The Handmaids Tale
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
From start to finish, this absurdly well-acted episode was a derby of emotional upheaval.
Commander Waterford literally gives Serena a seat at the table and a voice.
is a quite adorable attempt) opens up an opportunity for June to soften him up.
But this is Gilead.
By passing on Hannahs whereabouts, Serena has effectively joined Junes cause.
What theyre asking of June is certainly callous.
To arrange a visit for the mother who essentially stole that child from her body.
To potentially expose Luke even further.
Part of Junes initial reluctance appears sympathetic.
Serena will only suffer more by seeing Nichole in Lukes arms.
If I do this, what do I get?
What she wants, she explains, is for Serena to owe her.
In a balanced relationship, sure, that might work.
But in Gilead such a thing doesnt exist.
So she does it.
What a scene it is.
June, on the other hand, is steely, determined to use that time efficiently.
But Luke has only the confusion of being interrupted by an unknown number while he shops at a bodega.
When she steps off the cargo plane (was she smuggled in?)
So what do we do with people who fuck up this colossally?
Do we believe in redemption in an age when two days of Twitter outrage can result in someones cancellation?
But then again, what is she owed?
Theres simply too much misery to go around.
Last episode, Mrs. Putnam let Janine hold her daughter as a show of godly generosity.
Now Luke makes the same offer to Serena, with undoubtedly different motivations.
But this time the doors dont open onto an escape path laid out by the Resistance.
There will, Aunt Lydia intones, be punishment if she doesnt obey.
What do the Waterfordsreallyhope to gain?
But regardless of their plans viability, its Serenas treachery that will have the most lasting effect.
And its also a glimpse of what may be harder than anything else June has yet had to do.
