We love EastEnders’ Max Branning, but we’re really not on board with his whole plan for vengeance against all of Walford.
After all, it was only really the Beales and the Mitchells who wronged him, so what’s his problem with Mick and The Vic?
As he plots away with the mysterious Chairman at his new business, it looks like Max’s plan is to flatten Walford, but who is he reeling into his web now?
Daughter Lauren is already a bit suspicious of her dad’s new job, and it’s not helping the former jailbird build bridges with her and Abi.
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Seeking advice from Stacey again, she tells him to make more of an effort to get to know Lauren’s fella, Steven Beale.
That’s a slight problem as he’s a member of the family who set Max up to take the fall for Lucy’s murder, but technically he was in New Zealand at the time and knew very little about the whole thing.
Max swallows his hatred, puts on his fake smile and visits Lauren to tell her he wants to get to know Steven better. She’s stunned and not sure where this is coming from at all. But she agrees when Max arranges drinks for them all.
However, Max is the one who doesn’t actually turn up – what’s he playing at? Is it on purpose? Is this all part of his wicked game?
Steven heads off to find his girlfriend’s dad and discovers he’s been stuck looking after Jack’s kids.
Immediately wanting to win favour, Steven offers to help and sets about tidying up.
Max is begrudgingly impressed by his efforts and starts to soften towards Steven especially as it becomes clear how much Steven cares about Lauren. But is this part of Max’s plan too?
We can’t help but think Max is being shady about all of this.
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Does he really want to get to know Steven better because of Lauren? Or is it more to do with Steven’s vital role in the Beales’ businesses?
He’d be the easy target to give Max information on the restaurant – especially if he was just asking as a concerned dad. Steven would be desperate to impress.
We all know Steven’s got a bad streak too – could he be set to turn on the Beales in favour of Max and actually HELP him with his scheme?
Stranger things have happened!