Has Zoe Slater Truly Changed? She Helped Tommy Only to Coldly Steal Kat’s Money to Find Her Son – Will She Ever Stop Causing Trouble for Her Family?
A Tale of Two Zoes
Zoe’s latest episode was a story of redemption and relapse. At first, she showed her softer side, stepping up as a big sister to Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) and helping him face his fears after a harrowing few weeks. But by nightfall, her good intentions crumbled as she stole hundreds of pounds from her own mother, Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).
Her decision marks yet another downward spiral for the returning Slater, who has brought chaos to Walford ever since reappearing after a 20-year absence.
From Reconciliation to Betrayal
Earlier in the episode, Zoe impressed both Kat and Alfie with her compassion when she sat down with Tommy, who has been struggling after his entanglement with violent stepbrother Joel Marshall (Max Murray).
In a tender scene, Zoe spoke to Tommy in classic Slater style, using an analogy about crisps to remind him of his inner strength. “You might be a Moon by name,” she told him, “but you’ve got Slater spirit. You don’t give up, not ever.”
Her heartfelt words finally got through — Tommy agreed to return to school, and Kat was moved by how her daughter had handled the situation. For the first time since Zoe’s return, peace seemed possible.
But moments later, that illusion shattered.
The Theft at The Vic
As Kat counted the night’s takings, she realised the till was short by several hundred pounds. The look on her face said it all — she already knew who was responsible.
The truth was confirmed in the next scene when Zoe was shown sitting alone, on the phone to a new private investigator. The stolen notes were spread out before her as she promised the P.I. more money soon. Her desperation to locate her long-lost son had once again driven her to betray her family.
Haunted by the Past
Zoe’s torment has been building since she revealed the truth about her missing child — one of the twins she secretly gave birth to years earlier. While her baby girl was tragically stillborn, Zoe fled the hospital intending to give her son up for adoption.
That secret came crashing down when corrupt private investigator Greg Dolan (Dean Williamson) resurfaced, blackmailing her and taking Kat and Stacey (Lacey Turner) hostage. Since Greg’s downfall, Zoe has been obsessed with finding her son — but her obsession is fast becoming self-destructive.
To make matters worse, her tangled past with Max Branning (Jake Wood) and long-time rival Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) continues to haunt her, leaving her isolated from nearly everyone in Walford.
Has Zoe Gone Too Far?
While fans have sympathised with Zoe’s anguish, stealing from Kat — the mother who’s fought so hard to forgive her — may be the final straw.
Kat, who’s already dealing with Tommy’s emotional struggles, will soon face an impossible decision: confront Zoe and risk pushing her away again, or stay silent and hope her daughter finds her way back before she self-destructs completely.
Zoe may have rediscovered her family, but her latest betrayal could destroy that fragile bond forever.