"The Handmaids collectively participated in an execution of a man who'd raped a Handmaid in series one"
They were told he had raped a Handmaid, but we don't know if that were true. Nobody knew which Handmaid, and we saw how gossip spreads last night with the rumours about Emily and that Commander dying after raping her.
The man was protesting his innocence, so I think it's just what they were told to get them to participate. He could have done anything, or nothing, but we'll never really know.
I hated the rape scene, and hated Fred and Serena more than ever for it. Whatever sympathy I had for Serena (it comes and goes) was gone for good from that moment.
She literally suggested raping the baby out of June, and Fred could hardly wait to go along with it. That moment where you could tell they were both thinking the same thing but they were waiting for the other one to say it out loud.
Fred: "There's nothing we can do but wait for the baby to come."
Serena: "Do you really think so?"
Fred: "I suppose there are ways that...a baby might come out sooner."
And then that silence while they looked at each other, then couldn't quite keep each others eye. They were both thinking about raping June at that moment, both for their different reasons.
Serena: "I think the best way is the most natural way."
It was horrific. They were both embarrassed by the false labour. Serena didn't get to play at her fake birth party and Fred was shown up in front of the men. First by that new young Commander who doesn't need a Handmaid, then the creepy older one asking about taking June.
It's another embarrassment on their household and neither of them liked it. Fred wanted to show his power off and Serena is like a spoilt child being told she will have to wait for her new toy.
I don't think Fred knows the baby is Nick's. I think it must be common knowledge carefully ignored that offers like the one made to June by the doctor are the most likely reason a Handmaid gets pregnant.
There is the quote about the difference between ignorance and ignoring, and how you have to work at one. Fred and the other Commanders are not ignorant of the practice, but they are ignoring it while it suits them. A baby is a status symbol and something to keep the wives busy, they can perhaps ignore how that baby came to be as long as it makes them look good.
I loved Emily kicking the dead Commander. I loved her refusing to go for help by saying "Chances are better if I stay on my back" to the wife.
I'm fairly sure it was Nick that was shot. I can't see him driving away and leaving June alone in the house. Both cars were taken. He just wouldn't have done it.
Also if he were going to do something like that, surely it would have been to the guard who was with the Martha and Hannah, then they could have taken Hannah and run.
Fred warned them not to be seen, and he warned them to be back before Serena noticed. I don't think he set them up. I don't think he has any idea that the baby is Nick's. But I do think the Waterford's will think they have taken the chance to escape when they don't come home. Serena in particular as she knows Nick is the baby's father. Fred might think it's because of the rape.
I think they were unlucky that the car was seen, those two guards didn't know June was in the house, they thought it was just Nick. I think they shot him to wound him, then took him to be questioned.
And now June will go into labour alone in that house because of the rape and the Waterford's will be to blame. Unlike a previous poster I don't want her to lose her baby to spite the Waterford's though. I know it's a programme but wishing death on a baby for spite is going too far even for THT and it would hurt June and Nick more so than anybody else.