The undercurrent in Emmerdale has just officially broken when Kev Townsend publicly announced his plan to “counterattack” Aaron Dingle, turning the brotherhood into a battlefield with no way out.

Aaron thought he was still in control of the game, but Kev – who had been silently enduring humiliation – has now completely changed: cold, calculating and ready to take action.

It all started from a conflict over the smuggling case that Aaron and Kev had been involved in.

Aaron thought all traces had been erased, but Kev had the evidence, and instead of staying silent, he decided to use it to retaliate.

In the new teaser, Kev looks straight at Aaron and says: “Now it’s my turn to control you.” The sentence makes The Woolpack freeze.

Robert Sugden, who used to be Aaron’s “lifeline”, begins to sense something bad is coming. He clearly sees that Kev’s eyes are no longer threatening – but sentencing. Robert tries to intervene, but the more he tries, the deeper he is dragged in, as Kev uses Robert’s own secret as bargaining chip. In some scenes, Robert panics, his hands shaking as he reads the anonymous text: “Help him, you die first.”

The story becomes more complicated when Aaron tries to fight back, finding allies in the Dingle family, but everyone is tired and doesn’t want to get involved. Kev takes advantage of that, isolating Aaron completely. One evening, he has someone follow Aaron to the workshop. The confrontation explodes when Aaron discovers and fights back, causing Kev to fall – but in his hand, he activates the video recording Aaron’s violence. In just one night, Aaron goes from victim to perpetrator.