Grim Coronation Street fate ‘sealed’ as car dropped on key character amid murder week

The grim reaper is sharpening his scythe… (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock/Getty)

Coronation Street spoilers follow for Tuesday’s (April 28) episode, which is now available to stream on ITVX.

Murder week is fully underway, with Monday through Thursday’s episodes focussing on the line up of potential victims: Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon), Jodie Ramsey (Olivia Frances-Brown), Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard), Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) and Maggie Driscoll (Pauline McLynn), before one of the grim quintet is finally despatched of permanently in Friday’s blood-soaked finale.

Today’s focus was the worst Webster, Carl, as he spent his final hours before his planned departure for a new life in Germany attempting to set the charred remains of all of his burned bridges alight once again, while battling the small kernel of goodness that remains, hidden deep within his icy heart.

While technically happening in last Thursday’s episode, with us picking up again on the afternoon of Carla and Lisa Connor-Swain (Alison King and Vicky Myers), our Carl episode begins as he seeks out Abi Webster(Sally Carman-Duttine), looking to apologise for that truly hideous comment about her children.

Interestingly, and due in large part to Jonathan’s nuanced, detailed and conflicted performance, the usually acidity in Carl’s words is replaced by a genuine sorrow and regret, as the duelling parts of his persona, good and evil, begin to fight for dominance.

Carl aimed to make things right with Abi before he left (Picture: ITV)

Carl follows Abi to the garage and confesses that he did truly love her – or felt what he imagines love should feel like – at one point, allowing us a deeper look into his psyche.

Carl’s never experienced true love and has no idea how to either give or receive it. Abi tries with all her might to send him away, but she finally relents and agrees to have a goodbye drink with him.

Though she remains filled with anger and hate, Carl truly tries to right his wrongs before he leaves, though his efforts are interrupted when former brother-turned-uncle Kevin (Michael Le Vell) arrives. Carl heads to the bar, while Kevin and Abi discuss how much better life will be without Carl around.

When Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor) and Fiz Dobbs (Jennie McAlpine) arrive to collect wine for the Connor-Swain reception, an increasingly drunken Carl begins to hurl abuse their way. Neither back down to his malice and fire back, when Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) enters, prompting Carl to try and humiliate him, leaving the pub after creating a scene and generating even more hatred.

The effect of Carl’s actions is weighing heavily on Debbie (Picture: ITV)

At the hotel, Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) is suffering in the aftermath of sending her son away. In a truly heart breaking scene, she forgets her husband, Ronnie Bailey’s (Vinta Morgan) name. As she begs and pleads for him to remind her of it, she collapses, broken and sobbing into his arms as the fear of her worsening condition intensifies.

Though he manages to soothe her, promising that there’s nothing they can’t face together, he later turns to his brother and nephew, Ed and James (Trevor Michael Georges and Jason Callender), utterly incandescent at the state Debbie’s been left in as a result of Carl. Lamenting not finishing Carl once and for all when he had the chance, his eyes darken, despite his family pleading with him to focus on the future – a future without Carl.

Carl’s next move plums new depths as he approaches Theo and suggested they spend the afternoon together, before sexually assaulting him. Their vicious barbs turn to punches as they end up rolling on the cobbles, each trying to get the upper hand.

Kevin discovers the fracas and sends Theo on his way, before Carl turns his vicious tongue toward Kevin himself. As tempers cool, Carl admits that he had in fact, come back for who he thought was his brother and wanted to support him through his cancer battle; he only stole his wife ‘because he could’.

Carl, engaged in an internal battle once again, struggling to try and make amends, but suggests that Kevin could contact him in the future, should he feel more forgiving. Despite offering a handshake, Kevin confirmed that there would be no reconciliation before departing, having stolen the money that Debbie gave to Carl while he was scrapping with Theo.

Carl decided to take revenge against Kevin (Picture: Danielle Baguley/ITV)

With Kevin later confirming that he had the cash later via a cheeky selfie and messaging informing Carl that he was dead to him, Carl’s dark side won out yet again as he headed to the garage, erasing the CCTV footage of him entering, then throwing back more alcohol.

Jacking Kevin’s car up, Carl slid beneath, attempting to tamper with the breaks, without seeing a shadowy figure enter. As Carl continued his dastardly work, the intruder removed the jack, bringing the weight of the car down on Carl.

As Debbie tore strips from Kevin for taking Carl’s money, needing to feel as though she’d helped Carl secure some kind of future, Ronnie drove away from the street, with a bloodied Carl in the back seat. As he pleaded to be taken to hospital, Ronnie promised not to waste his second chance.

The chance to finish Carl off…

Is this the end? (Picture: Danielle Baguley/ITV)

With Carl gravely injured and evidently in mortal danger from both his wounds and an incensed Ronnie, who’s desperate to protect his ailing wife from Carl’s toxic influence and cruelty, can someone – even someone as slippery as Carl – escape?

While todays episode was masterful in giving the audience a glimpse behind Carl’s well-honed front and showing the lonely, wounded boy just looking to be loved beneath, perhaps Corrie bosses have saved the reveal of Carl’s true vulnerability until his exit. Or perhaps not?

Can Friday hurry up?!

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