Spoiler for the movie Home and Away: Vengeance Runs Deep

In the aftermath of unthinkable tragedy, David’s life has been ripped apart. He’s lost his wife, nearly lost both of his daughters, and watched the young man who saved one of them—Theo—die a hero’s death. Now, with nothing left to lose, David’s grief hardens into something darker: vengeance. His only mission is to find Counselor Wendell, the man responsible for so much pain, and make him pay.

But Wendell has disappeared without a trace. Like a ghost, he’s slipped through every net the police have cast. Weeks pass with no sign of him—until one tiny clue surfaces: a single credit card purchase. It’s not much, but it’s enough to give David and Sergeant Cash Hope (recently back from his honeymoon and thrust straight into the chaos) a thread to follow. Together, the two men make an unlikely but relentless team, united by the same goal—justice for Theo and for the families destroyed by Wendell’s recklessness.

Meanwhile, the town of Summer Bay is drowning in grief. Theo’s funeral is approaching, and the community struggles to come to terms with his death. He was loved by everyone—a kind, brave soul who gave his life to save another. “He died a hero,” Jeremy tells TV Week, a sentiment shared by all who knew him. Yet for David, the word “hero” feels hollow. Every condolence card, every sympathetic pat on the shoulder only fuels his obsession. The man who caused all this pain is still out there, breathing, hiding, and laughing at them all.

As rain clouds gather over Summer Bay, the morning of the funeral arrives. The air is heavy with sorrow. Black umbrellas dot the cemetery as mourners quietly take their seats, whispering through their tears. Leah, forbidden by Cassandra to attend, mourns from afar. Justin stands by her side, both of them consumed by guilt and loss. Nearby, hidden in the shadows, David and Cash sit in an unmarked car, watching. David’s eyes are hollow but sharp. Every nerve in his body is ready to ignite.

Then, in the distance, Cash spots it—a familiar figure sitting in a parked car just beyond the cemetery gates. Wendell. Watching. The realization hits David like lightning. His heart races. This is it—the man who took everything from him is right there.

The calm of the funeral shatters in an instant. Wendell sees them too. He slams his foot on the accelerator, his tires screeching against the wet asphalt. David and Cash leap into action, their car fishtailing as they tear after him through narrow coastal streets and twisting dirt roads. The chase is raw, desperate, and furious. Mud splashes across the windscreen. Rain lashes down. Both men know that if they lose him now, they may never get another chance.

The pursuit barrels into the dense bushland on the edge of Yabi Creek. Wendell abandons his car and sprints into the forest, crashing through branches, his breath ragged. David and Cash follow on foot, their flashlights slicing through the gloom. Adrenaline surges as they close the gap. David shouts Wendell’s name—a guttural, broken roar that echoes through the trees.

Cash lunges first, tackling Wendell to the ground in a chaotic tangle of limbs and mud. For a fleeting moment, it’s over. They’ve got him. Justice, at last. But Wendell isn’t done fighting. With a vicious strike, he smashes his elbow into Cash’s face, breaking free from his grip. Before David can react, Wendell disappears into the dark forest, swallowed by the mist and rain.

The two men stand there, panting, defeated. The sound of the rain fills the silence where Wendell’s footsteps once were. David stares into the trees, his knuckles white, rage and sorrow burning in his eyes. Cash wipes the blood from his face, muttering that they’ll find him again. But David knows better—Wendell’s a survivor, a snake that always finds a hole to hide in.

As the camera pulls back, the scene fades to the image of Theo’s grave, rain cascading over the fresh earth. David stands there alone later that night, soaked to the bone, whispering an apology to the boy who saved his daughter’s life. “I’ll get him, Theo,” he says, voice breaking. “I swear to you, I’ll finish this.”

The movie closes with a haunting cliffhanger. Somewhere out there, Wendell is still running. David is still hunting. And justice—for Theo, for David’s wife, for the families shattered by one man’s cruelty—remains just out of reach.

Will David’s pursuit finally end in justice—or in vengeance? Home and Away: Vengeance Runs Deep leaves audiences breathless, questioning how far grief can drive a man before he loses himself completely.