When Oscar Branning reappeared on Albert Square after nearly a decade in the shadows, no one expected the emotional bombshells he’d bring with him. What was supposed to be a long-awaited family reunion has quickly spiraled into one of the most heartbreaking and controversial EastEnders storylines of the year — and fans are not holding back.

The last time viewers saw Oscar, he was just a boy — the forgotten son of the infamous Max and Tanya Branning. Fast forward to July 14, and the teenager, now portrayed by Pierre Moullier, is back in Walford — older, wiser, funnier… but also broken. And what lies beneath his cheeky grin and sarcastic charm has shocked the fandom to its core.

Oscar’s reintroduction wasn’t through a grand Branning family dinner or a nostalgic doorstep reunion. It was a desperate phone call from a youth detention centre. A cry for help — to the only person he had left: his sister, Lauren.

At first, Oscar brought unexpected levity to the Square. Whether misnaming Ian Beale as “Brian” or blatantly flirting with Peter Beale in front of stunned onlookers, his chaotic energy and brutal honesty offered a refreshing shift from Walford’s usual doom and gloom. He even found a place — quite literally — working on the fruit and veg stall once owned by the late Martin Fowler. It felt almost too easy. Too normal.

And then the cracks started to show.

Beneath the swagger and side-eyes, Oscar is hiding something much darker. Whispers of his time before Walford follow him like a shadow. He’s been receiving threatening messages. Sinister warnings. The kind that only come from people who know you, and know what you’ve done. And Oscar, as brave a front as he puts on, is clearly scared.

But it’s not just what Oscar did that has viewers reeling — it’s what was done to him.

This week, EastEnders dropped a brutal twist that left fans furious. For years, Oscar has been estranged from both his parents. His father, Max, hasn’t made contact since 2022. And his mother, Tanya? She didn’t just walk away — she threw him out. Why? Because a gang, targeting Oscar, petrol bombed her house. Rather than protect her son, she chose self-preservation.

Oscar, just a teenager, was cast out — alone, vulnerable, and running from consequences that may not even have been entirely his fault. And that was only the beginning.

In the most recent episode (Wednesday, July 17), Lauren made a devastating discovery. Tanya never told Oscar that his own nephew, little Jimmy, is blind. Not only had she exiled him, but she had erased him — cutting off all connection to the family, hiding life-altering events, and denying him any sense of belonging. It was a betrayal of the deepest kind.

The fallout was immediate — not just on screen, but online. Fans flooded Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), condemning Tanya’s actions as cruel and unforgivable. “She abandoned her son when he needed her most,” one user wrote. Another added: “How dare she keep something like that from him? He’s not a monster — he’s a boy who needed help.”

Some even questioned Tanya’s long-standing place in the Branning saga. Once hailed as a fierce, protective mother, she’s now being labeled a villain by many — not for what she did on-screen this week, but for what she failed to do in the years leading up to it.

Oscar’s pain isn’t loud. It’s quiet. Simmering. His humor masks it, his wit deflects it. But the emotional damage is clear. He doesn’t just feel unwanted — he feels erased.

Now, the question remains: is Oscar on the path to redemption, or destruction?

He’s walking a thin line. With threatening figures lurking in the shadows and unresolved rage simmering beneath his cool façade, one wrong step could send him into a spiral. And with trust broken and family ties hanging by a thread, Lauren may be the only person keeping him afloat.

But how long can she hold on?

As EastEnders continues to peel back the layers of Oscar’s trauma, fans are bracing for more revelations. What exactly happened while he was away? Who is targeting him? And will Tanya ever return to confront the son she discarded — or is her silence the final nail in their relationship?

For now, one thing is certain: Oscar Branning’s return has reignited a fire in Walford — one that threatens to burn through every lie the Brannings ever told.