User:JuneGloom07/Eden

__NOINDEX__ Eden Fowler is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Stephanie Panozzo. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 4 July 2022. Eden is one of four characters who make up the fictional band Lyrik, who were introduced following the departure of four cast members in 2022. Like the rest of the band, Eden was given an immediate link to the show and its characters through her friendship with Felicity Newman (Jacqui Purvis), but writers also established a former romantic connection between Eden and Felicity's brother Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright).

Characterisation and introduction
Eden is a wild child, full of fire and fun. She's fiercely loyal, speaks her mind and her greatest loves are music, her friends and family. Panozzo felt that she and her character would be friends, but she joked that "Eden's so much cooler than I am." She called her "fun", "fiery" and "loyal as hell". Panozzo liked that her character enjoys making people laugh and that she "wears her heart on her sleeve". She thought that if someone was after a good night, they should "go to Eden's." Panozzo told Kerry Harvey of Stuff that she was a fan of her character's style and admitted to adding some of Eden's clothing to her own wardrobe, saying "My personal wardrobe is so boring. I look at Eden and think, 'Why do I not think about buying this kind of stuff? It's so cool'." Panozzo shares a love for music with her character, and she felt fortunate that she could play someone who was equally "passionate" about it. The role allows Panozzo to show off her own music and singing skills, and she hoped to release her own music in the future. She said "it's definitely something I want to pour more of my time into outside of the Bay. But to be able to play a character that shares very similar interests is so wonderful – and makes me feel more connected."

Lyrik arrive in Summer Bay from the city and play an impromptu gig outside Felicity Newman (Jacqui Purvis) and Tane Parata's (Ethan Browne) house. Purvis explained that the group are old friends from Felicity's past, but Eden is her best friend and they are really close. She said that the band would bring music to the Bay and cause a bit of trouble. Felicity's partner Tane initially wants the band to leave, but she brings him around, until they take over the house. The band's arrival coincides with Felicity becoming co-owner of Salt, the local bar and restaurant. Purvis said that her character comes up with the idea to have Lyrik play the relaunch of Salt, furthering their integration into the Bay. It soon becomes clear that Bob "has big plans" for Lyrik that do not include them staying the Bay. He and Kirby are also in a "rocky" relationship, while Eden and Remi are best friends, who enjoying teasing one another.

As well as the link to Felicity, writers established a connection between Eden and Felicity's brother Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright), as it emerges that they dated before their arrivals in the Bay. Joe Julians of Digital Spy said this development causes some controversary among their friends and family. Upon seeing Cash at the end of Lyrik's performance in Salt, Eden jumps into his arms and he is forced to tell Felicity about their romantic history. She then warns Eden away from him as he has a fiancée Jasmine Delaney (Sam Frost), who at the time had left the Bay. Eden apologises to Cash for any hurt she caused him and they agree to be friends, however, a hug between them is misinterpreted by Felicity.

Relationship with Cash Newman
The relationship between Eden and Cash was explored towards the end of the season, as they have a one-night stand, which they later repeat. Purvis said Felicity is worried that Eden will hurt her brother again and tries to keep them apart. She told Alice Penwill of Inside Soap: "Before they got to the Bay, Eden and Cash had a fling – he was more into it than Eden was, and she left him. Flick is adamant that Eden will do it again." Penwill pointed out that Cash is the one trying to initiate a relationship between himself and Eden, to which Purvis replied that Felicity does not know that and believes it is all down to Eden. When Felicity catches the pair together, Purvis said that her character "feels she's been let down by her friend." Cash and Eden are later forced to work together when Felicity and Tane become engaged and begin planning the wedding. The awkwardness between the pair increases when Felicity tries to "play cupid" during a meeting. Panozzo explained that her character struggles to work alongside Cash and that being around him is "painful" for her, but she powers through for Felicity's sake.

As the storyline progresses, Cash decides that he and Eden have to stay away from one another and not be friends, so that he can get his life together, following a recent shooting in the line of duty and the break up with his girlfriend. A TV Week writer noted that Eden only agrees "to save face", but she appears devastated. Panozzo stated "This really hurts her. Not only does she feel the rejection of unrequited love, but now Cash doesn't even want to see her. But she understands it's ultimately for the best." Another TV Week writer stated that it was obvious Eden and Cash had fallen for each other, but neither appeared willing to do anything about it. Felicity becomes involved again as she changes her hens night plans, so that the women end up in the same nightclub where Tane's bucks party is being held. Eden realises Felicity has set her and Cash up, so she drinks to hide her "humiliation", while he believes she changed the plans in order to get him to say that he has feelings for her too. As Eden and Cash have "a strong history and connection", Panozzo and Cartwright worked together to create authenticity and she hoped viewers would be "excited" with where the storyline was going.

