Tonight's episode seems to be the start of them drawing the battle lines. Shirley and Phil have already Bernard at each other's throats but now Tosh, Tina and Lee are at odds with Billy. Then we have the Mitchell's using Peter Beale as a scapegoat to protect themselves. Mick and Ian have been quite friendly so I wonder if they will include that friendship in the storyline.

I hope they go all out with this and have the Carter's v the Mitchell's v the beales. Would be epic. And throw in the brannings for good measure

With Ronnie Mitchell on your side you're set.

Mick will not be top dog of the Square, it will be our Ron!

I definitely think a Carter/Mitchell storm has been brewing for a while. You've got Shirley's love/hate relationship with Phil, Linda and Sharon being frenemies, Dean breaking into Phil's house and threatening him, Phil scaring the crap out of Johnny when he and his friends broke into The Albert, and Johnny's involvement with Sharon's attack (I'm surprised Shirley didn't give Phil hell over the fact that her grandson could have been really seriously hurt during it as well.)

I have a feeling that when Sharon gets her big revenge plot on Phil, she'll enlist either Linda or Johnny or maybe both to help her with it. Then we've got Ben coming back at some point, and the possibility of him getting together with Johnny and both families hating that - although even if he doesn't, Shirley isn't going to be happy to see him back regardless.

And then we've got all the Lucy stuff, and Lee going to the police about Billy.

So yeah, I can see it exploding between those two families in particular, but the Beales will no doubt be heavily involved through Ian's friendship with Mick and the fact that the Mitchells are gearing up to pin the blame on Peter.

Hopefully this will end up with Phil leaving the square in disgrace, after Sharon has shafted him of all his money and banned him from The Vic, The Albert, the caff...

What will Ronnie do when she gets back and finds out that Sharon has got revenge on Phil? Could be interesting.

She should back the winning team: Sharon.

Ron is The Bride though.

My favourite families at war was the Fowlers and the Mitchells. Epic viewing that was.

I liked Phil and ian not being enemies

Peggy vs Pauline was the pinnacle of that.

Pauline: "What's this strawberry blonde at seventy, that's real is it?".

Ronnie could easily take all the Carters, at the same time. And with Philth as back up who's to stop them!

Ronnie should have continued her path as Walford's tough woman and taken over as head of the Mitchells from Phil.

Sharon can enlist DarkRon to Kill Phil.

Great post and Elly too. It would be really interesting and throwing DarkRon and Sharon into the mix is good because now they have conflicted loyalties.

Also I would love to see Shirley and Phil duelling with St Bernards at each others throats!!!

If Phil did get murdered the BBC could do a Kill Bill style trailer and at the end have the title 'Kill Phil'. Ronnie and Sharon could have samurai swords.

I would love that!!!

It will not happen.

Philth will come out on top at the end of this storyline.

TPTB are pathetic.

I don't think she would do much, as low as her morals are at times, she seems quite sympathetic to the plighted woman, even she knew Phil had gone too far, maybe she even secretly revel in it, being top dog would suit her down to the ground, she went further then Pilth ever has, she has the balls his never been able to find.

Forget Mario Götze, King Phil is the real reason that Germany won their fourth World Cup yesterday.

Oh I know but we can dream.

All very true, Ronnie and Sharon have an understanding now as well.

I would like to see them team up.