TONIGHT'S EMMERDALE FELT NOSTAGLIC AS AARON STOOD UP FOR ROBERT

Tonight's Emmerdale Episode (Thursday 12th February) saw Aaron Dingle stand up for his fiancé, Robert Sugden whilst also having a very nostalgic feel especially during tonight's final scene as well as looking into Robert's childhood trauma.

Before I continue I have to say how wonderful it's been seeing the friendship between Aaron and Victoria revisited throughout the week, as well as some home truths for Victoria delivered by both Robert and Aaron.

Photo Credit: ITV/ Emmerdale

With Victoria Sugden preparing to leave the village, she collected her suitcase from Aaron Dingle and Robert Sugden's flat where Aaron was acting all shifty following the arrival of John Sugden's ashes.

In The Woolpack toilets, Tracy Metcalfe and Robert had a plan for John's ashes which Tracy chose to flush down the toilet as Aaron and Victoria walked in with Victoria refusing to listen to her brother.

Later during a chat with Victoria, Aaron defended the love of his life and soulmate, “Losing his mum, then your mum turns up, and he loses Jack to her, then you turn up and it gets even worse.” It was nice to hear some past dialogue from 2002 along with remembering 2016 when Robert confided in Aaron, not before saying “No-one ever speaks up for Robert.” That was until Aaron came along, but this is why the characters of Robert and Aaron work so well together, as they always have each other's back through everything that is thrown their way. But it was Robert's facial expression as Victoria left saw the vulnerable side of Robert come through after Victoria finally started to realise the trauma her brother went through growing up “You were left out since you were little... But we've never spoken about it because I've never known what to say.”

Photo Credit: ITV/ Emmerdale

In the final scene, Aaron followed Robert up to Annie's field where Robert found a plaque buried featuring some great dialogue giving us viewers a very nostalgic feel especially as it reminded me of all these years ago with my Grandma watching this show, filled with heartfelt moments, and revisiting key moments from the show's 53 years so far (54 this year), sorry but I had to include the dialogue.

Robert: “I don’t believe it. I fell over it. I fell over, I look down and I saw it. It’s the farm stone.” Before Robert said “I’m not going mad you idiot, it's THE stone. THE farm stone. Look, look at it.”

*Aaron walked over to Robert* “Oh My God.” *Both laugh*

Robert: “Every day when I was going down the track for school, I used to touch it and on the way back, I’d touch it again. I hated it, but I had to do it. Gran, Uncle Joe, Dad, we’ve all touched this stone our DNA is in this stone... When Vic comes back, and she will even if I have to drag her.”

Aaron supporting his fiancé plans: “Go on then, Sugden. What’s your plan for it?”

Robert: “It’s gonna be set in the wall. And you know what’s gonna be on the other side of that wall? OUR farm. You, me, Vic and Harry... our farm! Don't know how we've gonna do it, but we’re gonna do it, but were doing it... We’ll build it all back up. And no-one’s ever gonna take it away again.”

The way that Aaron placed his hand on fiancés back was quite touchingly beautiful as it was like we are gonna do this together through the good and bad times, and the way Robert said “Our Farm” - it felt like the first time, Robert believed in himself and that he could actually make his plans work with his fiancé by his side.

This episode of Emmerdale aired on Thursday 12th February, 2026 at 8pm on ITV1, and YouTube, and ITVX from 7am.