Emmerdale tonight saw Belle Dingle imagine her life turning out in
different ways as she looked ‘through the looking glass’ into her future.
And some of the paths she could take were very bleak indeed.In fact, it seemed even if she moved on with her life and ignored Tom, the consequences would be fatal for others.

Finally it looks like Belle has acted and told Charity everything. But was that just another imagined future or was that her final decision? We’re a bit confused but we *think* it was her final choice – and if so, it was definitely the right one!

Tom and Belle look tense in Emmerdale
Belle has spent all week trying to get free of Tom’s control
Emmerdale tonight: Belle’s future Part One

So the first option was for Belle to take Tom back to save Amelia. She visited him at Nicola and Jimmy’s and saw him doing his trousers up just after sleeping with gullible Amelia.

Belle then confessed she wanted him back and promised to abide by all his new rules. He swiftly dumped Amelia and took Belle home – where he found everything gone and her telling him she would never get back with him. It was all a trick to reveal his true self to Amelia.

But somehow, she soon ended up at Christmas five months pregnant with his baby, sobbing her heart out as he forced her to eat toast. What is his obsession with toast?!

Tom and Amelia cuddle in Emmerdale village
Tom is rubbing Amelia in Belle’s face
Belle’s future Part Two
The second imaging saw Belle beg Kerry to help her protect Amelia, but then it seemed Tom had turned the tables and made out Belle was the one abusing and stalking him. No one believed poor Belle as she begged them to realise he was the abuser.

She then lost it, screaming in the pub exactly what Tom had done to her. And Cain overheard.

True to form and all her fears, Cain stormed out and beat Tom to near-death. As Cain was arrested and looking at life in prison for murder, STILL no one believed Belle, and Lydia decided to have her sectioned for her own safety.

What is getting more and more frustrating here is the pattern of no one – not even Lydia – believing the victim and Tom, who isn’t even that nice to anyone, pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes. Fortunately, that seemed to be rectified later on, but we’ll get to that.

Noah and Amelia look sad
Is Amelia likely to end up dead?
Belle’s future Part Three
The third option for Belle was to ignore Tom, get on with her life and not strive to help Amelia escape suffering what she had.

Confident businesswoman Belle was in partnership with Suzy, she wore a black power suit and big gold earrings (neither of which Belle would ever wear, but hey, we’ll go with it). Amelia, Esther and Tom meanwhile, were playing happy families and planning their wedding.

But soon Belle spotted a burn on Amelia’s hand and tried to help. It was very clear Tom was abusing Amelia, but she tried to cover for him and threw Belle out.

In the end, though, Amelia was carried out of the cottage in a body bag, dead after supposedly falling down the stairs. Now we all know Tom pushed her, but no one else seemed to realise and he got away with it. So that’s the future if Belle didn’t act and she sure felt guilty about Esther.

Belle shouts at Tom
Belle knows the time has come to tell the truth
Belle’s future Part Four
So it looks like this is the future Belle has chosen – to be honest and open with Charity about everything that has been going on. To tell the right people in the right way and manage the situation to make sure she and her loved ones are protected, while Tom is punished.

As Belle recounted everything she had been through to Charity, our hearts broke. Full props to Eden Taylor-Draper her for her performance – still defending Tom, still coming to terms with what he has done to her and still confused as to whether it was her fault.

Charity started to go in full-Charity mode and we winced, but then she realised, calmed down and told Belle they had all night and could talk about everything.

Did Emmerdale tonight finally put an end to Belle’s abuse storyline?
Well, we’ve been told this will continue until the end of the year, so chances are this is not over.

Tom is likely to twist and manipulate everything, but with the weight of the Dingle family against him, it finally looks like comeuppance won’t be too far off.