In the upcoming episodes of EastEnders, tensions explode across Walford as a series of overlapping storylines bring both personal and community-wide consequences. At the center of it all is Joel Marshall, a troubled young man whose misogynistic behavior has spiraled out of control since he first arrived in Albert Square. Next week, his storyline takes a chilling turn when events at Walford High trigger a chain of disturbing incidents that leave the Square reeling.

From the very beginning, Joel has been a walking storm of toxic behavior. Earlier in the year, he secretly filmed an intimate encounter with Avani Nandraart without her consent, showing no remorse for the invasion of her privacy. He then continued his downward slide by harassing a woman on the underground, targeting Stacey Slater over her past career on a cam site, and even making threats toward his father’s partner, Vicki Fowler. His obsession with online male influencers has only fueled his growing hostility, despite several attempts by those around him—particularly teacher Julie Bates—to steer him toward healthier thinking. But all warnings have gone unheeded, and Joel’s attitude only grows darker.

Next week, his toxic worldview erupts again at Walford High after a shocking situation leaves the community shaken. While the exact details remain under wraps until Thursday’s broadcast, it’s clear that Joel and his friend Tommy Moon become involved in something deeply troubling. As news spreads, residents across the Square are forced into uncomfortable but necessary conversations about misogyny, gender roles, and the dangers of online radicalization. Parents debate how best to raise their sons and daughters in an increasingly hostile online world, while young people themselves wrestle with what happened and how it reflects on their own relationships.

Meanwhile, Joel’s father, Ross Marshall, is shown once again failing to control his son. His inability—or unwillingness—to confront Joel’s behavior becomes part of the larger problem, setting the stage for disaster. By Thursday night, the Marshall household is at breaking point. In one shocking scene, Joel lashes out physically and strikes Vicki, leaving her shaken and the Square horrified. The attack marks a point of no return for Joel’s character, cementing him as one of Walford’s most disturbing young villains in recent years.

Alongside the fictional drama, the BBC will release a special documentary titled EastEnders Investigates: The Manosphere. This one-off program will explore the rise of misogynistic online communities and their impact on teenage boys, directly tying Joel’s storyline into real-world issues and sparking broader discussions among viewers.

But Joel isn’t the only figure pulling focus. Max Branning, played by Jake Wood, briefly returned to Walford only to leave again just as suddenly. His reappearance brought plenty of drama, particularly when he turned up at Lauren and Peter’s wedding uninvited. His daughter Lauren reacted coldly to his arrival, though his son Oscar embraced him warmly. Things quickly grew complicated when it emerged that Max had been secretly seeing Zoe Slater, a revelation that devastated Stacey, who caught them kissing. The fallout led to a fiery showdown: Stacey slapped Zoe, Cat and Lauren tore into Max, and Zoe revealed the secret relationship had been going on for some time.

The drama left Max isolated, scolded by Lauren for his obsession with Stacey and cut off from Zoe after their romance imploded. Even as Oscar begged him to stay, Max concluded he was doing more harm than good and chose to walk away once again. His exit was marked by regret, as he left a voicemail for Stacey before disappearing from East London. Still, fans know this won’t be his last appearance—Jake Wood is set to return full-time later this year, leaving viewers to wonder what story will finally pull Max back for good.

Elsewhere, a dangerous plotline unfolds involving Ravi Gulati and his criminal empire. Harry Mitchell finds himself increasingly desperate to save his friend Kojo Asar from Ravi’s grip. For weeks, Kojo has been working as part of Ravi’s drug network, but the pressure has been wearing him down. Despite Harry’s pleas, Kojo remains trapped in a cycle of danger, and things take a terrifying turn when Kojo suddenly collapses from the strain. The frightening moment makes it clear that Ravi’s hold is destroying Kojo both physically and mentally.

Determined to free his friend, Harry decides he can’t take on Ravi alone. He turns to his father, Teddy, hoping their combined efforts can break Kojo away from the gang. Although Teddy is reluctant to involve the police—fearing it could escalate the danger—he agrees to help his son. Together, they begin crafting a risky plan to confront Ravi directly. This decision could ignite a full-scale feud between the Mitchells and the Gulatis, dragging both families into a war that Walford is not ready for.

The tension deepens when Teddy sneaks into Kojo’s flat on a mysterious mission, only to be caught in a precarious situation as Ravi and Oki return unexpectedly. Forced to hide, Teddy’s true motives remain unclear—what exactly was he hoping to find, and will his secret actions make things worse? Meanwhile, Ravi escalates matters by sending Kojo on a dangerous job outside Walford, raising the terrifying question of whether Kojo will ever make it back alive.

As all these storylines unfold, Walford becomes a pressure cooker of fear, betrayal, and moral dilemmas. Joel’s misogyny threatens the safety of those closest to him and sparks a broader debate among families. Max Branning’s fleeting return leaves his children emotionally scarred and his exes furious. And the looming showdown between Ravi’s gang and the Mitchells threatens to plunge the community into violence.

The episodes airing next week promise some of the most dramatic moments EastEnders has delivered this year. With Joel’s shocking attack on Vicki, Kojo’s collapse under Ravi’s control, and Max’s emotional exit, the Square is once again at the heart of heartbreak, conflict, and explosive revelations. But as always in Walford, nothing stays buried for long. The return of familiar faces, the rise of new threats, and the desperate attempts of families to protect their loved ones all build toward a boiling point that will change the Square forever.

EastEnders continues Monday to Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on BBC One, with early streaming available on BBC iPlayer.