Emmerdale fans have been an enthralled by the latest shocking storyline to play out on the soap, with one character looking set to bite the dust.

John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) has been playing a twisted game with the villagers in the ITV soap over the past year.

He has been putting their lives in danger to swoop in as a hero at the last minute, with Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) and Ella Forster (Paula Lane) among the residents whose safety has been put at risk. He was also unmasked as having killed Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter) last year.

Viewers were fearing for Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) after he got into John’s van at the end of last night’s episode (August 20) having just discovered a huge secret about him. While waiting for John to give him a lift to the train station, Mack began snooping inside the car, discovering a scrapbook that feature pictures of John with a man named Ben labeled ‘brothers in arms’.

Earlier in the same episode, Mack watched on as Ben was spotted in the shop by Nate’s estranged wife Tracy Shankley (Amy Walsh), who recognised him as the man who picked up Nate’s belongings a few months ago. Mack begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together, realising that John’s association with Ben must mean that he is Nate’s true killer, and he begins fearing for his life as the pair travel alone to the train station.

*WARNING: Major spoilers below for Emmerdale’s latest episode airing on August 21*

In tonight’s episode, Mack will be seen hitching the promised ride to the train station from John, who he has just discovered is Nate’s killer. Mack’s unease is evident in the car, with John remarking on how quiet he is.

Mack’s discomfort is further exacerbated by the fact that John stops the van in the middle of nowhere, claiming to have heard something fall off the van. Mack attempts to text Robert to alert him, but John interrupts and insists its a two-man job to fix the van. Remarking on how quiet Mack has become, John starts questioning him, with Mack claiming he just has a headache.

John then drops the bombshell that he knows Mack had been snooping in his van and found the scrapbook, and had stumbled upon his killer secret. In an attempt to avoid a confrontation, Mack offers go to London and stay silent, but this isn’t enough for John who informs him that he won’t be dropping him off at the train station.

The pair then brawl, with Mack making a quick exit on foot into the woods while John is on the ground. As Mack flies between the tree, John’s killer intent becomes completely clear when an arrow flies past Mack’s head and into a nearby tree.

A cold-blooded John hunts Mack with his bow and arrow in an attempt to keep his secret from getting out. After another face-to-face confrontation, Mack hides under a fallen tree and his phone starts to ring, giving his location away to John.

Mack begins to run away as John shoots an arrow into his back and through his chest, just as he has picked up the phone to Charity, who asks him to come home and offers to work on things with him. John pockets the phone as he finds an injured Mack pleading for his life.

Not believing that he will stay silent and not tell Aaron the truth, John takes drastic measures and smashes Mack over the head with a nearby rock, seemingly leaving him for dead.

The next time we see John, he arrives back at The Woolpack for a leaving do before him and Aaron depart the village. During their final goodbyes, John spots Mack’s blood on his van, and quickly tries to cover up by telling Aaron he needs to grab some fuel before they leave. It is then revealed that John moved Mack’s lifeless body into the back of his blood-soaked van.