Who dies in Home and Away’s big explosion?

A huge explosion rocks Home and Away next week, with promos telling us that one of our favourites “won’t come home”. But who, if anyone, dies?

Stunning Organics – the dodgy skincare company for which Marilyn (Emily Symons) recently began working as a brand ambassador – are about to prove that they’ll go to any length to get Maz to stop badmouthing them.

After they refused to let her out of her contract, Marilyn, with a little help from Kirby (Angelina Thomson), posted a social media video exposing their dodgy tactics. When they threatened her with legal action, her friends rallied around her.

With a little help from the Surf Club’s treasurer Gerald, they managed to dig up dirt on the company, and it was enough to get Stunning Organics to agree to release Marilyn from her contract.

However, when a courier arrived to collect the boxes of skincare products that had already been delivered, Maz realised that they would just give them to another unsuspecting brand ambassador who would experience the same turmoil that she had.

So, she decided to continue her fight, and has so far carried out two press interviews as she looks to draw as much attention to the company’s shady tactics as possible.

Even a brick through Irene’s (Lynne McGranger) window wasn’t enough to put her off, as she vowed to continue fighting no matter what.

However, when a mysterious figure took photos of her at the beach before emailing them to Maz, she realised that she might actually be in danger, and even Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) warned her against taking further action against the company.

Then, in the latest Australian episode, Kirby took delivery of another of the company’s boxes during a shift at the diner.

It looked like all of the other brown boxes Maz had received, meaning Kirby thought nothing of it as she called Maz to let her know Stunning Organics have “either made a mistake or they’ve decided to mess with you.”

And it looks like it’s the latter. As Kirby put the box in the diner kitchen, the camera zoomed inside it to reveal its contents – a bomb, as yet unactivated!

Over the next few episodes, the box will get carried around by a number of our favourite Summer Bay residents, before finally ending up in a white van.

As the van and its driver head out of the bay, Mali (Kyle Shilling) somehow learns of the box’s true contents and heads off in hot pursuit, urging the driver to pull over.

As Mali runs towards the van, its content explodes, shooting flames into the air and causing Mali to fly backwards. The fate of the van’s driver, and their identity, remains unknown.

With the promo promising that “one of them won’t come home,” we look at the possibilities.

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Does someone die?

That’s the first big question.

Although a number of publications have reported on an upcoming death in Home and Away, the various promos and the press release for the dramatic week of episodes simply state that “the devastating blast will rock the Bay, and one person won’t come home.”

“Won’t come home.”

Won’t come home because they’ll be checking into Northern Districts Hospital for a few weeks?

Won’t come home because they’ve already decided on an extended break to Merimbula to visit Alf and Martha?

Won’t come home because they realise Summer Bay is the most dangerous small town in Australia and they’ll be safer anywhere else?

However you want to interpret “won’t come home,” we suspect that it doesn’t mean “won’t come home ever.”

Who has the box?

Well, by the looks of it, everybody in Summer Bay gets their hands on the box over the next week, and it gets passed around the beachside town.

A promo shows Xander (Luke Van Os) take it off Irene as she struggles to hold it while on the phone at the Diner.

Maz also gets her hands on it at the Diner, but seemingly decides against taking it home with her.

Later, John (Shane Withington) puts it in the Surf Club office, but not before passing Mali and Rose (Kirsty Marillier).

Remi (Adam Rowland)… well, he gives it a gentle tap as he walks through the Surf Club with Bree (Juliet Godwin).

A tap which activates the countdown timer?

As it continues its eventful journey across Summer Bay, Leah (Ada Nicodemou) brings it to the Morgan house for safekeeping.

Soon after, Cash sits perilously close to it.

Roo (Georgie Parker) isn’t seen touching the box, but we’re sure that she’ll also play a part.

But who “won’t come home”?

If someone is to die, who are the main suspects?

Roo

Georgie Parker announced earlier this year that she was taking a short break from Home and Away – but could that have been a misdirection? Could Roo be about to say goodbye for good?

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle back in March, Georgie stated that she was set to appear in the David Williamson play Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica at the Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli.

Georgie’s break from filming was said to last around seven weeks, with the play itself running from 11th-29th April.

If this is true, Georgie should be back on set by now, and should return to our screens in approximately July/August.

However, as far as we’re aware, she hasn’t yet been spotted back at Palm Beach, the north Sydney location where many of Home and Away’s external scenes are filmed.

Could she be in the van when it explodes, and could stories in the press of her “short break” have been a cover for an actual exit?