The serial's season finale centred on Felicity and Tane's wedding day and ended on a cliffhanger with Eden and Felicity's lives in danger. As the pair are driving to the wedding venue, their ute crashes and the episode ends with Eden and Felicity trapped in the car. Panozzo explained "Felicity and Eden have jumped in a car and someone has tampered with the brakes. I can say that there is a car crash that happens, and it’s very, very intense. It's massive." She was excited to be involved in the dramatic storyline, and said that filming the scenes with the stunt performers and fire was "fun". In the season premiere, which Panozzo described as "very drama-filled" and "high-stakes intense", both Eden and Felicity are rescued, but Eden is critically injured and placed in a coma. Cash is "beyond despair" as he sits beside Eden's hospital bed. TV Week's Tamara Cullen observed "For Cash, the thought of losing the woman he loves – without having the chance to tell her how he feels – is crushing."

During the show's 8000th episode, Felicity and Tane marry with Eden and Cash as witnesses. The end of the episode sees Cash waking up with a hangover and noticing Eden is wearing the engagement ring he bought for his former girlfriend. Cash is led to believe that he drunkenly proposed to Eden, while she uses the opportunity to play a joke on him and pretend they are engaged. This development tests the strength of the couple's relationship. Cullen (TV Week) said Cash loves Eden, but he knows that he is not ready for that level of commitment. When Eden tells him the truth about the engagement, she quickly notices Cash's relieved reaction and realises how he really feels about marriage, which leaves them both questioning the future of their relationship. Susannah Alexander of Digital Spy wrote "Eden's pride soon feels wounded" and she is left wondering why Cash thinks the idea of getting married to her is "so intolerable." Alexander also reported that in a bid to show Eden that he loves her and is ready to make "happier memories" with her, Cash gives her a charm bracelet and gets rid of the engagement ring.

In early 2024, Panozzo told a writer for New Idea that the couple "have great chemistry" and she was "really proud" that it came across to viewers, while Cartwright praised their working relationship. Eden's reaction to being taken camping highlighted the couple's lack of shared interests, but Panozzo believed they would last, saying "Eden and Cash have such a beautiful relationship. They are quite different in many ways, but they actually really complement each other. He grounds her and she brings that bit of craziness into his life." She thought that they worked well because they were "the missing piece for each other".

Kidnap
The 2023 season finale broadcast on 29 November ended with Eden and Remi's lives in danger, as Eden is kidnapped and Remi is seriously injured by brothers Wes (Josh McConville) and Mickey (Travis Jeffery). Panozzo was excited for viewers to see the finale and told Georgie Kearney from 7News that it is "gripping, it's amazing, it's heartbreaking, it's intense, it's epic." The episode begins with Cash taking Eden on a romantic break camping in the bush. An Inside Soap writer said Eden is "unimpressed" by the location, as she believed they were going on a luxury getaway. Panozzo admitted that she could relate to Eden's "less than enthusiastic" attitude towards camping, especially if she was not in the right mood. She thought Eden might be feeling the same on the day, commenting "I can resonate with that feeling of, 'I'm not really up for camping today'." Eden later calls Remi to come and get her, but his bike is struck by Wes and Mickey's car. Believing him to be dead, the pair begin digging a grave when Eden stumbles upon them when she needs a toilet break. Eden is knocked out from behind "before she has the opportunity to assess the situation".

Both Eden and Remi are bundled into Wes and Mickey's car and driven away, leaving Cash searching desparately for Eden. Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy confirmed the cliffhanger would begin "a huge storyline" as Eden's disappearance shocks the residents of Summer Bay, while Cartwright stated "It's so great to be a part of this kind of next-level storyline. These upcoming episodes will take the drama to the next level!" Following the end of the episode, Seven Network launched a campaign to keep viewers engaged with the show ahead of its return in January 2024. Posters asking people to "Help Find Eden", social media posts and on-air promo spots were created in a bid to "emulate the true-to-life trauma and action that takes place when a person goes missing". Viewers were also encouraged to call a phone number to hear Eden's supposed last phone call. Mediaweek reported that within 24 hours, over 28,000 fans had called the number. In six days, over 65,000 calls were made to the number and over 400,000 people watched a social media video featuring Cash pleading for Eden's return.

