Emmerdale’s Joe vows ugly outcome for Ruby as she risks his wrath

Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) is a changed man following Dawn Taylor’s (Olivia Bromley) Emmerdale death.

Joe is in an absolute spin. He’s lost the one person who brought out the good in him, and his grief is all consuming, bringing back the old, ruthless Joe. He’s blinkered to the loved ones around him, shutting them all out. But most painfully, he’s turned his back on Dawn’s three children and their own newborn son.

In a fit of grief-ridden rage, Joe seethed that he wanted nothing to do with the kids and told Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) that they’re his problem now. Painful enough for children to hear that have just lost their mum, but Joe’s about to go one better.

He tells them they are not even allowed to attend their own mum’s funeral. Everyone is banned; it’ll just be him and Dawn.

‘He’s feeling like his way of controlling the situation is to remove the outsiders,’ reveals Ned of Joe’s warped state of mind.

He’s not thinking straight yet is laser focused on one thing and one thing only – revenge.

‘He probably blames anyone who came into contact with her over the last few weeks,’ says Ned. ‘All adding to this butterfly effect leading to the crash. He’s not thinking rationally and is ready to dish out blame to anyone who won’t join him in his rage.’

All of Joe’s loved ones try to convince him otherwise, but he is steadfast in his cruel decision to block out the children.

There steps up Ruby Miligan (Beth Cordingly), who decides to take one for the team.

This is a risky move that proves to be a self-sacrifice as Ruby is already on Joe’s hit list, thanks to her involvement in Dawn’s death. She and Caleb Miligan (William Ash) convinced Dawn she should leave Joe on their wedding day – and even provided fake passports!

Ruby heads to Home Farm to beg Joe to change his mind about the children attending the funeral. This is a red flag to a bull, Joe loses it. He threatens her, warning that he’s unable to control his anger.

‘Ruby represents the enemy in his mind,’ Ned says, which is a very dangerous place to be.

Her card is now marked.

It’s Clemmie who gets him to soften towards the three of them after a heart-to-heart chat, and he relents and agrees to let the kids attend.

But he’s not gone soft. He quietly tells Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) that he intends to exact revenge on those he perceives had a direct hand in his loss – including Ruby and Billy. What will he get Graham to do?

‘There’ll be bad blood for a while yet,’ Ned teased. ’Joe’s not one to drop a grudge. And currently his pain and petulance are overriding the voices of reason.’