempest sighs. “I have faith in Rosie, Sarah, and Landon.”
A hush falls over the room as Travis and Rosie step in from the kitchen.
“Thank you all for coming,” Travis says. His voice is steady but not loud. He glances over at Rosie for security, but she diverts her eyes in anguish.
No one else fills the silence for him, so he continues.
“I’ve made a decision,” he says, “and I wanted all of you to hear about it before it’s announced publicly.”
Paula grips Tim’s shoulder — firm and steady, like she is bracing for impact.
“I’ve decided to, uh, accept a plea deal,” Travis continues.
Sarah lurches forward. “What?”
Landon shakes his head. “Dude. That’s not — no. You can’t do that.”
“What do you mean, a deal?” Claire questions. “For what?”
“Manslaughter,” Rosie interjects, with a sharp look at her husband.
Samantha turns fully toward her brother, eyes wide. “You can’t do that.”
“Are… are you saying you did it?” Sonja asks softly from the stairs.
Travis seems almost grateful for the opportunity. “No. I did not kill Loretta. But we’ve tried every angle. The prosecution has me up against a wall. I want to get ahead of this — minimize the time I’ll serve.”
“You can’t go to prison for something you didn’t do,” Tim protests.
“We’ve been fighting,” Travis says. “It isn’t enough.”
Rosie looks at Travis, her eyes pleading: See? We will.
He draws a deep breath and turns away. “I don’t see any other way out of this.”
“Travis,” Sarah says, “this is a permanent decision.”
“Not as permanent as the alternative,” Travis replies. “I’m sorry. I know everyone is… disappointed. I just don’t know how else to ensure that I’m not behind bars for the rest of my life. And frankly…”
He sucks in another breath.
“Loretta deserved to die for what she did to all of us,” he says. “If I have to do time on all of our behalf… then so be it.”
“You cannot do this,” Rosie mutters, but all Travis does is grasp her hand as the room again erupts into flurries of pleas and whispers.
—–
A few moments later, the sliding door eases shut behind Sonja, muting the noise of the ongoing family discussion continuing in the living room. For a moment, she simply stands on the back patio, taking in the gray Pacific Northwest day around her.
Then she takes out her phone and dials. It only rings once before he picks up.
“Hi.” Her voice is low, measured. “I wanted to see how you’re doing.”
“So you heard.”
“Travis just told the family, yeah.”
Conrad sighs a muffled breath into the phone. “I can’t believe he’s going forward with this. I tried to advise him not to.”
“He’s doing what he thinks is best for his family,” Sonja says. “That’s admirable.”
“And crazy.”
“Sometimes those two things go together.”
“I feel like I’ve failed my client.”
“You haven’t. He’s making this decision on his own. You haven’t even gotten to mount your case in court.” She hesitates before adding, “I just want you to know that I’m here for you. If you need anything.”
“Thanks, Sonja. I appreciate it more than you could know.”
“It’s my pleasure. I’ll check in later, okay?”
“Sounds good.”
She ends the call and lowers the phone, eyeing her faint reflection in the glass door.
—–
The living room is still buzzing, but Paula doesn’t raise her voice to cut through it. She doesn’t have to.
“Travis.”
It’s quiet, but it lands. She tips her head slightly toward the far side of the room, bordering the entryway of the house. He doesn’t hesitate before crossing to her.
“Well,” she says quietly. “You’ve certainly gotten everyone talking.”
A faint, humorless grin flickers across his face. “That wasn’t really the goal.”
“No. It never is.” She studies him a few seconds longer. “I don’t like this.”
“I didn’t expect you to. I don’t like it, either.”
“But I understand it.”
That gives him pause. She reaches out, brushing something from his sleeve — a move so small and automatic, so full of care, that it causes his emotions to spike.
“You aren’t doing this because you think it’s fair,” Paula says. “You’re doing it because you see it as the only way to take care of everyone.”
He exhales. “Right.”
“That’s who you are. That’s who you’ve always been. And your grandfather–” She stops, something catching in her throat. “He would be very proud of you.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“That’s because you think of strength only as fighting,” she says. “Sometimes it looks like standing there and taking the hit so that nobody else has to.”