The opening episode of the 2024 season picks up with Cash calling the police after being unable to find Eden, leading to a "massive" search for her, while a "terrified" Eden wakes up next to Remi's body. Panozzo told Inside Soap's Laura Morgan: "Eden rolls over to find the body of her best mate, Remi, who's seemingly dead! She has no idea who these two guys are, but gathers pretty quickly from their conversation that they want to get rid of her." The brothers bring Eden to an abandoned house, where Wes orders Mickey to dispose of Remi's body, but in a twist, he discovers that Remi is still alive. As Eden tries to help Remi, she looks to Mickey for help. Panozzo explained to Morgan that Eden has noticed Wes is the dominant brother, while Mickey is "a bit more timid" and reluctant to go along with his plans, so Eden uses that to convince him to take Remi to a hospital. Panozzo also said that Eden realises Remi's condition is critical and she is "desperate to save him."

Mickey stands up to Wes and they decide that he will take Remi to hospital, but Eden has to stay with Wes at the house. She says "a tearful farewell" to Remi and hides her bracelet in his jacket pocket in the hope that someone will recognise it and come looking for her. Panozzo said that it was a moment of "sheer desperation" for her character. Instead of sticking to the agreed plan, Mickey leaves Remi by the side of a road and calls an ambulance instead. While Remi makes it to the hospital, attention turns to Eden and Wes tells Mickey that "it's time". Panozzo said those words are "hugely terrifying" for Eden and despite being "a tough chick" and someone who can hold her own, she has seen how dangerous Wes can be. She continued: "In those moments you just go to the worst-case scenario, so Eden panics that this is it – she's going to die." The story concludes with Eden escaping Wes and Mickey, as they argue, and being rescued by Cash and Rose Delaney (Kirsty Mariller), after they find her bracelet amongst Remi's possessions at the hospital.

Family
In November 2023, producers introduced the character's brother Levi Fowler (Tristan Gorey) and began exploring her fictional backstory. After Eden learns Levi has begun working at the local hospital, she refuses to see him and it emerges that the pair have been estranged following their parents divorce. Gorey explained that after the divorce, Levi went to live with their father, while Eden moved in with their mother. His character believed he was doing the right thing when everyone was condemning his father, however, Eden viewed the move "as a statement" and the resentment grew from there. After Levi gets Remi to talk with Eden, the siblings finally meet to talk, but Eden cannot forgive her brother for seemingly taking their father's side when he had an affair. Gorey said Levi's "love for Eden never wavered, and regardless of her iron-like exterior, he puts it all on the line to rebuild their relationship once again."

The siblings are forced to be around each other as Levi stays in the Bay to treat Eden's friend Mackenzie Booth (Emily Weir) for a serious health issue. Viewers soon learn that Levi has developed feelings for Mac, and he begins using Eden's presence in the Bay as an excuse for his absences to his wife Imogen (Georgia Blizzard). Eden eventually discovers that Levi is having an affair with Mac, leaving her "horrified", especially as she has recently bonded with Imogen. Melenie Parkes from Stuff said the discovery causes Eden to relive "painful memories of their father cheating on their mother." Imogen later calls Eden in "distress" wanting to know why she hid Levi's affair from her, forcing Eden to apologise for any hurt she has caused her sister-in-law. She then reveals that Mac is the woman Levi has been having an affair with, before vowing to be there for Imogen.

When Levi and Mac go public, Eden does not accept their relationship, which leads Levi to give her an ultimatum – try to move on from what he has done or lose him from her life. Panozzo told Parkes "He sort of says, 'I've had 10 years without you now and I can do it again'. It feels pretty intense really and not very nice at all." Panozzo pointed out how Levi and Eden had "sort of healed things to a certain degree and were making amends", but Levi's affair had undone all of that and Eden is left "traumatised" by Levi repeating what their father did. Panozzo described her character as being "really deeply disappointed and feeling really betrayed and heartbroken, because that trust is yet again broken by another man in her life." Panozzo also said that Eden's friendship with Mac is also broken by the affair, which she thought was "really devastating" as they had "a really beautiful relationship" up until that point.

Producers continued to expand the Fowler family with the introduction of Eden's estranged father James "Jimmy" Fowler (Aaron Jeffery) in July 2024. A writer for Yahoo! Lifestyle also reported that actress Hailey Pinto had been cast as Eden's younger sister Abigail Fowler.