Just when you thought Niall (Mitchell Robinson) might be able to break free from his psychotic “brother” Ruben (Stuart Campbell) by escaping to university, he invites the vampire back in.
Following a pant-wetting introduction to life as a fresher – complete with copious amounts of vodka in the union – Niall was taken under the wing of the gentle Alby (Bilal Hasna), who awakened a previously unexplored spark
within him.
But sadly for Niall, his childhood tormentor – and sometime protector – Ruben brought the situation to a violent, bloody end. So what exactly happened, and what does it tell us about the future?
The Cafe Scene
Encouraged by Alby, Niall set off to the cafe to confront Ruben about something Ruben had told him the night before: that their dad had another child. However, Ruben denied ever saying it.
Ruben remains unrepentant for spitting in Joanna’s face, even doubling down on his actions and revealing a psychopathic lack of empathy, particularly towards women. When Niall gently suggests it’s time to go home, Ruben is furious.
“Why should you get all of this and I get nothing?” he asks, “We share everything!” Back in episode one, when Ruben told Niall they were “family,” it sounded like a threat; now, he’s putting it into action. Niall can’t escape this abusive relationship, and Ruben is making him feel guilty for wanting a life without him.
When Niall returns to the student halls, he misleads Alby into believing he’s told Ruben the truth. Later, when Ruben arrives, the pair talk at crossed purposes: Ruben thinks Niall is apologising for the damage he (Ruben) caused, under the assumption that he will now be living there.
When the penny drops for Alby, the situation turns volatile. Alby threatens to out Niall, prompting Niall to rush and cover Alby’s mouth. Alby, however, shakes him off.
As Yazoo’s “Only You” – a song seemingly ubiquitous for ’80s-set TV trauma – plays, Niall watches Alby being carted off in an ambulance stretcher. Simultaneously, Ruben is taken away by the police, pausing only to shoot gun-fingers at Niall. He was so close to living a life of freedom, away from Ruben, but once again, Ruben destroyed what little peace he had begun to know.
The narrative then jumps back to the current timeline, where Ruben’s ominous gun-fingers are seen again at a wedding. But first, a reveal! Who will Niall be meeting at the top of the aisle? It’s only… Alby! Mainly identifiable by the lasting scars from when Ruben mangled his face. How has this come to pass? Alby is marrying Niall, the brother of the man who violently assaulted him, and his attacker is now sitting in a pew at the church. Exchanging bewildered glances, the couple whisper about how to handle Ruben’s presence, deciding to just “get through this” – a joyous occasion now overshadowed by a threatening spectre from their past. With Niall and Ruben eyeballing each other, Niall, with a quick intake of breath, says: “I do.” But what on earth is going to go down in the reception afterwards?
