So this might be a controversial opinion, but I was never keen on how Robert and Aaron got back together. It felt like the writers had already decided they wanted them engaged at Corriedale and were just trying to add drama that would get them back together in time for that moment. Now it feels like they don’t really know what to do with them.
I would have much preferred them not to get back together and instead see Robert rebuilding his life and finding happiness outside of Aaron. I would have liked to see him have friendships, have a steady role on the farm, maybe explore a few business ventures — Emmerdale seems to have forgotten what a savvy businessman he was. I also would have liked to see Robert make the effort to rebuild his relationship with Seb, rather than seeing him stuck in the same cycle of moping, pining and/or scheming whenever he isn’t with Aaron.
I would have liked to see Aaron pining for Robert. Yes, we did see some of that during the affair era, but Robert wasn’t his authentic self during that time. Robert has never really had a healthy relationship as an out and proud bisexual man apart from Aaron, and I think he deserved the chance to see that other people could care about him, support him, and even love him outside of that relationship.
I think seeing Robert genuinely happy — whether that was through dating someone else or simply building a life for himself (without Aaron) — would have affected Aaron more than anything else. Aaron would have had to live with the fact that Robert listened to him when he told him to move on and that he didn’t want him, rather than Robert being ready and waiting for Aaron to take him back at a moment’s notice. Seeing Aaron wrestle with how he truly felt and fully accepting it would have been far more interesting.
I also really didn’t like the fact Aaron was so adamant that he didn’t want Robert anymore, giving him a list of reasons why he would never choose him over John. Then, as soon as it was revealed that John was a serial killer, it felt like Aaron was suddenly all over Robert again. It made it feel like he had settled for Robert, or that Robert was his second choice, rather than Aaron choosing him because he was the love of his life. I just think that was poorly handled.
Robert deserved to feel chosen. After everything they had been through, their reunion should have felt like Aaron making a clear decision that Robert was the person he wanted, rather than it feeling rushed by the circumstances around them.
Everything felt so rushed, especially for a fandom who waited 18 months to hear Aaron tell Robert “I love you” again. They waited nearly a year for them to get back together when 2017 happened, and there was so much excitement about Robert’s return after six years away. For a couple with such a dedicated fanbase, their reunion deserved much more care, time, and emotional build-up.
Sorry, but I just don’t think anything after September was handled well for Robron. This is all just my opinion.
(And don’t get me started on the Kev of it all.)