In March 2012, Kilkelly reported that Joel would be injured in a new storyline. He noted that while it was unconfirmed, Still had been seen filming on location alongside Scanlan, covered in blood. Joel later tries to earn Brendan's respect. Still told a writer from What's on TV that Joel is desperate to impress Brendan because he is "young and naive and he's grown up without a male role model". As Warren is not around, Brendan is "fulfilling that role", but "basically Joel's a stupid little boy". Walker's (Neil Newbon) "shadowy and intellectual" persona intimidates Joel, he dislikes him because he becomes close to Brendan and that is something Joel is not a part of. Joel ultimately grows jealous. When they discover that Walker has been lying about his financial situation, Brendan recruits Joel to teach him a lesson. Still told Allison Slade from TVTimes that "it's really not a case of Brendan asking Joel to come on board; more that Joel nags his way into it. But he bites of more than he can chew." He sends Joel to pick up a package in return for money in "certainly not an above-board deal". Brendan knows that the men were "crazy" and Joel also realises that "all is not what it seems". Still stated that they treat him like a "piggy in the middle" and Joel grasps that they're nutters". He attempts to retrieve the money from them but Sampson (Sean Cernow) stabs him. Joel is "left in a bad way and his life is hanging in the balance". Joel's stabbing boosted ratings for the serial's "first look" edition airing on E4.
