Tonight’s EastEnders may have just pushed Cindy Beale and Max Branning back into each other’s arms,and fans are already convinced the soap has dropped a major clue about Max’s mystery New Year wedding.
The drama kicks off following the fallout from the shocking kiss scandal involving Max and Jasmine.
With tempers flaring between Max and Jasmine over her and Oscar’s plans to leave Walford, Jasmine crosses a line, and when the argument ends, she decides to twist the narrative. In a calculated move, she tells everyone that Max has tried to kiss her, leaving the Square and Oscar stunned and Max scrambling to defend himself.
Oscar suddenly runs out, overwhelmed by everything he’s just heard. Both Jasmine and Max chase after him, each insisting the other is lying. Caught in the middle, Oscar doesn’t know who to believe, but Cindy certainly does.
Cindy quickly makes it clear she believes Max, reminding those around her that she’d already warned everyone Jasmine was bad news. With his back against the wall, Max pleads with Cindy to help him expose Jasmine for who she really is. Initially, Cindy isn’t interested, coldly brushing him off and calling the situation karma for Max’s long list of mistakes.
Away from the chaos, Oscar makes a huge decision. Still shaken, he tells Jasmine he wants to leave Walford afterall. Instead of trying to calm him down or encourage him to stay close to his family, Jasmine is visibly thrilled, more than happy to take Oscar away and start a new life.
Lauren soon confronts Jasmine, furious at the thought of her breaking up their family and taking her little brother away from everything he knows. The argument escalates fast, with emotions running high, until Kat steps in and orders Jasmine out of The Vic, making it clear she can’t talk to her granddaughter like that.
Later, Cindy and Jasmine finally come face to face. Jasmine deliberately tries to get inside Cindy’s head, smugly admitting she doesn’t regret pushing her down the stairs in the past. She then doubles down, threatening Cindy with her own past, clearly believing she has the upper hand.
That conversation is the turning point for Cindy. Realising just how dangerous and manipulative Jasmine really is, Cindy changes her mind and agrees to team up with Max to get her out of their lives for good. By the end of the episode, Cindy and Max are united, officially declaring war on Jasmine.
Earlier this year, EastEnders aired a flashforward episode on New Year’s Day, jumping ahead to 2027 and revealing that Max will be getting married, though the identity of the bride remains a mystery. With Cindy and Max now firmly back in each other’s lives, fans are convinced tonight’s episode all but confirms she could be the one walking down the aisle.
After all, Cindy and Max already share a complicated relationship, including a night of passion before they even knew each other’s true identities and now their families are tied through Lauren and Peter. Add a shared enemy and their natural ability to thrive on chaos, and the pieces start to fall into place.
Whether this alliance ends in love, disaster, or both remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. Jasmine may have thought she was in control, but she’s just created a powerful duo determined to take her down.