He nods, as if attempting to convince himself.
“What happens next?” she asks.
“I have to meet Conrad and the D.A. to sign some paperwork. Then I get a little time, to get things in order, before I turn myself in. But we need to get the paperwork filed.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys. At the same time, he glances back toward the living room.
“Is that new?” Paula asks, studying his keychain.
“This? No. Rosie got it for me a few Christmases ago.” He holds it up, the bright red tomato catching the light. “She said it ‘fit my brand.’ As a chef.”
Paula smiles. “Very cute. And another way that you carry your grandfather’s legacy.”
“I know I need to do this,” he says. “But I’m so scared.”
She reaches up and cups his cheek.
“I’m so sorry, Travis. You’re a wonderful man. We will be here, every step of the way.”
With another nod, he goes to the door. Paula watches him go, her expression composed, but her eyes linger a moment longer than they need to, as if hoping he might burst back into the house to report that there is some other way.
“Oh, Bill,” she says under her breath. “Please protect our dear Travis.”
—–
Natalie simply stares back at Spencer, like if she waits long enough, he will take it back, or his statement will evaporate into the air. Finally, a hollow laugh slips out of her.
“No,” she says with a shake of the head. “No, that’s not how this works. You can’t just decide you’re done and file some paperwork like you’re cancelling a gym membership.”
“At least I get something out of the gym membership.”
“Don’t do that, Spencer. I know this hasn’t been a conventional marriage, but it hasn’t been some nightmare, either. Look at how well we’ve raised Peter together.”
“And we can parent him as a divorced couple just as well.”
She can see the coldness behind his eyes. It’s that icy armor that he puts on when he has made up his mind about something. She folds her arms, mimicking his posture, and changes tacks.
“I can put up a fight,” she says. “I can make your life a living hell.”
“Why? What for? This was never supposed to be a real marriage.”
Natalie scoffs. “I’ll go into that courtroom and tell everyone how you kidnapped Peter when he was little. The thing you married me to cover up?”
“Peter’s old enough to decide if he wants me in his life,” Spencer says. “And it’s been years. You’ve trusted me around Peter that entire time. That little bombshell isn’t going to be one-tenth as explosive as it would’ve been back then.”
She rubs the sole of her stiletto against the floor in frustration. Something bubbles up from within her, and suddenly she cannot hold it in any longer.
“This is about Elly, isn’t it? You’re leaving me because you want to be with her?”
“I’m not leaving you for Elly. I’m putting an end to a sham that’s gone on way too long.”
“But you do want to be with her.”
He groans. “I don’t know. But life is too short to waste any more time in… whatever this is.”
“Oh, so being with me has been a waste?”
“You know what I mean. This was never the end goal for either of us. You can still get out there, meet someone else, have something real.”
When she doesn’t respond, he flicks his head toward the pile of shopping bags at her feet.
“This is about the money, right?” he says. “I’ll give you a generous divorce settlement. Especially once Loretta’s whole estate is sorted out, whenever that is. You won’t have to get a job, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She tries not to show the ripple of relief that moves through her. Although it is reassuring, it doesn’t quite soothe her jangled nerves in the way that she would have thought.
“Do whatever you want,” she says, quickly snatching up the shopping bags. Part of her hopes that he will call after her, but the house remains silent, save for the clicking of her heels on the stairs, as she carries her haul up to the bedroom.
—–
The sound of the front door closing settles over the house. In the living room, Tim runs a hand over his face, turning away as Claire reaches for him.
Across the room, Sarah is already talking, fast and focused, pulling Landon into it.
“We can go back through everything,” she says. “Every piece of evidence, every timeline — there’s got to be something we overlooked.”
“We’ll… we’ll find something,” Landon says, more force than certainty.
Samantha shakes her head, stunned, while Tempest keeps a steady hand at her back.
Rosie stands at the center of it, unable to move. She knows that Travis will be back later, to tie up loose ends, to say goodbye, but this feels so final. Unable to take the chatter all around, she slips through the wood-framed doorway into the kitchen.
