After a series of ‘will they, won’t they’ twists, Emmerdale‘s Aaron Dingle ultimately married killer John Sugden this week.

But it’s the jaw-dropping return of John’s half-brother, Robert Sugden, that’s at the forefront of viewers’ minds.

Ryan Hawley reprised his popular role to crash the nuptials of his beloved Aaron, who Robert divorced in order to let Aaron move on while he served a 14-year prison sentence for the murder of sister Victoria’s rapist, Lee Posner.

Released on licence thanks to the lead that Lee’s brother Luke had also attacked him, Robert was soon hauled back to prison for missing his probation meeting in favour of pursuing Aaron.

But Robert won’t be gone for long, with confirmation from the actor himself that he will be back for good. And, as we eagerly await his next appearance, we’re certain that Robert will be a tonic for the ITV soap.

With John on the loose with a saviour complex, a bag of medical equipment and an unwitting Aaron by his side, the stakes are higher than ever for Robert.

While John’s visions, and his sinister plan to end the life of his hospital-ridden ex Aidan Moore, were gripping viewing, it was Robert’s showstopping comeback, that passionate embrace with Aaron and his showdown with John that won the week.

Now we want to see Robert taking John down, and actor Ryan told ITV’s Lorraine that Robert is certainly going to try!

Where John is concerned, Mackenzie Boyd may be the only potential ally Robert will have, and if ever there was a time to form a new, scheming duo, this would be it. We can just see the eternally sardonic Robert exchanging wisecracks with sassy Mack and making a pact to protect Aaron.

Robert also has old ties with café busybody Nicola King, and Nicola could surely begin to suss John’s true nature if she paid enough attention at work.

Victoria, however, was easily placated when she questioned John over his intense remark about “everything he’s done”. The Dingles, too, are blind to John’s deceptions and are practically falling over themselves to defend him. Sooner or later, they’ll have to wake up, and we love the thought of Robert being the driving force behind this.

Aaron, usually far more savvy than he’s currently being given credit for, is missing all John’s red flags. Robert feels that John has stolen his life, but he has no idea just how many eery parallels there have been to the ‘Robron’ era, from barn rendezvous to woodland declarations – and Aaron hasn’t recognised these, either.

Aside from an authentic, moving bond with fellow abuse survivor Ruby Miligan, Aaron has largely been a background character in his own relationship. Although that’s par for the course when dating a secret soap villain, it’s high time Emmerdale restored some agency for Aaron, and Robert’s presence promises to move him away from the sidelines and reignite his senses.

Beyond John’s inevitable downfall, Robert has the power to revive the Sugden dynasty, which has been dwindling for years – ever since he left, in fact. Emmerdale’s first family used to be strong and tight-knit, so making that happen again should be high on the agenda.

Priorities here include niece Sarah, who is concealing a cancer diagnosis, struggling around her Dingle relatives now that mum Debbie has emigrated, and has been strangely isolated from the Sugdens for years. Her efforts to get to know John were rejected, so let’s see Robert swoop in to help Sarah.

Victoria continues to lack the on-screen focus she deserves. Yet one appearance from Robert and we got a glimpse of the old, no-nonsense Vic, when she put him in his place for causing chaos on Aaron’s big day.

She may be rooting for the wrong couple, but we’ve certainly missed Victoria’s meddling and we look forward to the right kind of it when the truth is out about John and the path clears for Robert and Aaron once more.

As he rebuilds the Sugden name, there’s also no reason why legacy character Robert can’t bring his young son Sebastian White, now living with a great-aunt after his mum Rebecca died, back home for good.

Robert himself has a fresh backstory for the show to explore, with Ryan sharing that “a lot has happened during this time in the village and for Robert. Two very different worlds – the village and Robert’s reality in prison.”

Fans will be keen to find out exactly what Robert has been through behind bars. Amid all the drama and chaos in Emmerdale, it will be a welcome change to steer the narrative away from the usual haunts and delve into Robert’s time in jail.

Of course, we’ll be cheering on what we hope is an inevitable Aaron and Robert reunion down the line. But there are plenty of opportunities for Robert-centric material in the meantime, and we’re ready for him to inject new life into Emmerdale.