It's been a turbulent fortnight for EastEnders' Ronnie Mitchell as she and partner Charlie Cotton confessed their biggest secrets to each other. Just when it seemed like the couple were getting back on track, they were soon rocked by the return of Charlie's villainous father Nick.
Here, in our latest Soap Spy column, Ryan Love reveals why he thinks recent storylines have rejuvenated Ronnie's character.
Full disclosure. I've always been a big fan of Veronica Mitchell. Strong and protective, she was a breath of fresh air when she arrived in Albert Square in the summer of 2007. Sam Womack was a revelation as the tragic Mitchell sister.
Without writing her biography (seriously, I'd buy that), it's safe to say we all know where things went wrong and by the time we bid farewell to a character I barely recognised, I was helping organise the farewell party.
Last year, Ronnie made her surprise return after being released from prison. Last thing I expected to be added to her resumé was murderer. Alas, New Year's Day saw that ruthless disposal of Carl White.
Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins had teased that Ronnie would be heading down a dark new path. He was not joking.
"The question with Ronnie is, 'Is she her father's daughter?' I think we're going to see with Ronnie how someone becomes a villain," he said. "I keep talking about Darth Vader - the making of a villain. Not a soap bitch, but a villain."
But then something happened. And his name is Charlie Cotton.
I was instantly sold on this pairing. There was just something about this new couple that worked. I didn't have much hope for their future when Ronnie first revealed her pregnancy and vanished off-screen once again. For one, Charlie's own identity had question marks over it. Would he even still be on the Square by the time Ronnie and bump returned?
Thankfully, yes, he was. And the writers have got it spot on. Ronnie has been re-born.
There's a spark there that has been missing for too long. Dare I say it, Veronica looks happy. Dominic - the man who created the character - is finally restoring her to greatness. Ronnie and Charlie confessing their lies to each other was such a nice touch, but an important one highlighting the strength of the relationship.
I've already got more viewing enjoyment out of Rarlie / Chonnie than anything we saw between Ronnie and Jack.
The pairing also offers us a great bond between the Mitchells and Cottons as we approach the 30th anniversary. Nick Cotton may have bitten off more than he can chew when he takes on his soon-to-be daughter-in-law...
For now though, I hope Dominic and his team plan on keeping Ronnie smiling. There's so much potential for Ronnie to be more than a token villain. I hope the plans mentioned earlier have been put on the backburner. Everyone has happily moved on from the Carl incident. Let's just leave it that way please.
And then there's the simple matter of Ronnie the mum. Let's have a happy birth and a happy baby. God knows, poor Amy could do with someone to play with when she's hiding off-screen.
Speaking of Amy, Roxy feels rejuvenated in recent scenes with her sister and Aleks (seriously, does anyone else find themselves shocked to be loving Roxy and Aleks?!). Two words for you: "It's kettle". Brilliant.
I doubt Ronnie will have won any new fans recently, but I hope, like me, some of you have rediscovered the great character she is and can be. If things continue, 2015 could well be the year of the Mitchell-Cottons.
