This week on Home and Away in Australia, Theo’s life is on the line as Gage exacts a cruel and painful revenge.
At the end of last week, new River Boy Gage (Tom Wilson) discovered that his girlfriend Lacey (Sophea Pennington) and his new driver Theo (Matt Evans) were carrying on behind his back.
The pair have been sneaking around for the past few weeks after giving in to their mutual attraction, and despite both Lacey and Sonny (Ryan Bown) warning Theo that he’s crazy to be messing with Gage’s girlfriend, Theo didn’t seem to be put off.
Theo met Gage and Lacey via Sonny, when Sonny was looking to make a quick buck after being cut off by his childhood friend Remi (Adam Rowland), shortly after he made a move on Remi’s girlfriend Bree (Juliet Godwin).
Gage approached Sonny one evening at Salt, after overhearing him and Theo discussing cars, and told him to give him a call if he wanted to make some easy money.
The River Boy leader soon hired Theo and Sonny to fix the cars that the River Boys were using for illegal street racing, and the pair were blown away by the money on offer.
When one of Gage’s drivers betrayed him by throwing a race, he was suddenly down a driver, prompting Theo to offer his services.
Gage wasn’t happy with Theo’s offer to race, feeling like he was losing control of the situation, but he changed his mind when Theo narrowly won the race, and Theo soon found himself employed as the River Boys’ newest driver.
Moments after his first win, Theo and Lacey ran into the River Boys’ garage, where they gave into their attraction for one another.
After putting their clothes back on, Lacey made it clear she’d love to do it again sometime.
While Theo was keen to race again, he wasn’t happy racing in one of Gage’s cars, as it meant he had to give up a hefty chunk of the winnings – instead, he wanted to race his own car, the one he’s spent the last few months transforming.
Gage eventually agreed to let Theo drive his own vehicle, though he later offered to buy the newly restored car as they sat down with Lacey at Salt at the end of last week’s Australian episodes.
However, no matter how high an offer he made, Theo refused to take it – making it clear that even if Gage offered double, “the car is not for sale.”
As Gage headed to the bar to buy a round of drinks, Theo continued to flirt with Lacey, telling her: “The things I’d do if he wasn’t here…”
As Theo stroked Lacey’s leg with his foot, Lacey told him: “You’re crazy.”
The following day after, while Gage was busy attending a secret meeting with Sonny at Salt – where Sonny offered to drive in Theo’s place – Theo got a text from Lacey inviting them to meet outside the surf club.
As the pair kissed in Theo’s car, Lacey warned him: “You’re asking for trouble.”
“I know,” Theo replied with a smile.
Theo then took Lacey for a drive in his car, giving them some alone time together without risk of being caught. But within seconds of returning to Summer Bay, they were caught out!
When Gage walked around the corner to see his girlfriend and his newest driver kissing, his feelings were clear to see – but rather than storm over to the pair, he did his best to keep his anger in check.
Now, Aussie magazine TV Week has revealed that Theo will be left for dead later this week, as Gage and his gang of River Boys exact their revenge.
In Thursday’s episode, Theo will take another trip to Gage’s garage, where he’s spent the past few weeks repairing cars for big bucks, before he switched to driving them.
He realises something’s wrong as he spots Lacey held down in a chair. While Lacey tries to encourage Gage not to do anything stupid, it’s at that point that Gage coldly reveals he saw them kissing, and he wants Theo to pay.
“Lacey never wants to look like she needs to be protected, but she definitely feels the danger of Gage finding out,” Matt explains to TV Week.
Before Theo can make a break for it, he’s surrounded by Gage’s fellow River Boys, who grab his arms and begin to tie him up, attaching straps to each arm.
“Theo doesn’t realise the danger he’s in until it’s too late,” Matt adds. “Gage certainly has a trick up his sleeve [that] Theo isn’t prepared for.”
The boys then drag Theo underneath a hydraulic lift, onto which his own car has been hoisted, and strap him to it. His car sits a meter above him, and only a few button presses stand between him and being crushed to death.
With no way to escape, Theo pleads with Gage to let him go, but Gage begins to play with the controls, teasing Theo as he lowers the car ever closer to him.
With Gage’s attention on Theo, Lacey manages to sneakily send a text to Sonny, urging him to come help.
Back in Summer Bay, Sonny races to get hold of Cash (Nicholas Cartwright), but when the cop doesn’t answer, he’s forced to head to the River Boys’ compound alone. But is it too late?
Back at the garage, Gage continues to lower the car down towards Theo, as he ignores Lacey’s pleas for him to stop. Lacey tries to wrestle the controls from her boyfriend, while Theo tugs at the straps holding him in place, but it’s a losing battle.
As Sonny runs through the door, Gage lowers the full weight of the car down onto Theo! Sonny’s arrival doesn’t help, as the other River Boys set about pummelling him, stopping him from getting anywhere near Gage or Theo.
“Theo screams as loudly as he can, but it could be too late,” Matt suggests.
With the full weight of the car crushing him, it looks like it’s the end for Theo, as his breath slips away. Is this goodbye?
Teaser spoilers for next week tell us that “Theo pays the ultimate price,” suggesting that he may not make it.
Other teasers also hint that Gage may get away with his actions. He’s “a step ahead of the police” next Monday, but “Cash questions Gage” on Tuesday – will he have enough evidence to charge him?
It seems like it’ll be Lacey’s actions which see Gage get his comeuppance, as “Gage worries that Lacey has betrayed him” in next Wednesday’s episode.
Will her growing feelings for Theo see her betray her current boyfriend? And will Theo survive his crushing ordeal?
