Handmaid’s Tale, Season 2 - FINALE - US pace

[Aridane]

This is a continuation of our Season 2 US-paced thread.

Roll on episode 13, the 90 minute season finale!!

I had a feeling that Emily’s commander was a good guy, but there are unanswered questions about him....what happened to his wife? How did he help set up Gilead? What changed, to make him want to assist “damaged” handmaidens and Martha’s? I kind of knew what was going to happen a few weeks ago when I read an article with the actress who plays Rita. She said that she was shocked at the direction they took her character in and when I read that, I just knew she was going to do something heroic.

I read Ann Dowd is confirmed for season 3

Aunt Lydia will never die, she runs on darkness.

See, I don’t think it would be easier to get Hannah out from Canada. Luke and Moira haven’t had any luck, the Canadian Govt know what’s going on now, that hasn’t changed anything obvious (like western countries ingnoring atrocities abroad.)
No real technology so no communication easy either. I’d stay I think.

No words for episode 13 I've just finished!!! Madness. Had goosebumps the whole way through. When is season 3? I CANT WAIT

Loved the finale.

I can’t see how it would be easier to get Hannah out from Canada. Gilead is at least 3-4 years old and Canada haven’t done anything. Sneaking in is possibly harder than sneaking out as there is no modern technology widely available to communicate with. She stands a better chance from inside. And as a mother there is no way I could have driven away knowing what I was potentially leaving my daughter to grow up in. Just wouldn’t have been able to do it.

I think there will need to be some suspension of reality in the next series on how June stays in Gilead. But I think there will be some story about Serena or Offred taking Nicole into the garden to see what was happening and Emily attacked them and took the baby. June ran off trying to find her or some such story.

With every other episode I’ve been dying for the next one, this one felt almost complete - does that make sense?

I was assuming that June knew where Hannah was living so would go back in with a sport of strike / extraction team. I know I sound like she was going to hire The A Team, but that is where my thoughts were going.

I think June will hide at Commander Lawrence's.

Though I do think she should have left with the baby and tried to get Nick to rescue Hannah. She's bfing so Holly needed her.

This is interesting - map of Gilead

i.imgur.com/EKPFd7O.jpg

Better link

m.imgur.com/a/JHLDtzh

I enjoyed episode but I wish Serena had asked to leave too.

I loved the scene with Nick holding his daughter.

I think next season June will be back with the Waterfords and with no one telling Fred what really happened to Nicole. He did say she could stay if she was well behaved.

I loved that in the end it was all women coming together for other women (exception being Cmdr Laurence). Previous escape attempts have all been run by men but the Martha underground/backyard railroad was amazing. Wish June had gone though urgh.

Thanks scarletbee! The map is really interesting.

Based on the map it's not far from Boston to 'rebel occupied territory'. C'mon Emily, all you need to do is get that far!

The map is really interesting.

Love the map. Loved most of the episode but I hated the end.

I get that she wants to protect Hannah, but Hannah is safe, nothing bad is going to happen to her as a result of June leaving with Holly Nichole. I understand what others are saying about how difficult it has been to get her out from Canada but I think June would have been a strong force who could have done it. She is motivated and there does not appear to be many people in Canada with children still in Gilead so it's likely they have not had to face this problem much.

I am however beyond furious that so many Martha's risked being caught to get her out and she chose to stay! Think of all the trouble they went to, they literally risked her life and she threw it back in their faces! I am also cross that she doesn't appear to be even remotely worried about poor Holly Nichole. She gave no instructions to Emily about finding people in Canada to look after her and what's the poor thing going to eat whilst they are escaping?

I think it is also very unrealistic that she will be accepted back into Gilead without question and she must realise she is likely to end up on the wall? Sorry for the rambling but she spent so much of series 2 trying to escape that I find it impossible to believe she would stay when given the chance to leave.

On a completely separate note I have mixed emotions about Aunt Lydia and whilst pleased she might be dead I am disappointed we may now never get her back story.

The thing is though, Hannah isn’t safe. Eden was 15, and didn’t Fred say something about Eden’s sister making amends for her sisters sins.

So even though Hannah seems to have a decent home now, time is running out before she is married off to someone or worse outcomes.

I think Fred said she should learn from her sisters sins, but you are right, she isn't safe. I understand why she stayed but I am furious too. Also, isn't the baby going to starve?

I think June has seen a glimmer of hope due to the underground marthas and Commander Lawrence. She wants to stay to be part of the resistance and finally get Hannah.

Hannah is safe right now, but she knows how girls and women are treated in Gilead. She must think she's best placed to help her from the inside.

By 'safe' I mean being cared for right now. But she's still being indoctrinated in the ways of Gilead which is not safe for girls and women (or anyone, come to think of it). June has seen how parents betray their own children for dissenting. How can she leave her daughter in such a place? Plus, if she leaves, Fred is probably well placed to punish Hannah for June's actions.

I understand about Hannah and the regime but June has no money, no transport, can't even change into normal clothes, no guarantee that the Commander will help her beyond what he has already done but he also has the attack on Lydia to explain.

She can't go back to the Waterfords surely, how would they explain the loss of the baby, Fred is already tightening his grip on his family (loss of finger, slapping June) etc.

At the end of the book there is an interesting snippet about those who have escaped receiving a parcel with a bit of their loved one inside. So i'm not assuming Hannah is safe, especially now June has left the Waterford's. It might have been Serena threatening Hannah before, but my bet is Fred will be the one who is the real threat to her now 'his women' have misbehaved right under his nose.

I don't think June will end up back at the Waterford's. I think she's going underground. Again, just from the ending of the book which suggests she ends up in an underground femaleroad house, I think that's where she will try to get to Hannah. Possibly with the help of Cmdr Lawrence, so we get his backstory?

I agree she should have left. She didn't even tell anyone Hannah's new name, which would be invaluable information for tracing her. If something happens to her then that information will never get to luke.

I couldn't watch the bit when she handed the baby back to Serena, I really thought she was going to snatch her away.

I am looking forward to series 3 but will be disappointed if it goes back to the same old story of June living with Serena and Fred. They need to do something different with the story now.

She didn't even tell anyone Hannah's new name,

Oh!! I didn't even think of that!!

Ok, I’ve watched now and I’ve changed my mind now. She should have gone. Easier than to get in than get out- she didn’t know who was driving that car. Love the Marthas.
How does Serena do it to me every time? She’s so selfish but yet....