John’s Villainous Path Takes a Dark Turn

When Oliver Farnworth stepped onto Emmerdale screens as John Sugden, few viewers predicted the depths of darkness his character would reach. At first, John came across as intense but layered, a man who carried secrets. Now, fans are grappling with the realization that he may be more complex — and more tragic — than they ever imagined.

John’s crimes already form a chilling list: drugging Chas Dingle, triggering Jacob Gallagher’s near-fatal allergic reaction, and leaving ex-fiancé Aidan Moore in a coma. His most haunting act came when he “accidentally” killed Nate Robinson while trying to “save” him. The truth only surfaced when Nate’s body was recovered during the Butler’s Farm slurry tank incident, shattering loved ones who thought he had vanished to Shetland for a fresh start.

To cover his guilt, John masterfully framed Owen with a fake suicide note, manipulating everyone around him. His downward spiral has been both shocking and riveting, cementing him as one of the soap’s most twisted figures.

Aaron, Robert, and the Fatal Cliff Edge

John’s personal life seemed to stabilize when he wed Aaron Dingle. Aaron, unaware of John’s growing list of crimes, suggested the couple move to John’s childhood home and leave the village behind. For John, this was the perfect chance to isolate Aaron and keep him close.

But complications soon emerged. Aaron had slept with ex-husband Robert Sugden, something John could not tolerate. As his obsession deepened, John drugged Aaron, ensuring his dependence. He even kept Mackenzie Boyd locked in a bunker after Mack uncovered John’s role in Nate’s death.

This all exploded in Monday’s (September 8) dramatic episode. Aaron discovered Mack’s phone in John’s pocket and began connecting the dots. His attempt to find Mack led him to the edge of a gorge. There, John cornered Aaron — but Robert also arrived. Consumed by jealousy and determined to keep Aaron for himself, John declared that if he couldn’t have him, no one would. In a shocking climax, John hurled himself and Aaron off the edge, leaving Robert stunned and horrified.

Fans Admit They Misjudged John

For months, fan theories swirled about John’s true identity. Many believed he wasn’t a genuine Sugden at all, convinced he had fabricated his backstory. But after the recent cliffhanger, viewers are reconsidering.

On Reddit, fans debated whether John’s hatred of Robert stems from something far deeper than jealousy over Aaron. One user suggested John may have targeted Aaron from the beginning, knowing about Robert and resenting him long before he returned to the village. Others speculated about a difficult childhood, perhaps with an absent father and abusive mother, fueling John’s desperation to prove himself as the “better brother.”

Another fan reluctantly conceded: “I think I may finally have to admit that John is indeed, may very well be, quite possibly is a SUGDEN. NOOOOOO!!! I was a card-carrying member of the ‘John is a Fraud’ club. But today, I started to wonder…”

The Illegitimate Son Theory

The strongest theory gaining traction now is that John may be Jack Sugden’s illegitimate son. If true, his obsession with Robert would make chilling sense. Viewers speculate he has lived near the village his entire life, watching from the shadows as Robert thrived, growing increasingly obsessed and jealous.

To John, winning Aaron was never just about love — it was about beating Robert. His twisted triumph lay in claiming superiority: the better brother, the better son, the better husband. In his interactions with Robert, he reveled in this imagined victory.

What Comes Next?

Whether John truly is a Sugden or not, his actions have left devastation in their wake. Aaron’s fate hangs in the balance after the cliff fall, and Robert is reeling from both betrayal and terror. Fans are left questioning how much of John’s story was ever real, and how much was the fabrication of a man desperate for love, validation, and control.

One thing is certain — Emmerdale has delivered a villain who has shaken the Dales to their core. And the debate over John Sugden’s true backstory is far from over.