With the soap now airing exclusively on FiveStar following a scheduling shake-up, viewers can expect the return episode to hit hard—and keep hitting harder as the week unfolds.

From unresolved grief and long-buried family trauma to relationships pushed to breaking point, the first episodes of the new year deliver a powerful mix of emotional realism

and shocking twists. Here’s a deep dive into the 10 biggest storylines set to dominate Summer Bay next week—and why their impact will linger far beyond the closing credits.

1. Summer Bay Struggles to Move On After Theo’s Death

The show returns under a cloud of grief as the community continues to mourn Theo’s devastating loss. The sense of absence is palpable, with familiar locations now carrying painful memories. But just as residents try to support one another, one unsuspecting local is blindsided by news of another death—proving that Summer Bay’s emotional wounds are far from healed.

This opening sets the tone for a week defined by sorrow, reflection, and the harsh reality that life doesn’t pause for grief.

2. Cash’s Discovery Changes Everything for Harper

Cash steps into the spotlight with information that will forever alter Harper’s understanding of her past. After Harper previously asked him—controversially—to access police databases for clues about her estranged parents, Cash now has answers.

While Harper tentatively attempts to repair her fractured relationship with sister Dana, their fragile bonding is abruptly interrupted when Cash messages Harper asking to talk. The results of his search have come in—and they’re far from what Harper expected.

3. Harper Is Rocked by a Hidden Family Tragedy

In a quiet, devastating conversation, Cash gently reveals the truth: Harper’s father died four years ago from a drug overdose. The revelation hits Harper like a tidal wave, reopening wounds she never knew existed.

Cash adds another painful layer—her mother, who also battled addiction, is still alive. Harper clings to hope, suggesting that her mother may have turned her life around after the tragedy. But beneath that optimism lies uncertainty: is this hope rooted in reality, or desperation?

4. A Heart-Wrenching Dilemma Leaves Harper Torn

Cash doesn’t stop there. He provides Harper with her mother’s last known whereabouts, placing an enormous decision squarely on her shoulders. Reaching out could bring closure—or reopen old trauma.

Already emotionally overwhelmed, Harper is paralysed by the weight of choice. Should she risk reopening a door that once led to so much pain, or protect herself by leaving the past buried?

5. Dana Learns the Truth—and Reacts Coldly

Harper faces her next challenge: telling Dana their father is dead. But Dana’s response is chilling. She appears emotionally detached, reminding Harper that their parents forfeited the right to matter after years of disappointment and neglect.

Dana’s anger instead turns toward Cash. Furious that he intervened, she accuses him of overstepping. Cash calmly redirects her focus back to Harper, urging her to question why her sister can’t let go—and whether pushing her away is really the answer.

6. Sisters at War: Harper and Dana Clash Over the Past

The sisters’ conflict escalates when Dana confronts Harper directly. Dana insists that fear was the only thing their parents ever gave them and warns that revisiting the past is dangerous.

Harper pushes back, arguing that people can change—that redemption is possible. Dana’s response is brutally final: monsters don’t change. Their argument exposes a painful divide, one rooted in shared trauma but shaped by very different coping mechanisms.

7. Molly Hides His Breaking Point at the Surf Shop

While Lacy takes time away from the surf shop to grieve Theo, Molly does his best to keep everything running smoothly. On the surface, he insists he’s coping—but the truth is far darker.

Overworked, emotionally drained, and isolated, Molly quietly buckles under the pressure. With no time for rest or a social life, his struggle reflects a familiar Home and Away theme: the danger of suffering in silence.

8. David Offers Lacy a Path Through Grief

Lacy turns to David for guidance, visiting him at the police station where he keeps her busy with small tasks. In a rare moment of vulnerability, she opens up about her overwhelming grief and asks how he survived losing Christina.

David’s advice is simple but powerful: keep moving forward, because that’s what the people we’ve lost would want. His words plant a fragile seed of hope—one that Lacy isn’t sure she’s ready to nurture.

9. Lacy’s Return to Work Ends in Heartbreak

Encouraged by David, Lacy returns to the surf shop determined to face the world again. At first, things seem manageable—until a bouquet of flowers arrives in Theo’s memory.

The gesture, meant with kindness, shatters Lacy’s composure. Overcome, she retreats to the beach, where Molly finds her alone and breaking down. Their shared embrace becomes one of the week’s most emotional moments, highlighting the power of friendship in the face of unbearable loss.

10. Eden, Levi, and the Relationship Under Strain

Elsewhere, Eden attempts to make amends with Levi after meddling in his relationship by hijacking Molly’s phone call to Mackenzie. As a peace offering, she buys Levi breakfast and apologizes for overstepping.

Levi reluctantly admits that Eden isn’t to blame for Mackenzie’s frosty response—it’s a symptom of deeper distance between him and Mac. However, concern mounts when Levi overhears Molly speaking to Dean, who insists Mackenzie is “totally fine.”

Molly isn’t convinced—and neither is Levi. While Levi throws himself back into work to avoid confronting his fears, Eden and Abigail worry that he’s spiralling into denial, setting the stage for yet another emotional reckoning.

Final Thoughts: A Powerful, Painful Start to the New Year

Home and Away returns with a week that refuses to pull its punches. From Harper and Dana’s explosive family revelations to Lacy’s raw grief and Levi’s emotional unravelling, these episodes remind viewers why the soap continues to resonate: it tells human stories with honesty, compassion, and devastating impact.

As Summer Bay enters the new year scarred but still standing, one thing is clear—healing will not come easily, and the consequences of these moments will echo long after January begins.