When Max Branning strolled back into Albert Square, everyone was expecting he would be gunning for revenge.
He had, after all, spent the best part of a year banged up for killing Lucy Beale – knowing full well that her family were only too aware he wasn’t guilty.
And once back, Stacey dealt him another blow, revealing that Phil Mitchell bribed the foreman of the jury in his trial to ensure he went down.
As he appeared at Phil’s bedside – where he was recovering from his transplant surgery – it looked as though he was set to get even.
But then something strange happened… the Lothario took Phil’s hand and whispered, “I forgive you”.
Since when did anyone in Walford do forgiveness over doling out their own take on justice?
Apparently, Max has had something of an epiphany and he wants to live out the rest of his life in a more wholesome, soul-cleansing way.
But perhaps all is not as it seems, and Max is simply lulling his frenemies into a false sense of security.
Will he, in fact, dish of his revenge as a cold dessert and hit Phil where it really hurts – destroying his nearest and dearest?
As we all know by now, Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell are set to leave EastEnders in spectacular style on New Year’s Day.
And there has been much speculation that the sisters will be killed off – even Aunt Sal predicted that Death is chasing Roxy when she did her Tarot reading.
Is it any coincidence that Max spent so much time with Roxy just ahead of learning about Phil’s betrayal?
Viewers saw Max burn himself with a cigarette after his trip to the hospital, suggesting his heart is still full of rage and he is currently channelling it by another means.
It wouldn’t take much to tip him over the edge – and set all Hell loose on whoever happens to be in his path…
And what better time for that to happen at a wedding… where the bride is already in meltdown over the behaviour of her wayward sister…