6 times Emmerdale legend Cain Dingle went from bad to good and showed viewers he actually has a heart

Cain Dingle in Emmerdale has been guilty of committing some terrible crimes in his time. However, he’s not all bad. There have been moments of redemption, where Cain has shown viewers his softer, more vulnerable side.

He’s capable of learning from his mistakes too, as he’s shown recently with the remorse he felt over his fling with Ruby Fox-Miligan.

So let’s take a trip down memory lane to all those times Cain opened his heart, or rediscovered he had a conscience after all.

Emmerdale Cain goes good: Falling in love with Angie

Cain has never had a problem stealing other men’s wives, in fact he thrives off it. In 2001 he embarked on a high-risk affair with married police officer Angie Reynolds. Cain blamed her for the d.e.a.t.h of his cousin Butch, but loathing soon turned to lust. Despite her best efforts, Angie couldn’t resist the lure of the local bad boy.

During their stormy relationship Cain behaved appallingly. When Angie decided to end things and go back to her husband Sean, Cain decided to seduce her daughter Ollie in revenge. As well as having his wicked way with Ollie, Cain also attacked Angie’s elderly dad Len and pushed him down the stairs.

When Angie found out what Cain had done she vowed her revenge. She set him up for a robbery, but the plan went disastrously wrong when Angie crashed her police car. She was fatally wounded and d.i.e.d in Cain’s arms. During her last moments, Cain proved he had a heart after all as he declared his love for Angie, and begged her to say those three words back to him.

They never did and Cain was left bereft.

Getting one over on Sadie King

What do you get when you put two villains together? A whole lot of evil is the answer.

Cain first got involved with scheming Sadie King after she enlisted his services to stop the marriage between Tom King and Charity Dingle. Sadie paid Cain to make it look as if he and Charity were having an affair, then she shared the incriminating images with Tom. Sadie got her wish when Tom jilted Charity at the altar, and Cain got dumped.

The devious duo joined forces again in another plot against the King family. Sadie gave Cain money to plough a JCB into the King family’s show home at the Kings River development. On the day of its grand unveiling, the show home exploded, k.i.l.l.i.n.g three locals. Cain felt truly guilty that his actions had resulted in tragedy and was appalled that Sadie didn’t care.

Cain and Sadie’s final scam was holding Tom King hostage. Sadie got ‘shot’ in the stomach and Tom coughed up £5 million quid to secure his release. Cain then decided Sadie didn’t deserve any of the money after what she’d done and made off with the lot. Okay, it wasn’t exactly a good deed, but Cain did put a stop to Sadie’s reign of terror, which made us love him more.

Emmerdale Cain goes good: Being redeemed after Judgement Day

By 2011, Cain was completely out of control and there were a number of Emmerdale locals who wanted rid of him.

These included John Barton, whose marriage to Moira had fallen apart thanks to Cain. Teenage Amy Wyatt was carrying Cain’s baby, but he’d cruelly rejected her and demanded that she had an abortion. There was also Cain’s on/off lover Charity and her new man Jai. Cain had tried numerous times to sabotage their relationship and they’d had enough.

On December 8 of that year, Cain was walking home when he was attacked by an unknown assailant. They struck him over the head with a metal object and left him for d.e.a.d in the middle of the dark village. Cain’s lifeless body was discovered by Cameron Murray. He was rushed to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain.

Jai was charged with the crime, but Cain’s dad Zak confessed he was the one who had done it. Instead of turning his own father into the law, Cain chose to forgive him. He told the police he was harmed by an old enemy from Spain and it was case closed. Cain redeemed himself by protecting his family and his brush with d.e.a.t.h made him a nicer person. For a while, at least.

Supporting Moira after Holly’s tragic d.e.a.t.h

Cain tore a family apart when he had an affair with Moira Barton. So naturally her three children – Adam, Holly and Matty (formerly Hannah) didn’t think a lot of the man who’d replaced their father.

It wasn’t particularly easy for Cain either. He frequently clashed with Adam, but it was Moira’s daughter Holly who was most problematic. Holly started experimenting with drugs which soon spiraled into a d.e.a.d.l.y heroin addiction.

When Cain discovered Holly’s dealer Dean was pursuing her for £2000, he saw the scumbag off. Cain tried to help Holly recognise she needed to get clean, but sadly his efforts were his vain.

In September 2016, Moira discovered Holly d.e.a.d in her bed after scumbag to a fatal heroin overdose. Cain – who was separated from Moira at the time – discovered the news when Holly’s brother Adam informed him what had happened. Cain rushed straight over to Butlers to be by Moira’s side.

Holly’s funeral happened two weeks later, and Cain watched from a distance. Afterwards, he paid a visit to her grave and broke down in tears for his stepdaughter. Through their grief, Cain and Moira found a way back to one another.

Emmerdale Cain goes good: Making peace with Faith

It’s true that Cain has mellowed slightly with age, but it’s not often Emmerdale viewers get to see his vulnerable side. That moment came as he comforted his mum Faith on her d.e.a.t.h.b.e.d back in 2022.

Mum and son had a difficult and complicated past. Faith had walked out on the family when Cain was just 12, leaving him in the care of his alcoholic father Shadrach. Cain’s teenage years were tough as a result and he was frequently beaten by Shadrach.

Faith arrived in Emmerdale in 2017, desperate to make up for lost time. However, Cain was too hurt over her abandonment and rejected her peace offerings. This situation went on for years until the devasting news came that Faith had terminal cancer.

Cain started to warm towards him mum and spent more time with her, making memories together in her last days. Faith secretly planned to end her suffering with a morphine overdose, and Cain only realised this after she done it.

He rushed to his mum’s side and cradled her in his arms as she took her final breath. Cain apoligised for wasting so much time being angry, and told Faith how much he loved her. The tearjerking scenes were further proof that Cain’s got a kind heart underneath it all.

Cain goes to jail for child k.i.l.l.e.r Kyle

He may not have always been the greatest father, but Cain made the biggest sacrifice for son Kyle in October 2022.

After learning his sister Chas was having an affair with his sworn enemy Al Chapman, Cain plotted his m.u.r.d.e.r. Cain lured the businessman to the barn at Butlers Farm, where he waiting with a loaded shotgun. A fight broke out, which ended with Al being shot d.e.a.d.

Viewers thought Cain had k.i.l.l.e.d him for a second, but it turned out his son Kyle had pulled the trigger. He feared Al was going to m.u.r.d.e.r his father, so he acted to prevent that happening.

Instead of turning his child into the police, Cain made the ultimate sacrifice by taking the blame for Al’s d.e.a.t.h. He served time in prison and would still be there if it wasn’t for Caleb. Kyle confessed what he’d one to Cain’s brother. He accompanied him to the station where he admitted to m.u.r.d.e.r. Cain was set free from jail and Al’s d.e.a.t.h was ruled as an accident.