Emmerdale brings Bear back and confirms Ray's killer - top 8 responses to the 'explosive' episode

After a week of flashback episodes we know the truth about Ray's death
Carena Crawford
By Carena Crawford

We’ve spent all week gearing up for tonight’s big reveal in Emmerdale as Bear Wolf is alive and who killed Ray was confirmed – and it turns out no one saw it coming (well, almost no one!)

After lining up multiple suspects, all with means and motive, the truth is finally out. So whodunnit?

Dylan is afraid of Ray (Credit: ITV)
Dylan told Paddy everything (Credit: ITV)

Emmerdale tonight – Ray under pressure

After seeing the usual Ray scenes at the start of the episode on Thursday January 22 we saw him get ready to dispose of a body.

Then we picked up back in the village, where Paddy refused to walk away, deciding to ring the police. So Ray threatened Eve. It stopped Paddy in his tracks, leaving him angry, but terrified.

Paddy told Dylan what Ray had said. Paddy was beside himself with guilt for not realising Bear was depressed. Dylan also blamed himself. He wanted to go to the police but Paddy couldn’t risk Eve’s safety.

Outside, Ray made a call to get a fake passport and new identity. But then Arthur knocked on the window of the car. He had a rock and this time was wanting to use it. But instead he just pushed Ray over and stole the red bag. Returning home, Laurel was shocked to see it contained drugs.

Laurel was confused and furious and Arthur lashed out at her choices since Ashley’s death. Laurel lost it and slapped him.

Graham was prepared to end Ray (Credit: ITV)
Graham was prepared to end Ray (Credit: ITV)

Graham interrupted

In the confusion outside, Ray was confronted by Graham. Graham manhandled him into the village hall and made it clear he was the one in charge here. He beat Ray to within an inch of his life – but Joe Tate overheard the commotion and Graham was forced to run, meaning he couldn’t finish the job.

Elsewhere, Ross was stalking round the farm with a gun. But then April appeared from one of the barns. She told him she had been lost in the woods after Ray couldn’t go through with killing her. April believed she had to disappear to keep her family safe, but Ross assured her he would take over and deal with it from here.

However April refused to allow Ross to kill them as she couldn’t live with herself if he became a killer because of her.

Meanwhile, suspects Marlon and Rhona were looking worried sick. Rhona called Graham off.

Paddy was fighting for his life when Bear walked in (Credit: ITV)
Paddy was fighting for his life when Bear walked in (Credit: ITV)

Ray attacked Paddy as Bear was revealed to be alive in Emmerdale

Ray then stumbled out of the village hall and saw Dylan, accusing him of ruining everything. He dragged Dylan into Paddy’s house and began attacking him verbally and physically. He turned on the manipulation as he told him Paddy didn’t really care about him.

At that moment Paddy burst in and tried to attack Ray with a hammer. But Ray got the upper hand and started beating Paddy to a pulp.

But then Bear walked in.

Alive and well.

Bear couldn't take it any more (Credit: ITV)
Bear couldn’t take it any more (Credit: ITV)

So who killed Ray in Emmerdale?

Ray ordered ‘Ted’ to wait outside. But Bear told him to get away from his son. Ray tried to manipulate him into taking his side but Bear used his old wrestling moves and in a trance said he “just wants it to stop”.

Dylan begged Bear and so did Paddy, but he carried on and squeezed the life out of Ray saying: “It’s got to stop”.

Well goodness.

Bear didn't seem to be aware of what he'd done (Credit: ITV)
Bear didn’t seem to be aware of what he’d done (Credit: ITV)

Fans react to who killed Ray ending in Emmerdale

It was one hell of an episode and those watching at home certainly agreed.

1.

Wow indeed.

2.

The Rolling Stones were wrong, you CAN get satisfaction.

3.

Bring back the hour-long ep campaign starts here.

4.

Run, don’t walk.

5.

The ending gave us chills.

6.

Neither did we.

7.

All hail Joe.

8.

Apparently ‘getting your lick back’ means getting revenge. Well done Bear!

Read more: Who’s leaving Emmerdale? All the cast exits, arrivals and returns