In a shocking Emmerdale turn of events, vile rapist Craig (Ben Addis) is discovered dead, having been killed by a Dingle hellbent on vengeance. Are those Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller)’s hands?
With little regard for his own well-being, Aaron has returned to the community in a highly self-destructive state. He’s extremely pleased to “kill or be killed,” as actor Danny put it, and we get the impression he may be leaning more toward the former.
Family still means something to him, even if he’s shown a complete lack of compassion for his mother owing to her connection to Liv’s (Isobel Steele) death and has essentially left Chas (Lucy Pargeter) for dead in an effort to save his money.
Could he be the one to kill the Dingle matriarch’s assailant if he learns what happened to Lydia and has no regard for his own future?
When he said, “He’s not dealt with the grief very well so his state of mind is basically that he’s angry with everyone and he’s constantly seeking for a fight,” actor Danny hinted to Aaron’s fragile mental condition and may even have been hinting at murderous intentions.
Billy (Jay Kontzle), who is shocked upon seeing Craig’s body, immediately accuses Lydia’s family. She confronts each member of her family individually in a very unique run of Emmerdale episodes, giving fans a glimpse into the circumstances leading up to the murder. She ultimately approaches Aaron after going through the family and their alibis.
Aaron has a sinister secret to keep hidden, and his hesitation to reveal it shows that he is feeling guilty. When the family presses him for an alibi, he is confrontational. He then uses a crucial strategy to turn the attention to Charity, who also has something to conceal. This deliberate deflection tells a story.
When Danny said that he frequently wondered whether “the audience are going to detest this and despise me,” he hinted to him being up to something particularly nefarious, hinting at the consequence for his character.
Aaron was on a “self-destructive, self-loathing road,” according to Danny, who characterized him following his return. Could he regard murdering the person who assaulted the Dingle patriarch as killing two birds with one stone, making up for his wrongdoing and satisfying his urge for a fight?