A Mother’s Rage: Cat vs. Joel as Tommy Teeters on the Edge

Next week on EastEnders, the streets of Albert Square will be drenched in tension as Cat Slater faces her most terrifying reality yet: she may be losing her son, Tommy Moon, to the insidious grip of Joel Marshall.

What started as petty mischief is rapidly descending into something far darker. Joel, a boy with a silver tongue and a heart soaked in menace, has been weaving his influence into Tommy’s fragile world like poison in water. And Tommy—still grappling with the chaos left in Alfie’s wake—has become the perfect target.

The incident at the Minute Mart is just the start. A botched vape robbery leaves Tommy rattled and Cat raging. She sees the shift in her boy—the new arrogance, the cruel remarks, the hardened eyes—and it terrifies her. Tommy’s starting to sound like Joel, walk like Joel, think like Joel. And if Cat doesn’t act now, she may lose him entirely.

Her fury ignites when she learns the truth. In classic Slater style, she doesn’t hesitate—storming across the Square to confront Joel’s parents, Vicki and Ross, demanding accountability. But the meeting only fuels her anger. Excuses. Excuses. Joel had a rough childhood? So did Tommy. But Tommy doesn’t brainwash and bully.

Cat leaves with fire in her veins and a singular focus: protect her son, no matter the cost.

Back home, she confides in Stacey—one of the few who truly understands what it’s like to watch your child disappear before your eyes. Their shared heartbreak brews a new resolve in Cat. She sees the war coming. And this time, she’s preparing for it.

But Joel isn’t finished.

He’s planning something bigger. Something dangerous. Not just a prank or a dare—this is calculated chaos, a test of loyalty that could scar Tommy for life. And the worst part? Tommy doesn’t even see it. He’s too deep, too confused, too desperate to belong.

Cat, watching her son slip further away, is no longer asking questions. She’s making moves. Quietly. Strategically. She’s gathering allies. Watching Joel’s every step. Because she knows the next time her door opens, it might not be Tommy walking in—it might be the police. Or worse.

This isn’t just a family crisis. It’s a collision course. Between control and love. Influence and instinct. A predator and a mother.

Joel Marshall thinks he’s clever. He thinks Cat’s noise. But he’s about to learn that when you corner a Slater, you don’t get a whimper. You get a reckoning.

And when it comes?
It won’t be whispered.
It’ll be war.

Stay tuned, Walford fans—because next week, Cat’s claws are coming out.