The kitchen is quieter, removed. Rosie braces her hands against the counter, her head dipping with exhaustion.
Behind her, the sliding door opens.
“Are you okay?” Sonja asks.
Rosie looks up. “Yeah. I’m fine. I mean — I’m not fine, but I’m not having some… medical incident.”
“Okay. Let us know if you need anything, please.”
Rosie manages a grateful nod as TJ comes hurrying into the room.
“I want a snack,” the dark-haired little boy declares.
“Why don’t you have some fruit and cheese?” Sonja suggests to her son. She goes to the refrigerator and pulls out a container of cut fruit and a string cheese. “Here, sit.”
TJ stations himself at the kitchen table. Rosie watches the scene with curiosity as Sonja sets out the food and lovingly brushes her son’s hair out of his face. She tries to imagine herself doing the same in five, six, seven years, raising her own child by herself, counting the days until Travis is finally free. The gulf of time seems unfathomable, and the loneliness even worse.
“Ew!” TJ declares, shoving the plate away.
“What’s wrong?” Sonja asks.
“That’s tomatoes!” the boy says. “I don’t want tomatoes!”
“That’s not a tomato. It’s a cherry. Look, it’s purple–“
“It looks red!”
Sonja holds up a piece of the cut fruit, trying to reason with him, but he wags his head in outrage.
“I hate tomatoes!” TJ says again, resolute.
Sonja exhales loudly. “I’ll pick them out. But they’re cherries. I promise.”
She takes the plate to the counter and lays out a paper towel. She begins to pick the cherries from the assortment.
“He’s been in this I-hate-tomatoes phase for over a year,” Sonja says, almost apologetically, to Rosie. “He won’t even eat pizza because he found out the sauce is made from tomatoes. These are the kinds of battles you need to prepare for.”
Rosie is about to react as politely as she can when something shifts. It is small, nearly imperceptible, and Rosie stills as she tries to get a grasp on it.
Then it hits her. A different night, a few months ago, in this very house…
“My keys,” Travis declares. “I can’t find my keys.
“I’m sure they’re around here somewhere,” Rosie tells him.
“I had them,” he insists. “I drove here–“
“I know,” Rosie says, suddenly feeling helpless.
Just a passing moment. Another time when she and Travis felt like things were spiraling out of their control, like they were barely holding on to sanity.
“Do these belong to someone?” Sonja asks as she enters the kitchen, a set of keys in hand.
“Those are mine,” Travis says, as Sonja passes them to him. “Where’d you find them?”
“TJ must have picked them up when we came in from our walk,” Sonja explains. “I was getting him ready for bed and found them in the pocket of his shorts.”
“He hates tomatoes?” Rosie asks.
“Yeah…” Sonja looks over at her, and something about her demeanor changes. Her posture stiffens, her eyes narrow.
“Kids are picky,” she says.
“The keys.” That’s it. That’s all she says. Sonja goes completely still. And Rosie sees it in her eyes:
You know.
“TJ wouldn’t take Travis’s keys,” Rosie says. “He has a tomato keychain. That means…”
“Rosie, you’re overwhelmed. Your mind is playing tricks on you”
“No, it was you. You took Travis’s keys. You — you put that vial in his bag.”
“Rosie–“
“It was you!” Rosie exclaims, her eyes flaring wide as her heart thuds, the room closing in around her.
END OF EPISODE 1300
Did you see this twist coming? Can Rosie expose the truth before it’s too late? Will Natalie grant Spencer the divorce? Talk about it all in the comments below!
CONGRATULATIONS on 1300 episodes! What an amazing milestone to achieve after all these years. Your dedication to your series is so admirable and you’ve spent years entertaining the webseries world, so thank you for that!
My theory about the killer was wrong. I knew that the keychain had to play a role in all of this because it felt like such a random part of the scene, but I do like that Rosie figured this all out. If Sonja is the killer, I can’t believe that she would let Travis take the fall like this, especially after everything that Tim has done to help her and TJ. I am curious too about how she will keep Rosie quiet because there are so many people in the house, so it’s not like she can easily kidnap her.
