Spoiler for the Movie: “EastEnders: Departures”

Walford is bracing for an emotional storm in EastEnders: Departures, as long-buried secrets ignite explosive confrontations and four beloved characters make dramatic exits. What begins with Stacy Slater’s shocking discovery spirals into heartbreak, betrayal, and chaos that leaves the Square forever changed.

The story begins innocently enough with Zoe convincing Stacy to finally take the long-discussed trip to Brazil. But before she can board her flight, Stacy stumbles across a devastating sight: her cousin Zoe locked in a kiss with Max outside the Vic. Fury consumes her, and in a blaze of anger, she lashes out, not only at the pair but at the very foundations of her family. The shock deepens when Zoe admits that she and Max already share a history, and that he once helped her in the desperate search for her missing son.

Stacy, enraged and humiliated, storms into the pub, publicly exposing Zoe and Max’s secret affair. The revelation explodes like a grenade in front of Walford’s residents. When Martin’s name is dragged into the conversation, Stacy’s rage reaches its breaking point—she slaps Zoe across the face in front of everyone, cementing the feud. Later at home, she tearfully explains to her daughter Lily what she’s uncovered. Lily, pragmatic and sharp beyond her years, reminds her mother she can still make her flight to Brazil if she wants to escape this nightmare.

Before Stacy can make her choice, Max arrives at her door. Reluctantly, she lets him in, though her anger simmers beneath the surface. He confesses that part of his reason for returning to Walford was her—he still harbors feelings, and he hoped they might rekindle what they once had. But Stacy shuts him down firmly. Their chapter is over. Their history, however passionate, belongs in the past. Heartbroken but resolute, she orders him to leave for good.

Max, chastened, returns to Zoe and breaks the news that he cannot continue their romance either, leaving her crushed and isolated. Meanwhile, Stacy steels herself for a bold decision. With Cat, Alfie, Mo, and Lily by her side, she announces that she is leaving for Brazil with her children, Hope and Arthur. Jean, stuck underground with Priya, misses the chance to say goodbye. As the cab arrives, Stacy shares emotional farewells with her family, but when Max makes one last desperate plea for her to stay, she rejects him without hesitation. She departs Walford, her future uncertain but her resolve clear.

When Jean finally arrives, she is devastated to discover she has missed her daughter’s farewell. Grief turns quickly to fury. In front of the family, she rounds on Zoe, accusing her niece of tearing the Slaters apart and driving Stacy away. Her voice cracks with rage as she orders Zoe to pack her things and leave immediately. Stunned and isolated, Zoe finds herself shunned by the very family she tried to protect. The Slater household teeters on the edge of collapse, its unity fractured beyond recognition.

Even beyond the Slaters, Stacy’s absence is felt across the Square. Max, guilt-ridden over the chaos his return has unleashed, makes a quiet decision of his own. He slips out of Walford once more, unable to remain amid the destruction. Yet his exit feels unfinished, a shadow lingering over the Square. True to Max’s nature, his departure may not be permanent, leaving residents—and viewers—uneasy about when he might return to stir trouble again.

But Walford’s drama doesn’t end there. At Lauren Brown’s surprise wedding to Peter Beale, staged at the Vic, happiness briefly reigns. Peter secretly organizes the ceremony, even arranging Lauren’s dream dress. Though Lauren wavers at the altar, Stacy convinces her to go through with it. For a rare moment, the wedding seems to unfold smoothly—until the shocking twist. As Lauren prepares to toss her bouquet, Max makes a jaw-dropping reappearance, catching it before the stunned crowd. His sly grin and quip—“Looks like luck’s on my side”—leave residents speechless as the screen fades to black.

Yet fans spot another bombshell: Lauren, once proudly a Branning, is now introduced as Lauren Beale after marrying Peter. Outrage sparks across Walford—and beyond. Loyal fans fume at the symbolic erasure of her family name, claiming it undermines her independence and identity. Online, furious voices slam the storyline, saying Peter drags her down and ruins her character. Some demand the compromise of “Branning-Beale,” while others condemn soaps’ obsession with forced name changes. To add fuel to the fire, Kathy also reverts to her Beale surname, officially dropping Cotton.

Meanwhile, Max’s reappearance casts a long shadow. Spoilers tease that Cat will attempt to keep him away from Zoe after spotting them in conversation. But with nobody aware of the full truth of their entanglement, the potential for more secrets to spill looms large. Max will also cross paths with Stacy once again—will his presence influence her decision to leave Walford for Brazil, or is her fate already sealed?

Away from the romantic chaos, darker threats emerge. Harry Mitchell once more fears for his friend Kojo Asar, who remains entangled in Ravi Gulati’s criminal empire. Desperate to free him, Harry turns to his father Teddy, dragging the Mitchell men into a perilous fight. Despite Nicola’s earlier efforts to pull Harry away from Ravi, Kojo’s flat continues to serve as a hub for the gang’s drug operations.

Disaster strikes when Kojo collapses at the Arches. Though George rushes to his side, Kojo lashes out, accusing his brother of being too controlling. Realising Ravi and Okie are exploiting him, Harry begs them to release Kojo, but Ravi refuses. With no other choice, Harry and Teddy hatch a reckless plan to free Kojo themselves. Teddy sneaks into Kojo’s flat in search of evidence, but the mission goes awry when Ravi and Okie unexpectedly return. Forced to hide in the bathroom, Teddy narrowly avoids detection. But his risky gamble raises urgent questions—what exactly is he planning, and can he save his family before Ravi strikes back?

As Okie assigns Kojo to a dangerous job outside Walford, the stakes soar. Harry and Teddy’s determination to protect him may not be enough. The clock is ticking, and failure could cost Kojo his freedom—or his life.

By the time the credits roll on EastEnders: Departures, Walford has been shaken to its core. Stacy is gone, her absence leaving a gaping wound. Zoe stands disgraced, cast out by her own blood. Max departs as mysteriously as he arrived, while Harry and Teddy prepare for war against Ravi’s empire. Families fracture, loyalties shatter, and the Square braces for the fallout of choices that can never be undone.