Emmerdale fans were left stunned when John Sugden slipped out of the village, smuggled away in the back of a lorry to Rotterdam. Unlike many soap villains who face prison or a brutal downfall, John escaped both, leaving chaos behind. But can a character this dangerous really be gone for good? Several loose ends suggest otherwise.

1. Mackenzie’s Revenge

Mackenzie endured one of the most horrific ordeals at John’s hands, locked away and tormented in that terrifying bunker. Although John freed him at the last second, Mack’s trauma won’t fade easily. With Mack being the first to doubt John, viewers will surely want him to have his revenge.

2. Aaron’s Need for Closure

Aaron gave John his trust and suffered for it. Though Aaron confronted him, the showdown was tainted by circumstance—Aaron had to play along to coax a confession. Fans are still waiting for a cathartic moment where Aaron can finally unleash the full truth of his feelings against the man who betrayed him.

3. Justice for Nate

John murdered Nate Dingle, and yet somehow avoided Cain’s full wrath. Cain has mourned his son, but he hasn’t truly avenged him. And for Tracy and little Frankie, there’s been no real justice either. That unfinished business could make John’s return inevitable.

4. Moira’s Farm Ruined

The catastrophic slurry leak at Butler’s Farm—criminal damage orchestrated by John—has barely been acknowledged since his downfall. Moira nearly lost her livelihood, Harry was poisoned, and the Tate takeover loomed large. Without John facing accountability, this storyline feels painfully unresolved.

5. Aidan’s Fate

John’s jealousy destroyed his former lover Aidan, who was left comatose for years after a sinister “medical” scheme went wrong. Though Aidan briefly woke before John and Aaron’s wedding, fear pushed him back into decline. His unresolved fate, and the tragic tie to John, begs for follow-up.

6. Ella’s Vindication

Ella, once Liam’s partner and the surgery’s receptionist, became John’s scapegoat when he needed someone to blame. With her history of violence and mental health struggles, she was an easy target, left carrying the weight of John’s schemes. Her name remains tarnished—unless the truth comes out.

7. Robert’s Retribution

Perhaps the biggest question mark is Robert. John nearly murdered him, manipulated his PTSD, and thrived on jealousy of his brother. Though Robert was freed, the justice felt hollow—he never learned the full scale of John’s torment. A proper showdown could deliver the payback viewers crave.

Is This Really the End?

Soap history suggests villains rarely vanish quietly. John’s need for control, his obsession with family, and the web of victims left behind make his exit feel far from final. With so many loose threads, his return could unleash one last storm on the Sugdens—and the entire village.