Because of the milestone episode, I did like how the the entire Fisher family got together to hear Travis’ news about the plea deal. It was nice to see the family for the milestone, and for Paula to ask Bill to watch over Travis. It was a perfect touch for the episode.
Congrats again on the episode and the cliffhanger!
Thank you so much, Dallas! I appreciate all your support and your ongoing readership so much. And you’re about to reach 1300 yourself!
There were so many fun theories floating around about who actually killed Loretta, and it was a blast to hear them all. It also helped me refine my red herrings along the way 😉 Sonja has been the plan since day one, and we’ll soon see exactly how it all went down, but I’m actually shocked no one (outwardly) guessed her sooner. I knew I had to get to the reveal before I tipped my hand too much. That episode where “TJ” took Travis’s keys made me nervous that people would figure it out, but I tried to make it all about Travis being on the edge of losing it rather than the keys themselves. Sonja has really screwed over Tim and his family by letting the charges against Travis go this far, and it’ll be juicy to get their reactions, as well.
You know I love to feature the Fisher family for these milestone episodes, and it only made sense that Travis would gather much of the family (sorry, Molly and Jason branches! No room for you!) to reveal his decision. I love finding the balance of that familial warmth and the very soapy plot twists.
Ooooh I did not see that coming. What a fun twist, especially the way it was revealed to Rosie. It must have been hard sitting on this for so long! I hadn’t really formed a theory on who the killer might be, but I’ve enjoyed the ride. Classic soap twist to have the reveal AFTER Travis arranges a plea deal. So good.
I also liked the fact that we got to see a lot of characters we don’t see all the time like Paula. That’s always a nice way to re-center things once in a while.
That Spencer and Natalie scene was a shocker too. She seems to be very money-driven.
Thanks for reading and all your support throughout the years!
I always knew who the killer was going to be, but I probably sketched out 20 versions of this reveal, so I’m very glad that it seems to have worked for people. And I’m thrilled it managed to stay a secret until the actual reveal! There’s still a lot to untangle here, not least of which is the plea deal — but also, how did Sonja pull this off? And why?
I try to use Paula in any milestone episode, just to bring the series back to its center, as you say. And this was a different kind of family gathering, but it was nice to have the urgency to drive things along.
Natalie is INCREDIBLY money-driven. I think she sometimes uses money as a substitute for love (to quote Madonna), or she knows it’s the one reliable thing that will make her happy. This marriage has been about power and money more than anything, so it’s fitting that it ends amidst financial concerns, too.
1300 episodes of Footprints!!! What an accomplishment! I love, once again, how you center the Fisher’s as Travis is making the ultimate sacrifice and see how it affected those closest around him. I didn’t even put together the red herring regarding the keychain, and I like how Rosie put it together. I wonder if Rosie’s guilt was intertwined with her nervousness about entering a relationship with Conrad. Yet, I hope Rosie remains cautious, as Sonja is known for doing what she has to for survival, and you know that I love Paula being the voice of reason for her “firstborn grandchild” as well as her calling upon Bill to protect him too.
I think Spencer has been wanting to end the marriage for some time now. Though deep down I think Natalie is not only comfortable with the lifestyle but also somehow loves him despite everything, nevertheless, I’m sure she isn’t going to make this easy.
Again, congratulations on this milestone, and I hope to see Footprints around for 1300 more episodes.
Thank you, Bre! I know I had responded to you on Twitter/X, but I forgot to circle back to the responses on the site while I was mired in work/life stuff these last two weeks. I was sort of nervous that people would figure out the thing with the keys way back when they disappeared, so I really tried to frame it as Travis flipping out over absolutely nothing at the time — I hoped people would think it was just about his stress and anxiety more than the keys themselves. The Sonja/Conrad angle on this does complicate things, too. Of course there was a reason I set that up besides just “giving Sonja something to do”. 😉 This whole thing is very layered, so it’ll give us a lot to play in the coming episodes and beyond.
