This article contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of EastEnders, which airs on BBC One at 7.30pm or can be streamed now on iPlayer.

EastEnders’ Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) may have finally been exposed once and for all by an Albert Square legend,

though it may be a while before said legend can tell anybody, as the mysterious newcomer has left them for dead at the foot of a flight of stairs.

 

 

Jasmine is a true enigma. First emerging in Walford as a fun and feisty free spirit, hustling Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) out of his job and leaving loveable rogue Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) utterly spellbound, there was no early indication of a darker motive, though todays episode sees

 

 

Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), in particular, became a fan early. Real recognises real and when she witnessed Jasmine skilfully finesse Freddie, she appreciated the newcomers powers of manipulation and sheer moxy, qualities she highly values within herself.

 

 

It was clear early on that Jasmine had a vested interest in her devious boss, taking every opportunity to sip up the tea that the other residents of the Square had to spill on Cindy.

New characters’ backstories are usually drip fed, though Jasmine was giving nothing away without a fight. When Oscar suggested that she was either escaping from or looking for something, Jasmine still refused to reveal her hand, coyly offering that she could potentially be doing both.

 

 

Jasmine’s other boss, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) also grew suspicious of the newcomer, especially when she requested to be paid in cash in lieu of providing documentation to become a proper employee. Jasmine had previously explained that she’d left home to avoid joining the ‘family business’, leading Elaine. to believe said ‘family business’ was criminal in nature.

When Jasmine was hit by by Nigel Bates’ (Paul Bradley) car, she revealed her true motive. Gravely injured and slipping in and out of consciousness, she gasped: ‘I can’t die like this, she’s ruined everything, she needs to pay for what she did.’ Against Cindy, right?

Unable to deal with the question mark hanging over his new girlfriends head, Oscar teamed up with Elaine to dig deeper, though they were stopped in their tracks when Jasmine discovered their plot, forcing Oscar squarely onto the back foot, while ensuring a place under Cindy’s roof.

Last week saw Jasmine snatch Anthony Trueman’s (Nicholas Bailey) GP surgery pass and talk heart-eyed Oscar into breaking into his office alongside her. Though she appeared to glean the information she needed from Anthony’s computer, the stolen past would prove to be a factor in her unravelling.

Today’s episode opened with Cindy discussing a letter she’d received from the HMRC detailing that the national insurance number Jasmine had provided was fake. Cindy was spooked when Elaine pointed out that Jasmine clearly had a deep interest in her and she headed home to search for information.

She was busted, though, when Jasmine and Oscar entered her room to find Cindy rooting through her bag. Cindy ends up on the losing end of the exchange, though, when Jasmine expertly disarms her and finds support in the form of Oscar’s big sister, Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), who defends her little brothers’ beau and also confirms that Jasmine can stay, permanently…

Cindy took to the pub for a drink with Elaine and, as they discussed Jasmine. From the booth behind them, Nigel was hit with a memory of the night he ran her down. Confirming he’d heard her say ‘she has to pay’ (and pinched it for his own script), Cindy span into a panic.

Lauren confronted Jasmine over the GP pass and, quick thinking as she is, she provided a plausible excuse for having it. Oscar, however, proved as useful as a chocolate teapot, immediately folding and admitting to their spot of breaking and entering the previous week. Lauren was appalled, declaring Jasmine a bad influence and giving her a week to pack her bags and get ‘aaht of her pub house’…later that week.

Returning home as Oscar and Jasmine stormed away, Lauren discovered Jasmine’s phone and, with Cindy on side, they called her mum and arranged a meeting.

Jasmine’s mum refuted her claims of being kicked out, and warned both Lauren and Cindy of the ‘dark and dangerous’ side her daughter possesses. Clearly wracked with anxiety, she began to open up over Jasmine’s dad’s family, before succumbing to her nerves and hurrying off.