BBC/Composite: EastEnders Insider Share By Joel Harley Aug 7 2025 By Joel Harley Aug 7 2025 Can Joel ever be redeemed? 6 theories on how his story will end, from death to prison What does the future hold for Joel? Features Joel Marshall Share By Joel Harley Aug 7 2025 By Joel Harley Aug 7 2025 This week’s EastEnders saw the continued ill behaviour of Joel Marshall as he continued down a dark path from toxic adolescence to full-blown monstrous manhood. Groomed by misogynistic influencer Drake Zagan, Joel’s fully bought into his women-hating mindset, and parents Ross and Vicki are struggling to cope. Well-meaning-but-dim dad Ross destroyed his son’s computer last night (Wednesday, August 6), after discovering he’d been sharing a series of non-consensual upskirting and harrassment video with other lecherous lads online. But with Ross and Vicki so very clearly in over their head, Joel’s behaviour is only set to worsen. But where is all of this leading? At only fifteen years old, Joel has his whole life ahead of him. Will he continue down this grim path, or can the character be redeemed? Here are six fan theories as to where Joel’s story is headed. Joel has already committed a series of serious crimes (Credit: BBC) Can EastEnders’ Joel be redeemed? Six fan theories on how his story will end 1. Prison Lest we forget, Joel has already committed a number of severe offences. After doing something serious enough to get him essentially kicked out of Australia, Joel wasted little time in reverting to old habits once he arrived in Walford. And, after assaulting a young woman on the tube, parents Ross and Vicki let him off the hook yet again. Article continues below Read all the latest spoilers No matter what he does next (and the outlook isn’t good), Joel needs to face some sort of consequences for what he’s done. “No redemption arc. He needs to see the consequences of his actions and if that’s young offenders then so be it,” wrote one fan on a Reddit thread. “Throw away the key,” said another. “Young offenders asap. He’s a pain in the hoop,” a third agreed. Joel’s proving unpopular with the more level-headed teens (Credit: BBC) 2. Death To others, the only end to the storyline they could foresee was with his death. How this might play out is unclear, but most predictions tended to involve Ravi. In addition to his public transport assault, he was also responsible for recording a video of himself with Avani when they slept together. “Let’s just say I don’t see things ending very well for Joel when Ravi gets his hands on him,” wrote one fan on X. “Coffin by Christmas,” predicted another. Meanwhile, a third fan theory suggests that Joel could find himself as the guest of honour with a restaging of ‘The Six’ – as the Walford teenagers band together to give him a slapping down. “Avani, Lily, Tommy, Nugget, Ricky, Amy and Denzel. They’re gonna team up to kill Joel. I can’t see how they can redeem him, and let’s face it…he’s only gonna get worse. So [expletive] it, let’s have another The Six?,” wrote one fan on Reddit, a few months ago. EastEnders’ next Dean Wicks? (Credit: BBC) Can EastEnders’ Joel be redeemed? Six fan theories on how his story will end continued 3. The next Nasty Nick… or Dean Assuming that Joel continues down this dark path, some viewers have suggested that the soap could be setting up its next long-term villain. EastEnders has done this before with its villainous characters, letting the likes of Nick Cotton pop up in repeat performances over the years to torment their friends and family. “He could be the next Nasty Nick, just ongoing villainous presence that comes back to the Square every so often to haunt people,” predicted one fan. To others, Joel echoes Dean Wicks, who joined the soap as a fairly normal young lad in 2006, before heading down a dark path which turned him into one of the soap’s most repulsive villains. “He reminds me of Dean,” wrote one fan. “So what was Dean Wicks like when he was younger? Because Joel definitely feels like a kid version of 2023-2024 Dean,” another agreed. Is Joel too far gone? (Credit: BBC) 4. Redemption However, to some, Joel isn’t yet beyond redemption. While Joel’s actions are unforgivable, his feeling some sort of guilt or remorse – combined with a genuine attempt to change – would serve as a valuable message in a very important storyline, potentially highlighting that there is a way for young men to regurgitate the whole red pill nonsense before it ruins lives. Well, ruins more lives. “His age makes me sort of want a redemption of some kind. Not to make us love him or his victims forgive him – but to show there is away out for teens who are groomed/messed up,” said one fan. “I think they’re going to delve into why he is the way he is. I don’t think he’s beyond redemption,” agreed another. Would you want to see Joel redeemed? Ross is trying his best… very badly (Credit: BBC) Can EastEnders’ Joel be redeemed? Six fan theories on how his story will end continued 5. Therapy Regardless of whether Joel’s way out involves prison or complete redemption, one thing is for clear… that boy needs therapy. “I hope Ross considers getting Joel some therapy if prison is totally out of the question,” wrote one fan. “I know Ross doesn’t want to send his son to jail cuz the Joel would be labeled a sex offender for the rest of his life, but he also can’t just yell at him. Either get him some therapy help or get his ass to jail. Only gonna get worse,” another said. It’s become increasingly clear that neither Ross nor Vicki have the tools to deal with Joel’s misogynistic online odyssey. Maybe get some therapy for the whole family, while we’re at it. Is Zoe Joel’s mother? (Credit: BBC) 6. The return of Zoe… or Cleo It would be unconscionable to place the blame for Joel’s attitude toward women at the feet of his mother. Not when he’s been groomed by a toxic online presence and essentially enabled by both Ross and Vicki. However, the void left by his mother’s estrangement has clearly had an effect on Joel, to the point where he blames all women. A popular fan theory suggests that Joel’s mother is none other than Zoe Slater, and no amount of the soap referring to her as ‘Cleo’ is going to change that now. Whoever Joel’s mother turns out to be (and we still think Cleo is a red herring), the arrival of his mum in Walford would have a profound affect on his outlook. Would it be enough to set Joel on the straight and narrow? Unlikely, as the boy still needs therapy, but addressing his mommy issues would be a very good start. Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns. Share Good to Know Share By Joel Harley Aug 7 2025 By Joel Harley Aug 7 2025