I think you’re right that Natalie DOES love Spencer, in a certain way. We haven’t seen her pursuing love or even sex on the side this whole time. It’s almost like she thinks that this is what marriage is supposed to be: financial security above all, without any emphasis on an emotional bond. We’re going to dig into this more in the next phase of her story!
Thank you so much for all your support and cheerleading over the years!
I’m kinda not sure what to say right now. Except Sonja was nowhere near my list of suspects. And yet it makes sense. Loretta stole so much from her, she was on the run having to keep TJ from his real father. It makes sense that she would come back to finish Loretta off.
I have to wonder if her whole relationship with Conrad was a front or genuine. I feel that could go either way.
But damn, she was willing to see Travis go down for it. Tim is going to KILL her when he finds out. If Claire doesn’t get there first. Hell, Rosie might beat them both to the punch!
What I like is the conflict here. Because on the one hand, Rosie is absolutely going to want Sonja to confess, to save Travis from doing a long stretch like that. And yet, in all of this, there’s an innocent child involved. Sonja has been the one constant in TJ’s life and now she’s possibly being taken away from him. And yeah, he’s got to know Tim and Claire over the past year or so, but that’s a massive adjustment still.
I’m really really glad Rosie solved it. In fact, I love that you didn’t fall into the trap of making Rosie (and by extension, Sarah/Landon) stupid to fit the plot. There really wasn’t much to go on – I had no idea who it could have been the entire time! Even the DA’s evidence was a little circumstantial, although good enough to convince a jury, I feel.
I’ve been meaning to say this but I have been LOVING Rosie the whole way through this entire story. The fact that she’s stood by her man, the strength, the determination. It’s strange, I think a lot of soaps would see her as a newer sort of character, someone to expand on diversity, but I almost see her as more of a traditional sort, I could see her becoming the next matriarch in a decade or so. She has all the makings of it.
Congratulations once again on 1300 episodes, Michael. It’s a fantastic achievement! Nearly thirty years in telling stories about these wonderful characters, and Footprints still feels so fresh and relevant. I’m so excited for where you take this story next!
Thank you so much for reading and for your support and commentary over the years. Your feedback is always a treat to read!
I was nervous that people would start to suspect Sonja, especially since the incident with Travis’s keys was ‘hiding in plain sight,’ so I’m elated that no one put the pieces together before I was ready to drop the bomb. You’re completely right about Sonja’s motives, though we will learn about them in even more specificity in Episode 1302. And you are spot-on about all the fallout that is to come. There’s the Sonja/Conrad angle (see, that was more than “I need something for Sonja to do”!), the Sonja/Natalie stuff, Tim and Claire’s reactions, how this will impact TJ as he grows up, etc. I love when a big story like this opens the door for future story, rather than just wrapping everything up neatly so we can move on to different stuff. It was also very important to me that the main investigators — Rosie, Sarah, and Landon — not be idiots just to string this out. They were pursuing lots of logical leads and hitting dead ends, but they weren’t dumb about it or not asking obvious questions.
And I take your comments about Rosie as a huge compliment! Frankly, when I created her 11 years ago, my main goals were to a) give Travis his first adult love interest and push him out of college stories, and b) to broaden FP’s diversity in the process. I hoped they would catch on as a couple, but I really didn’t know that they would grow into this sort of tentpole couple. I totally get what you mean about Rosie feeling like a matriarch-in-training. In a way, she’s a true heir to Sarah. They’re both very much NOT the typical matriarch, but that’s kind of what makes them fit the role. I’m really pleased that this journey, starting with her finding Gabrielle and going through this reveal, has developed Rosie into such a multifaceted character.
Thank you again for everything! And I’m so glad you continue to enjoy the series after all these years.
CONGRATULATIONS on 1300 episodes! What an amazing milestone to achieve after all these years. Your dedication to your series is so admirable and you’ve spent years entertaining the webseries world, so thank you for that!