Roo has been a part of Home and Away since the third episode, originally played by Justine Clarke between 1988 and 1999, with Georgie Parker taking over for the character’s return in 2010. We’d be amazed if this was how Roo leaves the show, but stranger things have happened…

However, the likelihood is the disaster paves the way for her to escape Summer Bay for a few weeks to join Alf (Ray Meagher) in visiting mum Martha (Belinda Giblin) in Merimbula.

And who could blame her? After all she’s been through at the hands of Maz in the past year – let’s not forget, she was drugged by Maz’s secret daughter Heather (Sofia Nolan) in a dramatic hostage situation which landed her dad in hospital – it’s likely she decides to put some space between them.

Kate

She doesn’t feature in the promo, but Kate, the wife of Jamie, Xander’s recently deceased colleague, has only been in Summer Bay for a matter of weeks and is credited as a guest character, so would be an easy target for a dramatic death.

Guest characters often wind up dead in big soap disasters, as it allows producers to tease an impending death without having to write out a key character.

However, a synopsis for next Wednesday’s episode tells us that “Kate continues to lean on Xander,” suggesting that both she and Xander escape unharmed.

Mali

Mali takes a pretty heavy blow as he’s knocked back by the force of the explosion, hitting the ground hard. He’s only been in Summer Bay for a few months, but could he be about to say goodbye?

Thankfully actor Kyle Shilling was spotted on set in April, so Mali likely pulls through.

A spoiler for next Wednesday’s episode reveals that “Bree springs into action to save a life” – could it be Mali whose life she saves?

Who else is still filming?

With most of Home and Away’s external scenes filmed at Palm Beach in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, fans and attendees of the Home and Away tour often get to see scenes filmed months before they appear on screens.

They often get glimpses of new characters way in advance of official announcements, and when actors aren’t seen at Palm Beach for months, it’s often the first clue that they’ve left the show.

In some cases, fans even get to see actors filming their characters’ exit scenes, as recently happened with Ziggy (Sophie Dillman) and Dean’s (Patrick O’Connor) departure.

Most of our favourites have been spotted filming over the last few months, meaning we know the following characters definitely don’t die in the explosion:

• Leah (Ada Nicodemou)
• Justin (James Stewart)
• Alf (Ray Meagher)
• Marilyn (Emily Symons)
• Mackenzie (Emily Weir)
• John (Shane Withington)
• Irene (Lynne McGranger)
• Kirby (Angelina Thomson)
• Cash (Nicholas Cartwright)
• Rose (Kirsty Marillier)
• Theo (Matt Evans)
• Remi (Adam Rowland)

A synopsis for Wednesday’s episode reads “Summer Bay is rocked by disaster. Bree springs into action to save a life. Kate continues to lean on Xander.”

Assuming there aren’t more twists in store, we can safely assume that Bree and Xander are fine too.

We also know that Tane (Ethan Browne) and Felicity (Jacqui Purvis) will survive, with Felicity about to get a dark storyline of her own as her drink is spiked at the Battle of the Bands competition.

Delivery driver #1

If, and it’s a big if, there’s a death around the corner, it’s possible that it’s not one of the main characters.

Could Maz eventually decide to refuse the delivery from Stunning Organics, and send it back to them via courier? If so, it could be an unsuspecting and very unlucky delivery driver whose van bears the brunt of the explosion.

After all, we’re fairly sure none of our Summer Bay favourites owns a white van, and it seems unlikely that they’d hire one just to transport a single – and not particularly heavy – box.

Or, considering the fact that the door of the van is wide open in the above shot, does its driver get away safely before the bomb goes off?

Whoever it is, or isn’t, we’ve got an exciting week of Home and Away in store, with the disaster episodes expected to air on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th June.

UK viewers will see the dramatic episodes at the beginning of August.

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Here’s the full spoilers for the next week of Home and Away episodes in Australia:

Thursday 1st June (Episodes 8051-8053)

Justin will do anything to save Andrew. Xander is determined to support Kate.

Cash storms Vita Nova to save Justin. Leah defends Andrew. Marilyn has no idea of the danger she’s in.

Can Lyrik triumph at Battle of the Bands? Felicity is in grave danger. John’s on the road to disaster.

Monday 5th June (Episode 8054)

The Battle of the Bands contest takes a dark turn. Eden is the friend Felicity needs. Remi breaks heartbreaking news to Tane.

Tuesday 6th June (Episode 8055)

Can Felicity confide in Cash? Marilyn is rattled by a chilling threat. Lives are on the line for some of the Bays most loved residents.

Wednesday 7th June (Episode 8056)

Summer Bay is rocked by disaster. Bree springs into action to save a life. Kate continues to lean on Xander.