Who sent Frankie a gift from Nate in Emmerdale? All the possible suspects

He may be six feet under (water), but no-one can accuse Nate Robinson of being a bad father – and tonight’s episode of Emmerdale saw him mark little Frankie’s birthday by sending a gift her way. Or at least, the person who killed him did.

As the episode began, Cain popped by to see his granddaughter on her birthday, picking up a package from the doorstep. As he handed it over, Tracy discovered that it contained a card and a gift from ‘Nate.’

Cain talks to Frankie and Tracy on Emmerdale — ‘Nate’ sent Frankie a card on her birthday (Credit: ITV)

News from ‘Nate’ as Frankie gets a birthday present from her dad on Emmerdale

However, Tracy then confirmed that she’d neither seen nor heard from Nate since he left the village, and he still wasn’t answering her calls, even after the limo crash. No great surprise there – Nate is dead, currently chained up and bodybagged at the bottom of a lake.

This begs the question: if Nate didn’t send Frankie a gift on her birthday, then who did?

Caleb

As the death of Nate was confirmed, Caleb emerged as one of the likely suspects. As Friday night’s episode ended, Caleb stormed out of the house on mystery business. The soap then cut to a mystery figure standing by the lake, overlooking Nate’s watery grave.

In addition to the soap hinting that he knows where Nate lies, Caleb was responsible for his disappearance – telling Cain that he’d seen Moira and Nate snogging in the barn. This turned out to be untrue, but by then the damage was done, and innocent Nate earned a beating from Cain.

One theory suggests that Caleb knew full well what he was doing when he dobbed Cain in – and then killed him before he could leave the village. Did Caleb send Frankie’s birthday gift?

Cain

Another figure implied to be at the lake on Friday, Cain spent yesterday morning cleaning mud off of his boots. Cain is unlikely to have killed his son, but it’s not entirely out of the question either – maybe Nate died from injuries obtained during Cain’s beating, and Cain was simply covering his tracks?

Again, it’s unlikely, but don’t count Cain out just yet. After all, whoever sent the gift would have to know when Frankie’s birthday is – so is likely someone close to the family.

John

Add another one to the killer John Sudgen theory. With many viewers believing that John could be a secret serial killer, he’s prime suspect for many to have killed Nate. As he proved with Anthony, the man knows his way around a cover up – if so, sending Frankie a present on her birthday would be an ingenious move.

As for his motive, one fan theory suggests that John has a thing against absentee fathers and killed Nate in a fit of rage after learning he was about to abandon Frankie.

Nate Robinson's body floats back down into the water and we can see the distinctive bracelet (Credit: ITV) — Nate… is that you? (Credit: ITV)

Is Nate still alive on Emmerdale?

Nate’s fate may seem sealed, but lest we forget we’ve not actually seen his face yet. While the bracelet does seem like compelling evidence, there’s always the outside possibility that Nate really is alive and well in Scotland. But how to explain the friendship bracelet?

Emmerdale usually airs weeknights on ITV at 7.30pm, with an early release on ITVX at 7am.

Classic Emmerdale usually airs every weekday on ITV3 at 6am and 6.30am, plus 1.40pm and 2.10pm.

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