My theory about the killer was wrong. I knew that the keychain had to play a role in all of this because it felt like such a random part of the scene, but I do like that Rosie figured this all out. If Sonja is the killer, I can’t believe that she would let Travis take the fall like this, especially after everything that Tim has done to help her and TJ. I am curious too about how she will keep Rosie quiet because there are so many people in the house, so it’s not like she can easily kidnap her.
Because of the milestone episode, I did like how the the entire Fisher family got together to hear Travis’ news about the plea deal. It was nice to see the family for the milestone, and for Paula to ask Bill to watch over Travis. It was a perfect touch for the episode.
Congrats again on the episode and the cliffhanger!
Thank you so much, Dallas! I appreciate all your support and your ongoing readership so much. And you’re about to reach 1300 yourself!
There were so many fun theories floating around about who actually killed Loretta, and it was a blast to hear them all. It also helped me refine my red herrings along the way 😉 Sonja has been the plan since day one, and we’ll soon see exactly how it all went down, but I’m actually shocked no one (outwardly) guessed her sooner. I knew I had to get to the reveal before I tipped my hand too much. That episode where “TJ” took Travis’s keys made me nervous that people would figure it out, but I tried to make it all about Travis being on the edge of losing it rather than the keys themselves. Sonja has really screwed over Tim and his family by letting the charges against Travis go this far, and it’ll be juicy to get their reactions, as well.
You know I love to feature the Fisher family for these milestone episodes, and it only made sense that Travis would gather much of the family (sorry, Molly and Jason branches! No room for you!) to reveal his decision. I love finding the balance of that familial warmth and the very soapy plot twists.
Thanks again!
Ooooh I did not see that coming. What a fun twist, especially the way it was revealed to Rosie. It must have been hard sitting on this for so long! I hadn’t really formed a theory on who the killer might be, but I’ve enjoyed the ride. Classic soap twist to have the reveal AFTER Travis arranges a plea deal. So good.
I also liked the fact that we got to see a lot of characters we don’t see all the time like Paula. That’s always a nice way to re-center things once in a while.
That Spencer and Natalie scene was a shocker too. She seems to be very money-driven.
Congrats on 1300!!!
Thanks for reading and all your support throughout the years!
I always knew who the killer was going to be, but I probably sketched out 20 versions of this reveal, so I’m very glad that it seems to have worked for people. And I’m thrilled it managed to stay a secret until the actual reveal! There’s still a lot to untangle here, not least of which is the plea deal — but also, how did Sonja pull this off? And why?
I try to use Paula in any milestone episode, just to bring the series back to its center, as you say. And this was a different kind of family gathering, but it was nice to have the urgency to drive things along.
Natalie is INCREDIBLY money-driven. I think she sometimes uses money as a substitute for love (to quote Madonna), or she knows it’s the one reliable thing that will make her happy. This marriage has been about power and money more than anything, so it’s fitting that it ends amidst financial concerns, too.
Thanks again!
1300 episodes of Footprints!!! What an accomplishment! I love, once again, how you center the Fisher’s as Travis is making the ultimate sacrifice and see how it affected those closest around him. I didn’t even put together the red herring regarding the keychain, and I like how Rosie put it together. I wonder if Rosie’s guilt was intertwined with her nervousness about entering a relationship with Conrad. Yet, I hope Rosie remains cautious, as Sonja is known for doing what she has to for survival, and you know that I love Paula being the voice of reason for her “firstborn grandchild” as well as her calling upon Bill to protect him too.
I think Spencer has been wanting to end the marriage for some time now. Though deep down I think Natalie is not only comfortable with the lifestyle but also somehow loves him despite everything, nevertheless, I’m sure she isn’t going to make this easy.
Again, congratulations on this milestone, and I hope to see Footprints around for 1300 more episodes.
Bre
Thank you, Bre! I know I had responded to you on Twitter/X, but I forgot to circle back to the responses on the site while I was mired in work/life stuff these last two weeks. I was sort of nervous that people would figure out the thing with the keys way back when they disappeared, so I really tried to frame it as Travis flipping out over absolutely nothing at the time — I hoped people would think it was just about his stress and anxiety more than the keys themselves. The Sonja/Conrad angle on this does complicate things, too. Of course there was a reason I set that up besides just “giving Sonja something to do”. 😉 This whole thing is very layered, so it’ll give us a lot to play in the coming episodes and beyond.
