Coronation Street fans were in shock on Wednesday evening as the cobbles was hit with a horror stabbing spree in Speed Daal.
The Weatherfield residents were seen fleeing from the Indian restaurant in the night, after an attacker let loose as the refugee centre was formally opened.
Maria (Samia Longchambon) made a speech welcoming the refugees and offering them support – but meanwhile, Max was on his phone listening to Blake outside Speed Daal, making a racist speech pledging to put an end to the refugee centre by whatever means necessary.
Moments later, he was seen filtering through the crowds in the restaurant, after revealing he had a knife in his pocket.
Max, played by Paddy Bever, ran to Speed Daal and arrived before the carnage but was intercepted by Gary Windass at the door.
Then, Blake was heard saying ‘Time for action’ as he recorded himself moving forward towards Maria and wielding the knife in horrid scenes.
The horrific violence unfolded as Alya Nazir rushed over to Maria’s aid, only to be stabbed with the deadly weapon herself.
Gary tackled Blake to the ground, but it was too late, with Alya crouched over and clutching her chest at the bleeding wound.
In later scenes, the critically wounded character was rushed to hospital, where her grandmother Yasmeen anxiously awaited news. In the soap's final scenes she was told Alya was going into surgery with a punctured lung.
The scenes left fans at home in shock at the bloodbath, as one took to Twitter to write: “Boy, they REALLY want to kill off Alya!
A second added: "Flipping eck how many times is Alya going to face death," as a third wrote: "Poor Alya can’t catch a break nowadays."
Fellow fans fumed at Corrie's bloody scenes and Max's inability to do anything despite knowing Blake was holding a weapon, as one wrote: "What is happening in Corrie now ffs.... Why is that old bully of Max now involved in this stupid storyline ?? Why is this still going on ?? Why more violence. So boring."
Another penned: "Max should have rang the police as soon as he saw the video. He literally stood there and did nothing."
"And why didn't Max say there's a knife fgs! It's like the bomb all over again," another added.
Elsewhere, the residents on the cobbles were left reeling from the sudden outbreak of violence, as Max was forced to reckon with his part in it, after his videos he made from his time as Griff Reynolds’ editor were the inspiration for the stabbing spree.
After the devastating stabbing spree has unfolded as a result of Max’s work with Griff, could the teen be plunged into an even darker hole with the deaths on his conscience?
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
