Spoiler for the movie “EastEnders: Shadows of Walford” 

Tonight’s gripping episode of EastEnders plunged viewers deeper into one of the darkest and most unsettling storylines the show has tackled in recent years, leaving fans shaken and filled with dread about what might happen next. Tension continues to mount in Walford as Joel Marshall’s violent behavior spirals dangerously out of control, and a chilling new clue suggests that another teenager could soon become his next victim.

The episode opens on an uneasy note, with Joel seething in frustration at home. His anger boils over once again when he turns on his stepmother, Vicki, barking cruel orders at her to clean up after him. His aggression and entitlement have grown more unhinged in recent weeks, and tonight, his rage took on an even darker edge. Ross, his father, finally steps in, reprimanding his son for his behavior — but instead of calming down, Joel storms out of the house, humiliated and furious.

Alone and consumed by resentment, Joel sits on a park bench, headphones in, listening to a misogynistic podcast that reinforces his dangerous worldview. It’s a disturbing image — a young man brooding in silence, anger festering beneath the surface. As fate would have it, Amy Mitchell, along with her friends Dinda Nugget Galati and Avani Nandraart, walk by on their way home from school. The brief encounter that follows might have seemed harmless to some — but fans immediately picked up on its ominous undertones.

Amy, spotting Joel sulking on the bench, mockingly calls out to him, “Oi, incel! Where’s your mates?” before laughing and walking off with her friends. She doesn’t notice the sinister glare Joel shoots after her — but the audience does. That dark, wordless look chilled viewers to the bone. Within minutes of the scene airing, fans flooded social media, convinced this was no throwaway moment. “The way Joel looked at Amy gave me chills,” one viewer wrote. Another added, “That ending felt really sinister — I’m genuinely worried for Amy.”

The sense of dread isn’t unfounded. Longtime viewers remember Joel’s past with Avani — a toxic and disturbing fling earlier in the year that ended in disaster. He secretly filmed their intimate encounter without her consent, later leaking the footage online when she terminated the pregnancy that resulted. His cruel taunts and complete lack of remorse cemented his place as one of Walford’s most despised figures. Now, with Joel simmering in rage and rejection once more, it seems history may be preparing to repeat itself — only this time, Amy could be the one in his sights.

Adding weight to fan theories, the BBC recently announced a special companion documentary titled EastEnders Investigates: The Manosphere, set to air on BBC Three. The program will explore the real-world issues behind Joel’s storyline — the rise of online misogyny and radicalized male communities that fuel hatred toward women. The documentary, presented by Diane Parish, Max Murray, and Ellie Dadd — known respectively for their roles as Denise Fox, Joel Marshall, and Amy Mitchell — will delve into how these online ideologies are mirrored in Joel’s descent into violence. With Amy featured both in the story and the documentary, fans are convinced she’ll become central to Joel’s next attack.

And tonight’s episode seems to confirm those fears. The final moments hinted that Joel’s violent tendencies are far from over. Previews for tomorrow’s installment reveal that he lashes out once again, striking Vicki during a heated argument at school — an act that leaves her bruised and terrified. The assault sends shockwaves through Walford, prompting familiar faces like Cat, Alfie, Ross, and Vicki herself to confront Joel and his close friend Tommy about their toxic, sexist attitudes. But as spoilers for next week confirm, the consequences will be devastating. Future scenes reportedly show Vicki lying battered and unconscious in a hospital bed, while Joel’s behavior grows more volatile by the day. The question now haunting viewers: just how far will Joel go — and will anyone be able to stop him before he claims another victim?

While one corner of Walford trembles under Joel’s shadow, another storyline takes a darker turn of its own — this time involving the Mitchell family and the dangerous criminal underworld of Ravi Galati and his brutal accomplice, Oki.

Harry Mitchell, once a good-natured mechanic with his whole future ahead of him, has found himself hopelessly ensnared in Ravi’s drug operation. It all began as a misguided act of friendship — Harry trying to protect his best mate, Kojo Asar, after Kojo accidentally flushed Ravi’s drug supply. But what began as loyalty quickly turned into a nightmare. Ravi and Oki retaliated by taking over Kojo’s flat, using it as a base for their illicit trade, and forcing Harry into silence.

When Oki was later beaten by a rival gang, a desperate Harry sought help from his formidable mother, Nicola Mitchell, who managed to pull him temporarily out of Ravi’s grip. But any relief was short-lived. Upon returning from a romantic getaway with his girlfriend Gina Knight, Harry discovered that Ravi had reclaimed Kojo’s flat and resumed his illegal business. Determined to bring Ravi down, Harry enlisted his father Teddy to secretly plant a surveillance camera inside the apartment — a reckless move that would cost him dearly.

Days later, Harry vanished without a trace. Teddy, frantic, turned to George Knight for help, and when Harry finally called home, the family’s fears seemed to ease — but what they didn’t know was that the call came from captivity. Ravi and Oki had locked him in a warehouse, demanding the location of the hidden footage. Though Harry eventually gave in, allowing Oki to recover the laptop, Ravi refused to release him. Instead, he ordered Oki to “handle” Harry while he and his family laid low abroad.

Oki, left in charge, defied orders. He relished the power, intensifying Harry’s torment and revealing his next sickening plan: to seduce Gina as a form of psychological revenge. His obsession soon crosses the line. During a tense encounter at The Queen Vic, Oki flirts with Gina, testing her suspicion. Though she plays along at first, her instincts tell her something is very wrong. Later, she confides in her sister Anna, voicing her growing conviction that Harry is in grave danger.

Meanwhile, Harry — trapped, terrified, and broken — begins to lose his grip on reality. To numb the horror of his situation, he turns to drugs, supplied by the very man holding him captive. His addiction deepens his despair, leaving him vulnerable to Oki’s manipulation and cruelty. The walls seem to close in as the lines between survival and surrender blur.

As these two storylines unfold side by side, EastEnders draws chilling parallels between psychological and physical violence — between the predators who manipulate with words and those who wield power through fear. Joel’s misogynistic rage and Oki’s sadistic control mirror the same toxic forces destroying lives across Walford.

And while the episode closes with no clear resolution, one thing is certain: the residents of Albert Square are hurtling toward a reckoning. Amy may soon find herself face-to-face with Joel’s fury. Gina’s search for truth could lead her straight into Oki’s trap. And Harry’s fight for survival hangs by a thread.

With upcoming spoilers hinting at explosive confrontations, harrowing violence, and shocking consequences, EastEnders: Shadows of Walford is shaping up to be one of the soap’s darkest, most emotionally charged chapters yet — a haunting reflection on power, fear, and what happens when anger consumes the soul.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on BBC One.