If there’s anyone in Emmerdale who people thought would never “fall,” it’s Kim Tate.

Kim always stands tall, always controls the game, always maintains an image of invincibility.

But this holiday season, Emmerdale chose Kim to deliver a fatal blow: Kim suffers a horse-riding accident, and the loss that follows is not just injury, but the death of Ice, the horse that was a symbol of Kim’s power and her life.

The cruel part is that Kim doesn’t just hurt from the fall.

Kim hurts from losing control. For Kim, losing control is the most unpleasant thing, because she always wanted everything under control. Ice is something Kim loves in a way outsiders don’t understand, because for Kim, a horse is not just a pet. It’s a companion, a mark, something that proves Kim is still Kim. So when Ice is severely injured and Joe is forced to make the decision to end its suffering, Joe thinks he’s doing the right thing, but to Kim, it’s still a painful blow.

And this is where the drama kicks in: Joe becomes the “decision-maker” for Kim. Even though Joe acts out of kindness, Kim might still see it as a disenfranchise. When you’re hurt and you’ve lost something you love, you don’t want anyone to be right; you just want to blame someone else to ease your pain. Joe might face a cold, unyielding Kim who won’t listen to explanations, won’t accept apologies, and might even see Joe as a traitor in her own home.