Lying unconscious and bleeding in the Vita Nova compound, Justin is in a bad way on Home And Away this week. No-one knows he’s there and as time ticks away, he may not make it out…
With the police making slow progress, Justin (James Stewart) decides to go rogue to try to free Andrew (Joshua Hewson) from the notorious cult led by the ruthless Margot (Mandy McElhinney).
The police is moving to slow for Andrew and Justin.
(Image: Supplied)So far, Justin and cop Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) have been blocked at every turn. Andrew himself turned them away, insisting the cult’s compound is his home.
But this week, when Justin finds a note from Andrew in his belongings, he knows he has to act.
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“Andrew is brainwashed… but it’s also a case of Stockholm Syndrome – he doesn’t know any better,” James, 47, tells TV WEEK.
“Justin sees the note as proof Andrew is still thinking for himself, having independent thoughts that Vita Nova and Margot aren’t controlling.”
Justin makes a break for it.
(Image: Supplied)Home And Away’s Leah (Ada Nicodemou) warns her partner to wait for Cash. But the following morning, Justin is nowhere to be found. When Cash fronts up to Vita Nova, he’s turned away and is forced to leave – he has no warrant.
Inside, Margot wields her power, taunting a helpless Justin, his phone locked away. When she leaves, however, Andrew comes to his aid.
“Who knows what their intentions are, but they’re not good,” Justin says of his perilous situation. “Then, Andrew sneaks in and tries to fix his wounds.”
Andrew urges him to leave while he creates a distraction. It’s now or never. Justin makes a break for it, racing across the compound unseen. But just as he’s in the clear, he cops an arrow to the thigh.
Justin crumples to the ground, bleeding. Andrew tries to help, but can’t move him. It’s only a matter of time before Margot’s henchmen find him. Can he escape before it’s too late?
For long-serving Home And Away actor James, the storyline has been a welcome challenge that involved research into Doomsday preppers and the balance in bringing it to screen.
“I had long conversations with our directors about our responsibility as adults in educating young adults and children,” he says of the arc. “Big stakes, dangerous situations, great cast and the best crew – couldn’t ask for more as an actor.”
