Beyond the Gates Spoilers Week of Nov 16: Joey Armstrong Threatens Heather Armstrong After She Turns on Vanessa McBride

JOEY ARMSTRONG DRAWS THE LINE AT VANESSA

TL;DR: Heather Armstrong turned on Vanessa McBride Friday and took a knife to a pillow. Next week Joey Armstrong threatens his sister, and the previews have him put his hands on her.

Heather Took Her Rage Out on a Pillow, for Now

It is confirmed: Friday’s episode sent Heather Armstrong (Ashley Jones) back to her hotel room, where she grabbed a knife and gutted a pillow. Now the Beyond the Gates spoilers for Joey and Heather turn the heat up, because Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom) threatens his sister next week. The reason is Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli). So who strikes first?

Here is what aired on Fri Nov 13. Vanessa pushed to sell Heather’s condo fast, while Heather wanted to slow down because she was upgrading the kitchen. Then she asked Vanessa to simply not tell Joey, and Vanessa refused. Heather told her Joey lies to her all the time, told her to shut up, and, per one recap, warned she would still be around after Vanessa “disappears.”

Vanessa went straight to Joey, shaken. Earlier, per our own recap, Joey had told Heather to head back to London and compared her to their father, right after he warned Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings) at Uptown. Heather answered by asking him to picture Vanessa learning everything she has done. That is not a sister asking for a hug. That is a hostage note.

Is Joey finally right to get rough with his sister, or is he playing into her hands? Write to the editor at amber@soapoperamagazine.com and tell us how this ends.

Joey’s One Week Deadline Ran Out Friday

On Fri Nov 6, Joey gave Heather one week to tie up loose ends, after she swore again that she had nothing to do with Vanessa’s Sept 29 carjacking. The plan was simple: Vanessa sells the condo, Joey’s lawyer takes over Uptown, Heather goes home. Friday was day seven. Heather was still in town, still renovating, and openly hostile to the woman on her brother’s arm.

Then the previews land. The day by day lines for Monday, Nov 16 have Joey make a bold promise and grab Heather by the throat, and Heather refuses to back down. A description of the weekly promo has him push her against a wall and ask for one good reason not to end her, then promise Vanessa he will not let anyone hurt her, his sister included. Another headline for the week keeps it plain: Joey Armstrong threatens Heather.

He has held his tongue for six weeks. As we laid out when Joey kept Heather’s carjacking secret from Vanessa, on screen he only suspects his sister, and he has never named her to Vanessa. On Nov 4 he even told Izaiah Hawthorne (Lami) that marriage would put a target on Vanessa’s back. On Friday, Heather painted the target herself.

Is Vanessa in Danger From Heather on Beyond the Gates?

Yes, more than at any time since the carjacking, and that is our read of the record. On the threat map we built Oct 24, Heather’s targets ran Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) first, then Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman), Smitty Smith (Mike Manning) and Joey Armstrong himself, with Vanessa sixth. Every one of those threats came through a go-between, a warning or a fantasy. Friday was different. Heather looked Vanessa in the eye and talked about her disappearing.

And Vanessa still knows nothing. She does not know Heather is The Impaler, a secret only Joey holds, and nobody on screen has proof Heather set up the carjacking. That blind spot is what makes her easy prey. Tuesday’s preview says Vanessa lets her guard down, which is the worst idea in Fairmont Crest with Heather still in town.

Who Strikes First Between Joey and Heather

On paper, Joey does, if the Monday line holds. But Heather has never backed down from her brother, and that same preview says she does not back down this time either. My gut tells me the pillow was a rehearsal, not a release. Don’t be surprised if Joey Armstrong wins the shove and loses the war, because a brother who grabs his sister by the throat just handed her a story to tell Vanessa.

There is a softer road in the mix. Tuesday also has Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnee Duplaix) and Joey finding surprising common ground, and Vanessa spent Friday planning Thanksgiving with Deanna McBride (Angela Fairley), even asking her to bring Noah Rollins (Nick Hagelin). Meanwhile Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) is still hunting The Impaler with no idea who she is, and Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) is still fighting to clear Smitty.

Who blinks first, Joey or Heather? Leave your call in the comments and tell us if Vanessa should run.

For every twist in Fairmont Crest, keep up with all our Beyond the Gates coverage.

Heather Picked the Wrong Woman to Threaten

Heather can survive her brother’s temper. What she cannot survive is Joey deciding that Vanessa matters more than blood, and Friday’s little speech about Vanessa disappearing may be the line that makes him choose.

We are Team Joey on this one, with one warning: grab The Impaler by the throat and you had better be ready for what she does next. Is Vanessa next, or is Heather? Tell us on our Facebook page.