Heartbreak, hope, and a looming threat collide in Home and Away as Roo Stewart’s long-held dream of building a family with foster child Cohen faces its

most devastating challenge yet. Just as Roo dares to believe her future is finally taking shape, a mysterious newcomer arrives in Summer Bay—one who could change everything.

Upcoming Australian episodes reveal that Roo’s plans to adopt Cohen hit an unexpected and deeply emotional roadblock when a man steps forward claiming

he may be the boy’s biological father. The revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community and forces Roo into a fight she never saw coming—one that could cost her the child she has already come to love as her own.

The drama unfolds in a newly released Home and Away promo, which revisits the tender moment that sparked Roo’s hope. Viewers are reminded of the scene where Roo gently asked Cohen how he would feel if she adopted him. His shy but heartfelt reaction filled her with renewed purpose, reigniting her desire to become a mother again after years of loss and disappointment.

In one particularly touching moment, Roo watches as Marilyn snaps a photo of Cohen holding his fishing rod before he heads off for a day at the beach with Alf. The boy’s smile, carefree and trusting, makes Roo’s heart swell. For a brief moment, it seems like everything is finally falling into place. The promo’s voiceover reflects this optimism, suggesting Roo’s dreams of motherhood are closer than ever.

But that fragile hope shatters in an instant.

The tone shifts dramatically when a stranger enters Yabbie Creek Police Station. Played by actor Tom Matthews, the man calmly introduces himself to staff behind the counter. “I’m Adrian Pcel. I’m here about Cohen,” he says—words that immediately set alarm bells ringing.

In an interview room, Sergeant Langham questions Adrian, cutting straight to the heart of the matter: is there a chance he could be Cohen’s father? The implication alone is enough to upend everything Roo has been working toward.

Moments later, Roo arrives at the station, clearly rattled by the news she’s just received. Through the glass of the interview room, she watches Adrian speak with police, her hand instinctively flying to her head as she struggles to process what this could mean. The shock is written all over her face. This is not a complication she had prepared for.

When Roo and Adrian finally come face-to-face, the tension is immediate. Adrian thanks her for taking care of Cohen, attempting a polite, almost conciliatory tone. Roo’s response is icy. “Well, no one else was here to do it,” she snaps, making it painfully clear that she sees him as an intruder rather than a grateful parent.

The promo poses a chilling question: How far will Roo go to protect him?

It quickly becomes clear that Roo wants Adrian to keep his distance, at least until the truth is established. But Adrian appears unwilling to stay on the sidelines. In a move that sends Roo into panic mode, he approaches Cohen in a park back in Summer Bay and drops a bombshell no child should ever have to hear so suddenly.

“I think I’m your dad,” Adrian tells him.

The moment is explosive.

Roo rushes in, horrified. “You can’t say that to him,” she shouts, her voice shaking with fear and anger as Cash arrives, having spotted the confrontation. Cohen, visibly confused and distressed, delivers a heartbreaking response: “I don’t have a dad.”

The pain in that statement cuts deep—not just for Roo, but for everyone watching. This is the child Roo has promised stability, safety, and love. And now, in a single reckless moment, all of that feels threatened.

Cash steps in to de-escalate the situation, demanding to know what’s going on, but the damage has already been done. Cohen has been forced to confront a truth—or possibility—he wasn’t ready for, and Roo’s worst fear has been realized: someone else may have a legal and emotional claim to the child she considers her son.

Behind the scenes, Adrian’s arrival has been building for some time. Fans had already begun speculating after actor Tom Matthews was spotted filming alongside Cohen actor Nathan Murray back in March. In scenes shot earlier this year, the two were seen together in Summer Bay, sparking theories about a long-lost family connection.

One fan, Haley Woodman, later reported seeing Matthews and Murray filming again weeks later, this time sharing a warm hug as Roo watched from a distance. At the time, the significance of the moment was unclear. Now, it appears those scenes were laying the groundwork for this emotionally charged storyline.

If Adrian truly is Cohen’s biological father, Roo faces an impossible choice. Can she step aside for the sake of what’s “right,” even if it breaks her heart? Or will she fight to keep the family she’s been dreaming of, no matter the cost?

As Home and Away delves into themes of parenthood, identity, and belonging, this storyline promises to test Roo like never before. Her love for Cohen is undeniable—but love alone may not be enough when biology, law, and unresolved pasts collide.

One thing is certain: the arrival of Adrian threatens to rewrite Roo and Cohen’s future before it has even begun. And in Summer Bay, where every secret eventually surfaces, the emotional fallout is only just getting started.