TFS Recap: The Handmaid’s Tale | The Word
Warning, If you have not watched the season 2 finale of The Handmaid's Tale, walk away now!
OH MY GILEAD! Now that we've had some time to digest it all, let's chat!
What a season it’s been for The Handmaid’s Tale and the Of-ladies have been through A LOT.
I mean look at June aka Offred. She escaped The Waterford’s for months while pregnant. Got caught. Went back to the Waterford’s. Got to see Hannah. Five minutes later got snatched away from Hannah. And oh yeah, no biggie or anything, but she DELIVERED HER OWN BABY WHILE STRANDED OUT IN THE WOODS AND SNOW.
Can we say Of-badass?
But let’s talk about the finale.
In the season wrap up The Word, we’re still in shock over the death of Eden. I was sure she was going to be trouble for June and Nick. But at the end of the day she was killed for being young and in love and refusing to repent that. So off to the deep end of the pool you go.
So now, June and Rita are tasked with packing up all of Eden’s things and pretending like she never existed. And while packing, June comes across a bible in her things with scribbled notes in it. Well guess what, women in Gilead are definitely not allowed to read or write. Cause that will cost you a finger. Second offense a hand. Que the foreshadowing.
June takes the bible to Serena Joy and thinks it’s so crazy that Gilead dedicates its values based on God’s word but doesn’t allow the women to actually read God’s words. Serena brushes it off and says Eden should have followed the rules, but it definitely stuck with her.
See, Serena has been struggling all season with her life in Gilead.
Through flashback we find out that Gilead was basically her idea and she was blinded by her insane quest to have a baby of her own and put everything to the side to make that happen. Pretty sure she didn’t envision the armed guards and women having no power, but whatever, babies!
And after the bombing of the Leah and Rachel Center, Serena got a taste of her old life back when she moonlighted as Fred while he was recovering in the hospital. And she had June helping her by being her editor. Then she was immediately slapped back in to reality, literally, when Fred punished her for helping Janine and baby Angela.
Then just add in the trip to Canada where she got to experience what freedom tasted like again and ta-da! Serena is the poster child for a fallen woman of Gilead in the making.
Let's switch back to present. While visiting all the Real Housewives of Gilead, Serena finds out that all the mothers have concerns about the children, particularly girls, growing up in Gilead. So she and all the other wives, gather before the Commanders and ask that women be allowed to read the bible. But it doesn’t stop there. Serena then proceeds to READ the bible right in front of them. The Housewives did not sign up for this and one by one begin walking out leaving Serena to fend for herself.
And although the Commanders seem gracious in their request, Fred being the douche bro he is, let his own wife get the punishment for reading in Gilead. You guessed it, Serena got a finger chopped off. Thanks Obama…..I mean Offred.
Moving along, let’s get to Emily aka Rory Gilmore.
Tired of the straight BS of last season after being mutilated for punishment, she took a car and drove over a couple guardians and got sent to the colonies. And yes, the colonies were just as bad as they were rumored to be in the first season. So just when she thought she was going to die there, she along with crazy Janine, were sent back to Gilead after the center bombing killed a ton of commanders and handmaids. Basically, they needed more baby makers.
In the last episode, Emily finds herself trying to figure out her new Commander. He has a crazy wife, talks to her like she’s a human being, and his wife warns her that he was the one responsible for creating the colonies. It’s literally like a house of horrors in there.
Imagine her confusion even more this week when she prepares herself for the first ceremony and he was like nah, I’m good, go chill somewhere. And Emily was like what? You don’t want to participate in a rape sesh tonight? Ok cool. Imma leave and take this knife back with me then. Bye!
Then Aunt Lydia shows up. She starts going on and on about the good things the Commander said about their ceremony and how grateful she should feel. Which obviously confused the hell out of her because he lied about the ceremony. But because she won’t let Aunt Lydia see she has broken her she doesn’t speak a word.
Frustrated by Emily’s lack of response and gratefulness, Lydia turns to leave and BAM! Emily literally stabs her in the back with the knife she took and pushes her down the stairs. And proceeds to kick the ever-loving shit out of her for all the pain she has caused her.
The Martha walks in and stops her from probably ending it all and tells the Commander to call an ambulance while she locks Emily in a room. Her utter joy at finally getting her revenge on Lydia is quickly replaced with fear for what’s going to happen to her when people find out. And even more so when the Commander finally collects her and takes her on a mysterious car ride to God knows where.
But hang on, we’ll come back to Emily in a minute.
Back at the Waterford’s, June was pissed that Eden’s father was the one to turn her in and asked the Commander what he was going to do when they came for his daughter. Where he proceeded to slap her, and June slapped him right back.
You go girl.
Now add in that he let Serena’s finger get cut off. She’s completely over the Commander and not afraid to tell him or show it. And just to show what a truly vile person he has become, he even tries to bargain sex with her in exchange for never leaving their house while trying to make tea to console his pinky-less wife.
In the words of June, “Go fuck yourself Fred.”
Later, while June is feeding Holly/Nicole, there seems to be a fire across the street. Then Rita comes rushing in to the room and tells her, to hurry and get her shoes because the underground Martha railroad can get her and the baby out of Gilead.
Fred starts to become suspicious during the chaos and goes upstairs and finds that the baby and June are gone. And she left a sweet message for him on the wall of her room: “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.” Do not let the bastards grind you down.
Running to stop June, Nick holds him hostage in the house in the name of keeping him safe. Thanks boo.
And just as June spots the Martha waiting for her, Serena spots her. And June basically convinces her that Holly/Nicole cannot grow up in Gilead and to let her go. And in a tearful goodbye, she does.
Several Martha’s are involved in helping June escape. Eventually she is brought to a tunnel and told to wait. A car’s flashing lights appear and when she walks up, it’s Emily and Commander Lawrence. He’s no bad guy, he’s helping them escape!
But when to truck comes to take them away, Emily and the baby board, but June doesn’t. She tells Emily to call the baby Nicole and closes the door and sends it away. Because at the end of the day, June just can’t leave Hannah behind. So she throws that hood up and starts badass strolling back to Gilead.
And hell hath no fury like a June scorned.
That’s it! What did you think? Were you satisfied with the finale? You think June should have left? Is Aunt Lydia dead? Sound off in the comments.
And like the great voice of the resistance Oprah says, “American patriot or Gilead traitor; we are still here. Stars and stripes forever, baby." See ya next season. Praise be.