Ben Mitchell crossed a line in Monday's episode as he cruelly used the death of Zack Hudson's baby daughter against him and EastEnders fans suspect this could be the beginning of a dangerous path for the Mitchell bad boy.
Zack ( James Farrar ) was forced to pull out of a charity boxing match with Ben ( Max Bowden ) after being diagnosed with HIV, with Martin Fowler ( James Bye ) taking his place.
Despite winning the fight, Ben couldn't resist sticking the knife in further, while in the Queen Vic, resulting in Zack jumping in to defend his friend.
Ben cruelly told Zack he was glad he didn't get the chance to be a father which understandably infuriated the chef and led him to reveal his diagnosis.
EastEnders fans predict Ben's recent behaviour could see him follow down a similar path to his uncle Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp).
Sharing their theory in an EastEnders forum, one Reddit user wrote: "Ben's character really is about cyclical trauma. Like last year, he gets attacked by far-right [and] starts attacking far-right individuals. Has rape trauma [and] forcefully traumatises Zack all over again. He's just Grant 2.0 at this point. Except instead of abusing Callum he abuses everyone outside of his marriage. So I guess he's the reverse of Grant?"
Another fan agreed: "Might as well go full villain with Ben at this point no half-in half-out nonsense. Like I get his trauma but still. Also, Zacks's acting at the very end was really good James Farrar is a stellar addition I felt the pain and shame in his voice."
A third added: "'Nothing new, nothing changed, same old s***.'This is me talking about Ben. What he said to Zack was horrible and disgusting. Using his baby, who died a few weeks ago, as a provocation was pretty low. I'll reiterate that Ben is a very repetitive character. The character is always in an exhausting cycle. So I really, really, really hope he seeks some professional help this year."
If Ben does follow the same path as Grant, a heartbreaking exit may be in store for the stalwart as he alienates his friends and family in Walford.
Will Ben be able to seek help and repair the damage he's created before he pushes his loved ones away for good?
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
