The Australian viewers of Home and Away were introduced to the show’s most jaw-dropping surprise of the year, with Witness X’s name eventually uncovered ahead of the murder trial of Colby Thorne.
In the meantime, after problems with Roo Stewart, Owen Davidson made a sad exit, and the Parata family lived at the mercy of their deadly new rivals.
After the most recent Summer Bay drama, here are eight big questions we’ve been left with.
Why did Witness X turn against Colby?
Just what a twist! On Thursday night (November 12), Home and Away’s triple bill of episodes confirmed that Witness X is none other than Willow, one of Colby’s best friends. So much for the loyalty of the Mangrove Shore.
In the bombshell scenes, after a cosy conversation with Colby about his guilt, Willow was seen carrying a recording device. In a secret conference, she then brought the facts straight to Angelo, boasting about ruthlessness.
Willow was clearly furious at her own treachery, and when Angelo thanked her for doing the right thing, she insisted she hadn’t done it for him.
But what was Willow’s turning point, and why did she betray Colby? For now, her motives remain largely a mystery, but it looks likely to be discussed once Bella and Dean know the truth in future episodes. Let’s face it, they certainly want an explanation for her actions.
While the decision of Willow has given considerable shock value, you might argue that the hints have been there for a while. Throughout the murder investigation, she was clearly uncomfortable with Colby’s cocky attitude and also especially urged Dean to consider his options when Angelo offered him a contract.
Did this give the idea to Willow to hit a deal herself?
Is Colby’s confession enough to send him down?
Next week, Colby’s trial will air on Aussie screens and his latest confession is sure to be part of the evidence against him as reported by Willow. Only time will tell if this is damning enough to see Colby being taken down for murder, or if his attorneys will find a way to get him out of it.
Willow would also provide evidence at the trial, although it should be remembered that she did not witness the murder of Ross physically, and a lot of her testimony is circumstantial. This may offer a sly get-out clause to Colby, or is he about to face the music?
Will Taylor betray Colby on the stand?
Colby not only has one former ally to testify in court against him but two. When the witness list was given to Colby before the trial (with the name of Witness X redacted), he found that Taylor was among those named to provide testimony.
Later on with Taylor on the beach, Colby had a touching heart-to-heart, revealing that when he started the affair, he was game-playing but began to grow real feelings for her.
This emotional exchange was enough for Taylor to start warming up again with Colby, so she begged Angelo not to ask her to testify at the trial. Angelo declined to listen, warning that whether she liked it or not, she would play her part in Colby’s downfall.\
Taylor was also reminded that if she didn’t comply at the trial, she would be in contempt of court. Of course, it is worth remembering that she does not really know anything about the crime of Colby-he did not confess to her when they were together-but Angelo is obviously optimistic that as the trial plays out, her presence will make a huge difference.
How much trouble are the Parata family in?
Ari and Tane are actually at the hands of some dangerous enemies who after losing an expensive supply of drugs, are threatening the family after Tane has run up a severe debt.
The Parata brothers reached a bargain with their competitors after days of threats and intimidation by promising to carry out a dodgy job out of town to work off their debt.
Although we did not see the illegal antics on television, after a couple of days abroad, Ari and Tane returned home and were happy to hear that their troubles were over as everything went as expected. With this being Summer Bay, of course, things were not so easy.
Ari and Tane later got a cash envelope as a “bonus” for completing the assignment, along with a note revealing that they were supposed to do one more task. Ari, Tane, and Mackenzie were horrified to learn that there was no further development and that they were all in grave danger.
Just after Tane had promised to stop leaving Nikau out of the family dramas, this revelation came when Nik was hurt that his uncles had left the Bay without him. Will Tane keep his promise by involving Nikau in the sequel’s dodgy job?
Can Jasmine ever accept Christian?
For Jasmine, Grace’s first birthday party was an emotional day as she struggled with the awareness that Robbo would miss all the big milestones of his daughter. As Christian took center stage, she also felt left out of the festivities, even after Robbo and the Shaws were kindly stated by Tori in her speech at the party.
While Jasmine did not ruin the day for Tori or Christian, she did express her worries about the situation to Irene and Marilyn privately. She told Marilyn to stop taking photographs of Tori, Christian, and Grace at a slightly awkward moment, as they will never be a proper family.
Although Jasmine seemed to back down later, it’s far from the first time she seemed uncomfortable with the role of Christian in Tori’s life. Can she ever grow up to welcome him?
Have we seen the last of Owen?
This week, Cameron Daddo once again waved goodbye to Summer Bay as Owen and Roo knew their relationship was destined to be a non-starter.
After a tough few weeks, Roo eventually admitted that every time they spend time together, she sees Owen’s late twin brother Evan and this may be the reason why she pursued her relationship in the first place.
Owen agreed, understandably worried by this discovery, that it would be better to abandon the Stewart family and go back on his travels. Though Roo knew that this was the right option, Ryder was angry about losing his uncle.
As Owen left, there was talk of him being a Christmas dinner guest in the future, but we will not hold our breath, as the holiday season mysteriously never seems to feature in Home and Away.
Can Justin’s new surgery help him?
As Justin’s health deteriorated quickly and he was unable to feel his legs, Grace’s first birthday party came to an abrupt end. Justin was rushed to the hospital, and Tori was surprised to learn that by discharging himself from the hospital in the first place, he went against the doctor’s instructions.
Justin is now scheduled for another surgical attempt to remove his tumor and the stakes are high. This time, will Christian and his team delete it in its entirety?
Will John and Marilyn find love again?
This week, newly-single John and Marilyn both signed up for a dating app, as Ryder helped them to set up profiles separately. Before long, they both loved the excitement of seeing future matches and getting romantic emojis.
It’s no secret that former McLeod’s Daughters actress Bridie Carter was recently cast as newcomer Susie in Home and Away, a new potential love interest for John, so it seems to be improving his romantic chances fast. But is Marilyn going to be that fortunate?
Home and Away confirms Witness X identity ahead of Colby Thorne’s trial
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