Are Tom and Nate dead after Emmerdale airs cryptic clues amid fire drama?

The very next scene saw his business partner Jimmy King (Nick Miles) in a failed call to his nephew, abuser Tom King (James Chase) who has disappeared. We couldn't help but consider that Tom had been caught up in the danger at the barn, losing his phone in the process.

Yes, given that Will was being called by a blackmailer, and that Jimmy's name would have popped up had the phone been Tom's, this particular theory may seem a weak one – but this was not the only clue we noticed along the way.

Jimmy discussed the possibility that missing Tom had been attacked by wife Belle's (Eden Taylor-Draper) protective brother Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), and Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) hoped there was "nothing left of" Tom.

Belle also voiced her worry that Cain had made this happen, and a long list of foreshadowing comments followed tonight, with Belle soon told that Tom would never hurt her again. Could this be proved true, with Tom having perished off-screen?

Also absent was Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter), last seen on Monday. It was John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) who helped Nate decide not to confront Moira (Natalie J Robb) about painting him in a bad light after all.

Nate apparently opted to leave the village without any goodbyes, which felt like a strange final scene – even under the tense circumstances.

His estranged wife Tracy (Amy Walsh) told half-sister Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) about the fire, adding that she had been scared Nate was caught up in it.

Tracy explained that she had heard Nate had already left, before sadly - but oddly - declaring that their daughter Frankie would apparently never see him again.

Vanessa pointed out that Nate wasn't "gone forever" and would always be there for the little girl. But what if he won't be, off-screen or on?

As Tracy left Nate an emotional voicemail begging him not to let Frankie down - something which, despite his faults as a partner, Nate had never done before - is Emmerdale hinting that Nate has been permanently taken out of the equation, if they fail to hear from him again?

Finally, Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) expressed her hopes that Cain had torn vile Tom apart - for good. But with the ITV soap having teased villager deaths in the fire, could Tom or Nate have been secretly killed in the explosion?

Are evil Tom and innocent Nate dead, bringing possible closure for Belle but devastating Cain, who ended on bad terms with Nate?

Read more:

• 5 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Kim Tate is kidnapped by Will's blackmailer
• Emmerdale's Belle King reveals Tom's abuse in powerful futuristic episode
• Emmerdale stars tease tragedy as Moira and Ruby face barn fire horror
• 4 Emmerdale spoilers: Barn explosion leaves Moira and Ruby trapped

Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX.

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