EastEnders has taken another dark and shocking turn that has left Walford reeling. The drama surrounding Joel Marshall, Ross, and Vicki Fowler has spiraled completely out of control — and this week, viewers will witness the devastating aftermath of Joel’s violent rampage and shocking collapse after a suspected drug overdose.

It all began with a terrifying scene that no one could have imagined. Left alone at home with Joel after Ross stormed out in anger, Vicki found herself at the mercy of Ross’s deeply troubled son. Only minutes earlier, Ross had nearly lost control, furious over Joel’s hateful and sexist insults. Vicki, desperate to diffuse the tension, tried to calm things down, but Joel’s rage only grew darker. He hurled cruel jabs, calling her barren and mocking her for not being able to have children — cutting her deeper than ever before.

Joel’s anger soon turned physical. In a fit of frustration, he began punching the wall, pacing like a caged animal. Vicki stood her ground, refusing to let him intimidate her. When she told him he wasn’t a real man and never would be, something inside Joel snapped. His fury erupted — and in a horrifying moment, he struck her hard across the face, sending her crashing to the floor. What followed was nothing short of disturbing: Joel took out his phone and began filming as he kicked and humiliated her.

Little did he know, the footage could become his undoing. Police have reportedly seized Joel’s phone, and there’s speculation that the video might finally expose his pattern of abusive behavior. For Vicki, however, the trauma runs far deeper than a criminal case. When she’s rushed to the hospital after the brutal assault, Ross is left shaken to his core. At first, he refuses to believe his son could be responsible. The denial consumes him — until he learns the truth.

Ross’s world collapses when he’s told that Joel may have been the one to hurt Vicki. He’s torn between the woman he loves and the son he’s tried to save. But when he visits Vicki’s hospital bed and sees her bruised and broken, his heartbreak turns to fury. He knows life will never return to normal. The family has been ripped apart, and Ross will have to face the unimaginable truth — that the boy he raised has become a monster.

While Vicki begins her slow recovery, Joel vanishes into Walford’s shadows. Reports reveal he’s hiding out in the Slaters’ garage, spiraling even further out of control. In upcoming scenes, viewers will see Joel’s mental and emotional decline as guilt, anger, and paranoia eat away at him. Haunted by what he’s done, he turns to drugs — and before long, the consequences of his choices come crashing down.

It’s not long before word spreads that Joel’s next potential victim might already be in danger. His ongoing feud with Walford teen Amy Mitchell intensifies after she calls him an “incel” during a heated exchange in the park. Joel, humiliated and seething, lashes out once again. Amy’s cutting remark — and her refusal to back down — could make her his next target. Viewers will recall that Amy and Joel share a complicated history; earlier this year, Joel pursued her, but Amy cut ties after learning about his disturbing treatment of her friend Avani. Joel had secretly filmed Avani during an intimate moment and later shamed her when she considered an abortion.

Now, as his behavior grows more erratic, the community begins to turn against him. Vicki’s case, the assault video, and Amy’s confrontation all threaten to expose Joel’s long trail of cruelty — from his sexual misconduct in Australia to his assaults in London. Walford has had its share of villains, but Joel’s descent is among the darkest.

As his paranoia escalates, Joel starts using drugs to numb his guilt and rage. Alone and delusional, he convinces himself that everyone — Vicki, Amy, Ross, and even Tommy Moon — has betrayed him. In a desperate attempt to silence the noise in his head, he takes a dangerous combination of pills and alcohol. Moments later, he collapses.

The shocking overdose scene unfolds in heartbreaking detail. Viewers will see Joel struggling to breathe, clutching his chest, and finally collapsing on the cold floor of the garage. His phone, which holds all his secrets — the videos, the evidence, the messages — lies just inches away. By the time Kat Slater stumbles upon him, he’s barely conscious. Paramedics rush to the scene, and as they work to revive him, Ross receives the devastating call that his son might not make it.

Ross rushes to the hospital, torn apart by conflicting emotions — anger, grief, and guilt. He blames himself for not stopping Joel sooner, for turning a blind eye to his behavior, and for allowing his temper to drive Vicki away when she needed him most. In one of the week’s most emotional moments, Ross breaks down at Joel’s bedside, begging him to fight for his life even as the machines beep steadily in the background.

Meanwhile, Vicki faces her own inner battle. She’s torn between wanting justice and still feeling empathy for the broken young man who nearly destroyed her. Her conversation with Ross reveals her exhaustion — both physical and emotional. “He’s your son,” she tells him quietly. “But he’s not the boy you think he is anymore.”

As the investigation deepens, police uncover evidence linking Joel to multiple crimes — from the assault on Vicki to his disturbing recordings and even the London Underground attack that Tommy Moon had once captured on video. Authorities begin piecing together Joel’s pattern of violence, and for the first time, it looks like justice might finally be within reach.

But the question remains — will Joel survive to face the consequences of his actions, or will his overdose be the tragic end of a deeply damaged life?

Adding even more depth to this storyline, EastEnders will release a special BBC documentary titled The Manosphere: Joel’s Story, featuring the actors behind the powerful scenes. The program, airing alongside the episode on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three, will explore the real-world issue of online misogyny and toxic masculinity. Cast members including Max (Joel), Diane Parish, and Ellie Dadd will speak candidly about the dangers of digital radicalization and how it mirrors Joel’s dark transformation.

As the documentary shines light on the social issues fueling this dramatic arc, the fictional world of Walford braces for more fallout. The attack, the overdose, and the revelations threaten to tear apart not just the Marshall family but also the broader community. Ross, now forced to confront both his son’s crimes and his own failures as a father, faces an impossible decision about whether to protect Joel or turn him in once he recovers.

Meanwhile, Amy, Avani, and Tommy find themselves caught in the emotional crossfire, each struggling to come to terms with the chaos Joel’s behavior has unleashed.

By the end of this shocking storyline, nothing in Walford will ever be the same. The aftermath of Joel’s overdose, Vicki’s trauma, and Ross’s heartbreak will reverberate through the Square — leaving viewers questioning whether redemption is ever possible for someone who’s caused so much pain.

As EastEnders continues to push boundaries with this gripping, socially charged plotline, fans can expect more twists, emotional confrontations, and shocking revelations in the weeks ahead.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30 PM on BBC One, with new episodes available early on BBC iPlayer.