EastEnders spoilers follow for the latest episode to air on BBC One and be available for streaming on iPlayer.
EastEnders has aired some dark scenes tonight, as Ross Marshall discovered the full extent of his son Joel's horrific crimes.
Joel has a history of filming his disturbing behaviour towards women, with Ross and his partner Vicki Fowler already aware of an incident with a girl on the tube. Vicki insisted that something wasn't right with the teen earlier this week.
Following on from Joel and Tommy Moon stealing alcohol from the Queen Vic while making derogatory remarks about Tommy's mum Kat, tonight's instalment began with Ross and Vicki dragging the troubled youngster home and angrily sending him to his room.
Ross tried to excuse the Vic incident by claiming Joel was upset that his mum is getting married again and didn't tell him, but Vicki told him he can't keep burying his head in the sand and needed to deal with it. However, Ross's plan of "having a word" with his son didn't fill her with confidence.
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Upstairs, Ross grew increasingly disturbed as Joel repeated his incel points of feeling like "the pendulum has swung too far" and that he's "got no rights", and his behaviour is him "taking control of my own life".
Deciding to take a different approach and try bonding with his son, Ross let Joel show him an online video of one of his favourite influencers, who spouted more misogynistic comments.
Joel tried to play it off as comedic banter, and Ross noted it was the same kind of humour that he used to hear on Saturday night TV in his own youth. However, when Joel went to grab some more beers, Ross clicked onto another video.
He watched the same influencer preach poison about how women only desire men in order to get everything bought for them, before being interrupted by email notification of someone sending Joel a video of a woman being attacked. He then clicked to see multiple others.
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"Is that what you're doing upstairs?" Ross said with tranquil fury as Joel returned. "That man, he's made you think that these files, what, that this passes off as normal?"
"After everything, everything that we've done for you, you are still at it, aren't ya?" he continued, asking if his son was making these videos as well. A tearful Joel could only say he didn't make all of them.
"You swap them with other little creeps, do ya? Are you a stalker? Because you're not telling me that any of this was done with permission."
Joel tried once again to defend himself by saying that "everyone does it" and there's way more "hardcore" stuff out there, which caused Ross to say that "this stops now" as he demanded his phone, planning to implement a total internet ban.
"You're gonna have to fight me for it," Joel sneered back, which caused Ross to stand up, take Joel's laptop to the sink and destroy it.
"You need help. I do not want this filth in this house. You are a revolting, arrogant, disgusting little pervert!"
"You think there's something wrong with me?" Joel cried in disbelief.
Getting up in his son's face, Ross replied: "I think there's something very wrong with you."
Will Ross' tough parenting get through to Joel, or will his actions just cause his son to spiral further into further online hatred?
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, which works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on its website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
