Home and Away’s Australian audiences were treated to the show’s most jaw-dropping surprise of the year, with Witness X’s identity finally revealed ahead of Colby Thorne’s murder trial.
In the meantime, Owen Davidson made a sad exit after issues with Roo Stewart, and the Parata family lived at the mercy of their dangerous new rivals.
Here are eight big questions we were left with after the most recent Summer Bay drama.
Why was Witness X turning against Colby?
Exactly what a twist! Home and Away’s triple bill of episodes reported on Thursday night (November 12) that Witness X is none other than Willow, one of Colby’s best friends. So much for the Mangrove Shore’s loyalty.
In the bombshell scenes, after a cosy chat with Colby about his guilt, Willow was seen carrying a recording device.She then took the truth straight to Angelo in a secret meeting, bragging of ruthlessness.
Willow was obviously upset at her own treachery, and she maintained that she had not done it for him when Angelo thanked her for doing the right thing.
But what was the turning point for Willow, and why did she betray Colby? For now, her motivations remain largely a mystery, but once Bella and Dean know the truth in upcoming episodes, it seems likely to be explored. Let’s face it for her actions, they sure want an explanation.
Although Willow’s decision has produced significant shock value, you might argue that there have been hints for a while. She was obviously uncomfortable with Colby’s cocky attitude during the murder investigation and also particularly urged Dean to consider his options when Angelo offered him a contract.
Did this offer Willow the idea to hit a deal on her own?
Is Colby’s confession appropriate to take him down?
Colby’s trial will air on Aussie screens next week and his new confession is sure to be part of the proof against him as Willow has written. Whether this is damning enough to have Colby being taken down for murder, or if his lawyers will find a way to get him out of it, only time will tell.
At the trial, Willow will also have evidence, but it should be noted that she did not physically witness Ross’ murder, and a lot of her testimony is circumstantial. This could give Colby a sly get-out clause, or is he going to face the music?
Is Taylor going to betray Colby on the stand?
Colby does not only have one former ally to testify against him in court, but two. He learned that Taylor was among those called to testify when the witness list was issued to Colby before the trial (with the name of Witness X redacted).
Colby had a touching heart-to-heart later on with Taylor on the beach, revealing that when he started the affair, he was playing games but began to develop true feelings for her.
For Taylor, this emotional exchange was enough to start warming up with Colby again so she begged Angelo not to ask her at the trial to testify. Angelo refused to listen, warning that she would play her role in Colby’s demise, whether she liked it or not.
Taylor was also reminded that she would be in contempt of court if she didn’t comply at the appeal. Of course, it’s worth noting that she still doesn’t know much about Colby’s crime-he didn’t confess to her when they were together-but Angelo is clearly hopeful that her presence would make a big difference as the trial continues.
How much trouble is there with the Parata family?
In reality, Ari and Tane are at the hands of some dangerous enemies who are threatening the family after Tane has run up a serious debt after losing an expensive supply of drugs.
After days of threats and intimidation, the Parata brothers struck a deal with their competitors by agreeing to conduct a dodgy mission out of town to work off their debt.
Although we did not see the illegal antics on TV, Ari and Tane returned home after a few days abroad and were delighted to hear that their troubles were over as everything went as planned. Of course, with this being Summer Bay, things were not so straightforward.
Ari and Tane later received a cash envelope for the completion of the assignment as a “bonus,” along with a note revealing that they were expected to do another mission. Ari, Tane, and Mackenzie were shocked to discover that no further progress had taken place and that they were all in extreme danger.
This discovery came only after Tane had vowed to stop leaving Nikau out of the family dramas, when it hurt Nik that his uncles had left the bay without him. By involving Nikau in the dodgy job of the sequel, will Tane keep his promise?
Will Christian ever be accepted by Jasmine?
Grace’s first birthday party was an emotional day for Jasmine, as she struggled with the awareness that Robbo would miss all of his daughter’s major milestones. As Christian took centre stage, even after Robbo and the Shaws were kindly listed by Tori in her speech at the party, she also felt left out of the festivities.
While Jasmine did not ruin the day for Tori or Christian, she privately expressed her reservations to Irene and Marilyn about the situation. At a somewhat uncomfortable moment, she told Marilyn to avoid taking photos of Tori, Christian, and Grace, as they will never be a proper family.
While Jasmine later seemed to withdraw, it was far from the first time that she seemed uncomfortable with the role of Christian in the life of Tori. Will she grow up to welcome him at any time?
Did we see Owen’s last?
Cameron Daddo waved goodbye to Summer Bay once more this week as Owen and Roo knew their friendship was destined to be a non-starter.
After a rough few weeks, Roo finally revealed that she sees Owen’s late twin brother Evan every time they spend time together, and this may be the reason she sought her relationship in the first place.
Owen decided that it would be best to leave the Stewart family and go back on his travels, understandably worried by this discovery. Ryder was angry about losing his uncle, but Roo understood that this was the right decision.
As Owen left, in the future, there was talk of him being a Christmas dinner guest, but we won’t hold our breath, as mysteriously, the holiday season never seems to feature in Home and Away.
Will Justin’s new surgery help him out?
Grace’s first birthday party came to an unexpected end when Justin’s condition worsened quickly and his legs could not be felt. Justin rushed to the hospital, and Tori was surprised to find that he was going against the doctor’s instructions by discharging himself from the hospital in the first place.
Another surgical attempt to remove his tumour is now planned for Justin and the stakes are high. Is Christian and his team going to remove it in its entirety this time?
Will John find love again with Marilyn?
This week, newly-single John and Marilyn both signed up for a dating app while Ryder helped them to set up accounts separately. They also loved the excitement of seeing future matches and seeing romantic emojis before long.
It’s no secret that former actress Bridie Carter of McLeod’s Daughters was recently cast in Home and Away as newcomer Susie, a new possible love interest for John, so it seems to be steadily improving his romantic chances. But would Marilyn be so fortunate?
