Marlon Dingle reached breaking point in Emmerdale tonight as he told Rhona they needed to leave the village with April, Leo and baby Ivy to stay alive.
But with Ray circling closer than ever, and Rhona unsure the plan will even work, the question remains: will the family actually go?
Tonight in Emmerdale: Marlon’s police plan backfired – leaving Rhona in terrifying danger
Following Celia’s horrifying threats on Thursday (December 4) – including having Dylan deliberately run down – Marlon and Rhona were left scrambling for a way to protect April from further exploitation.
Marlon had vowed to shadow April everywhere, determined she would never again be forced into drug dealing or face being sold for sex. But Celia quickly crushed that hope, making it clear April would continue to work for her. She owned the whole family now – and warned that “throats would be slit” if they tried to resist.
With no options left, Marlon insisted they had to go to the police. Rhona hesitated, but together they agreed it was their only chance. April, however, was convinced they’d all end up dead if they talked.
Marlon took April to the police station anyway, but as they waited, she spiralled into flashbacks of her standalone episode – vividly reliving her imagined vision of Ray shooting Marlon. Panicked, April bolted.
Marlon tried desperately to get the officer to step in regardless, but learned the police could only open an investigation. No immediate arrests. No guaranteed protection.
And as they returned home, the consequences became chillingly clear. They found Ray holding Rhona captive. He made sinister references to what Pierce Harris had previously done to her – and warned Marlon to make sure it never happened again.
April insisted they hadn’t said a word to the police, but Ray’s message was unmistakable: One more step out of line and the whole family would pay the price.
Are Marlon, Rhona and April about to leave Emmerdale?
Believing he had run out of time, Marlon told Rhona they needed to disappear.
He laid out his plan: they’d pack light, slip away early, take Leo, April and Ivy, and hide out at a remote B&B while they gathered evidence and worked out how to get April safely to a full confession.
“I’ve gone over this again and again,” he told her. “There is no other choice. Soon they’re going to know I handed over those names. They win, we lose, it’s over. We’ve got to go, Rhona. All of us. Tomorrow.”
But elsewhere, Laurel – completely unaware of the threat – was encouraging Ray to go and reassure April. Ray agreed, which raises the terrifying question: Will Ray catch the family mid-escape?
As for whether Marlon, Rhona and April are actually going to leave Emmerdale – there’s nothing to suggest that. No exit rumours, no cast leaks.
And Rhona is still mentioned in spoilers for later in December, including when she grows concerned after seeing Ray angry following a lunch with Laurel and Celia.
So whether they leave or not, they won’t stay gone. The real question is: How will they finally bring Celia down?
Read more: Emmerdale fans divided over ‘too dark’ storyline – but poll reveals surprise verdict
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.
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