I think you’re right that Natalie DOES love Spencer, in a certain way. We haven’t seen her pursuing love or even sex on the side this whole time. It’s almost like she thinks that this is what marriage is supposed to be: financial security above all, without any emphasis on an emotional bond. We’re going to dig into this more in the next phase of her story!
Thank you so much for all your support and cheerleading over the years!
Oh!!
Whew, well I didn’t see that one coming!
I’m kinda not sure what to say right now. Except Sonja was nowhere near my list of suspects. And yet it makes sense. Loretta stole so much from her, she was on the run having to keep TJ from his real father. It makes sense that she would come back to finish Loretta off.
I have to wonder if her whole relationship with Conrad was a front or genuine. I feel that could go either way.
But damn, she was willing to see Travis go down for it. Tim is going to KILL her when he finds out. If Claire doesn’t get there first. Hell, Rosie might beat them both to the punch!
What I like is the conflict here. Because on the one hand, Rosie is absolutely going to want Sonja to confess, to save Travis from doing a long stretch like that. And yet, in all of this, there’s an innocent child involved. Sonja has been the one constant in TJ’s life and now she’s possibly being taken away from him. And yeah, he’s got to know Tim and Claire over the past year or so, but that’s a massive adjustment still.
I’m really really glad Rosie solved it. In fact, I love that you didn’t fall into the trap of making Rosie (and by extension, Sarah/Landon) stupid to fit the plot. There really wasn’t much to go on – I had no idea who it could have been the entire time! Even the DA’s evidence was a little circumstantial, although good enough to convince a jury, I feel.
I’ve been meaning to say this but I have been LOVING Rosie the whole way through this entire story. The fact that she’s stood by her man, the strength, the determination. It’s strange, I think a lot of soaps would see her as a newer sort of character, someone to expand on diversity, but I almost see her as more of a traditional sort, I could see her becoming the next matriarch in a decade or so. She has all the makings of it.
Congratulations once again on 1300 episodes, Michael. It’s a fantastic achievement! Nearly thirty years in telling stories about these wonderful characters, and Footprints still feels so fresh and relevant. I’m so excited for where you take this story next!
Thank you so much for reading and for your support and commentary over the years. Your feedback is always a treat to read!
I was nervous that people would start to suspect Sonja, especially since the incident with Travis’s keys was ‘hiding in plain sight,’ so I’m elated that no one put the pieces together before I was ready to drop the bomb. You’re completely right about Sonja’s motives, though we will learn about them in even more specificity in Episode 1302. And you are spot-on about all the fallout that is to come. There’s the Sonja/Conrad angle (see, that was more than “I need something for Sonja to do”!), the Sonja/Natalie stuff, Tim and Claire’s reactions, how this will impact TJ as he grows up, etc. I love when a big story like this opens the door for future story, rather than just wrapping everything up neatly so we can move on to different stuff. It was also very important to me that the main investigators — Rosie, Sarah, and Landon — not be idiots just to string this out. They were pursuing lots of logical leads and hitting dead ends, but they weren’t dumb about it or not asking obvious questions.
And I take your comments about Rosie as a huge compliment! Frankly, when I created her 11 years ago, my main goals were to a) give Travis his first adult love interest and push him out of college stories, and b) to broaden FP’s diversity in the process. I hoped they would catch on as a couple, but I really didn’t know that they would grow into this sort of tentpole couple. I totally get what you mean about Rosie feeling like a matriarch-in-training. In a way, she’s a true heir to Sarah. They’re both very much NOT the typical matriarch, but that’s kind of what makes them fit the role. I’m really pleased that this journey, starting with her finding Gabrielle and going through this reveal, has developed Rosie into such a multifaceted character.
Thank you again for everything! And I’m so glad you continue to enjoy the series after all these years.