It’s official. There are now more zombies wandering around Salem than there are on The Walking Dead. Now, it looks like yet another person will show up and declare that the rumors of their passing were definitely premature as Soap Opera Digest reports that Heather Lindell is set to return as Jan Spears.

Viewers will recall that when last seen a few weeks ago, Jan had attempted to convince Shawn to leave town — on Ben and Ciara’s newly-acquired boat, no less — with the baby. This ended in a tussle which saw Jan (and the baby) wind up in the water. As Belle saved baby Shawn Christian, her husband tried — and failed — to rescue Jan, who was believed dead.

In her hospital bed, Jan smirks at Shawn, who glowers and holds up a finger at her

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times… stop pretending to die!”

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

More: Is Brandon Barash’s Jake really dead? 

Now, truth be told, it’s hard to imagine anyone in the audience actually believed that Jan had perished. Not simply because people in Salem almost never die for real, but because there was far too much drama left to tell with the character. She did, after all, just give birth to a child that may or may not be Shawn’s. And with Jan out of the picture, that seemed to clear the path for a Belle/Shawn reunion.

Yes, it wouldn’t have necessarily been easy for Claire’s parents to come together again. After all, they still have some serious issues to work out, what with him not trusting her enough to admit he’d slept with Jan, and Belle seeming unable to overlook the fact that her husband had, essentially, been raped by the she-devil (with an assist from the actual devil).

Belle leans in close to a comatose Jan on Days of Our Lives

“Forget what my husband says, Jan. You go right ahead and die any time you want!”

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

More: Paul Telfer (Xander) on his unexpected absence

Although Lindell isn’t the first actress to play the part — she’s actually the third, following in the footsteps of Natalie Ramsey and Heather Lauren Olson), she’s no doubt the best known of Jan’s portrayers, having been playing the vixen since 2004.

Shortly after Jan’s latest vanishing act, a fan took to Twitter, suggesting that headwriter Ron Carlivati should craft a story which would pave the way for the bad girl to finally go good. “Not gonna lie,” admitted the actress in a reply. “I’d love a redemption. Even if only briefly.”

Might this latest return give Lindell and her fans exactly that? And if so, what — or should we say who — might make Jan see the benefits of pushing aside both her wicked ways and her desire to be with Shawn?

Does Jan make our list of the best villains to ever hit daytime? The only way to know is by checking out the rogue’s gallery here!