EastEnders fans think they’ve worked out who attacked Joel as theories flood online

EastEnders viewers have wasted no time trying to solve one of the soap’s biggest new mysteries after Joel was found unconscious following a brutal attack.

After Joel was tied to a fence by a group of teenagers, he was later discovered with a serious head injury, leaving police searching for whoever struck the final blow. With the investigation now underway, fans have been sharing dozens of theories across Reddit, YouTube and social media.

It’s important to stress that these are viewer theories only and the BBC has not confirmed who attacked Joel.

One name appearing more than any other is Lily. Many fans believe Lily may have returned to untie Joel after feeling guilty about leaving him behind. According to the theory, Joel could then have threatened or attacked her, forcing Lily to strike him in self defence. Others pointed to Lily’s emotional behaviour afterwards, suggesting it could be a sign she knows more than she’s letting on.

Amy has also emerged as one of the most discussed possibilities. Some viewers think Amy’s determination to make Joel pay for his actions may have gone further than intended, while others believe the soap could be making her appear too obvious to be the real culprit.

Another popular suggestion is Avani. Fans have questioned whether guilt led her back to Joel after the others had left, with some speculating a confrontation may have escalated unexpectedly. Several viewers even think Avani and Lily could both have been involved in some way.

Nugget has also been mentioned by fans, with some believing he had the strongest personal motive after what Joel had done to his family. Others, however, feel Nugget’s reaction afterwards suggested he wasn’t responsible.

EastEnders viewers have been sharing their theories online after Joel’s brutal attack, with Lily, Amy, Ravi and several other names all being suggested.Although Barney appeared genuinely distressed after Joel was found, some viewers still haven’t ruled him out.

Much of that speculation centres on the later scene in which Harry produced a bag containing a hammer after Barney asked for help. Some fans wonder whether the weapon could somehow be linked to the attack, while others believe Barney was simply frightened by what had happened.

A smaller number of viewers have pointed towards Will, suggesting he could have stumbled across Joel later before events spiralled. Others quickly dismissed that idea, arguing Will appeared genuinely horrified by Joel’s condition.

Theories aren’t limited to the teenagers. Ravi has been suggested by several fans, with some believing he had plenty of reasons to confront Joel. Mark has also appeared in numerous discussions, with viewers speculating he may have acted out of anger over the effect Joel has had on Lauren.

Other names put forward include Vicki, with some believing she may have tried to help Joel before a confrontation turned violent, while Kat has also been mentioned by a handful of fans because of Joel’s past actions involving Tommy. Oscar has appeared in some discussions too, after previously saying he might join the group later.

Despite Tommy currently being away from Walford, a few viewers still floated his name before others dismissed the theory because of his absence.

One of the more unusual theories focuses on an unidentified man briefly seen wearing a camouflage jacket in the park. Some eagle eyed viewers (detectives!) initially wondered whether the mystery passer by could somehow be connected to the attack

Not everyone believes the attacker was one of the teenagers at all. A sizeable group of fans think the group looked genuinely shocked when Joel was discovered and believe somebody completely unconnected to them may have attacked him after he had been left alone.

For now, the mystery remains unsolved, with viewers continuing to debate every clue while waiting to discover who really left Joel fighting for his life…

What do you think? Was Joel attacked by one of the teenagers, or is the real culprit somebody nobody has considered yet?

EastEnders can be viewed on BBC One, while episodes are also available to stream and catch up on through BBC iPlayer.

Images: BBC used for editorial purposes only.

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