Handmaid's Tale. EPISODE 6 (season 3). Channel 4, 14/07/19. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

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Thread for Episode 6 (season 3) of The Handmaid's Tale.

We are watching on Channel 4, UK pace and have only seen episodes 1 - 5 so far.

Please, NO SPOILERS.

The children are treated well though. Like now, it’s about immediate danger. It’s not acceptable to discriminate on idealology. Personally I wouldn’t have said a man who allows his wife’s little finger chopped off is a suitable parent .In the context of Gildad religion it is acceptable. The removal of foreskin in modern religions reflects this. Makes perfect sense if you are of that faith. Doesn’t make you a bad person.

I want to know if Gilead is producing more children with its Handmsids system than elsewhere? Might explain why other countries are less inclined to march in and sort it out.

I thought it was interesting that Waterford quoted Ps 127:5, which is a verse beloved of the quiverful movement in the U.S.

Just finished watching on +1

So having an army of handmaids, all with their mouths gagged (stapled) shut is really going to endear the rest of the world to them.

Utterly bizzare.

Maybe the handmaid's are the show of biological strength gilead has, the future army etc.. The breeders.
That is the threat... Look how many fertile women we have..

As for June's army! She's not done a single resistance led thing... One would have thought she would have some sort of network right now.
I became confused i think I missed something because Serena said.. You'll be back home and with?

As if trade would be done June and her first child for nichole?

I Found that episode both magnificent and infuriating! the imagery was really heavy handed. They might as well have had big arrows saying “Nazi like behaviour” I also don’t understand DCs use of the large red flags. Red is the colour of handmaids. Colour is so important in Gilead. No way would they have chosen red for their handmaids and their official colour. I think in their keenness to emulate the nazi imagery they overlooked that and fucked up. It should have been a different colour.

I think all the handmaids at the rally was a show of strength. Similar to the big rallies in North Korea.

In North Korea its soldiers. They are showing their military prowess. Not raped slaves who can’t speak. There is no show of strength in showing thousands of your victims (as the world sees them and Gilead knows this) all lined up on their knees with their heads bowed in submission. I just don’t get this part of the story at all. Gilead is not stupid! They know exactly what the rest of the world thinks of their practises with handmaids. Why on earth would they display them all on the world stage whilst trying to get the world on side? It makes no sense.

Nick: we already knew he was a soldier. I thought June did too? Serena said we wouldn’t be here without him. He is only 1 man. Does that mean he played a much bigger part than “just” a soldier? I think Nick is just doing what he has to to survive. For example, June is now the official poster girl for the handmaids on the world stage. To anyone who doesn’t know her very well they could easily believe she is fully on board with the regime. Totally supportive and willingly wanting to encourage other handmaids to be committed to their duty. When in reality she has zero choice in the matter if she wants to stay alive. She can’t refuse to do it. She has to go along with whatever they tell her to do. Nick may seem like he has more freedom/choice because he isn’t a handmaid but is he just June in another outfit? Trying to help the resistance but can’t be outwardly seen to object so has to go where he is sent and command his troops.

I think in their keenness to emulate the nazi imagery they overlooked that and fucked up.

I mean the writers BTW

Are all little girls in pink or is it just the ‘adopted’ ones like Hannah and the older girl at the Winslows’. Does it mean that they will become handmaids when they’re older or is it just because ‘pink is for girls?’

I assumed pink for girls, but don't actually know.

I think they've gone for the red on the banners as a symbol of fertility which is the power that Gilead has in a world of low fertility. The status of the handmaids is odd as although there is a level of moral taint, there is the prestige of fertility. They are lower than the Commanders and Wives, but closer to them than the Marthas, or Econowives.

I can't remember the details but there was something the Mexican ambassador referred to about their fertlity problems back in series 1.

There is a bit of dilemma to other countries at the ethics of the handmaids and consent, but the lure of maximising fertile potential.

The whole point of the Waterfords borrowing June was to show her off. Show the world their united household so her being up front with them makes sense.

Showing off hundreds of handmaids bowing down does not make sense when they are trying to persuade Canada to send Nicole back to Gilead.

Although I suppose they are trying to show them all praying for the baby's safe return, but still....

I’m missing the flashbacks this series. I’ve been hoping we’d get one for AL. Thought for a moment we were going to get it when she was sitting with June on the bed.

I remember last series she mentioned a sister and a nephew? Is that right?

I hope they are unstapled when pg, thinking morning sickness here
Surely she could have done something, this was being broadcast live i think - I wanted all the handmaids to whip off their mouth things to show their staples (assuming they all had it)

Red is a very strong colour, and one all humans recognise (culturally, not all human populations have distinguished blues and greens, which are further down the spectrum.) Red was the colour of communism as well as one of the key colours of the Nazi emblems. It's a popular choice by totalitarian regimes (as well as many more liberal ones.) It seemed perfectly likely it's a colour scheme Gilead would go with.

Despite all the heavy duty clips on the mouth covering June seemed to have no trouble pulling it down.

I thought the same. I used to wear a similar thing in the winter on my motorbike and even though the back was velcro it wasnt that easy to pull down. I had to take the whole thing off if I wanted a chat.

I was scrolling down YouTube on my phone and saw a spoiler for an upcoming episode! I didn’t watch the video but the title was very spoilery!

New to this thread and only started watching Handmaids this season. Thought the red might also might be so that they could easily be spotted? Has anyone ever mentioned on here that Nicks daughter Nichole has female version name of Nicholas (Nick)?

Why doesn’t June’s husband go and talk on TV about how Gilead have stolen his biological child and are keeping her captive.

Exactly! This.

Canada has free speech. Surely they just aren't going to accept sending Gilead back because of 'international pressure'.

I thought the bit with the Swiss go between saying No to Nick was a bit confusing too. Why did Nick go along and see them if it was obvious (to him) his word was not going to mean anything because of his past. The whole thing didn't make sense.

When this generation of handmaids is done, will they be coming for the female children of commanders for the next generation? How would that work if they marry someone and aren't fertile with them? Is that the trigger for invasion and that's why the Canadians are scared?

I thought the bit with the Swiss go between saying No to Nick was a bit confusing too. Why did Nick go along and see them if it was obvious (to him) his word was not going to mean anything because of his past. The whole thing didn't make sense.

He might not know that they know about his past. Countries tend not to share all the intelligence they have. He might have thought that even if they knew it, his past might not be a problem in this context. He might have agreed with June to mollify her, knowing it wouldn't make a difference, but it would cast them, not him as the bad guy.

When this generation of handmaids is done, will they be coming for the female children of commanders for the next generation?

No, they will be the next generation of commanders' wives, in the hope they will be normally fertile and handmaids won't be needed. Human nature being what it is, I am sure there would be enough people having affairs that they could get more handmaids (though they did drown Eden.) And I am sure a state like Gilead, founded on ideology, would be thinking of expansion for the "good of the people".

When Nick went to see the Swiss, did he not walk away but was called back by the man on the stairs? I think he knew that they wouldn’t work with him but didn’t want to tell June. I really hope he does turn out to be a good guy, but I’m confused!

Surely the ‘army’ of handmaids is a veiled threat? ‘This is what we did here, and this is what we can do to your country and your women’.

I remember flashbacks from season 1 when Nick was unemployed and trying to get work. I think he had an awful family too. Gilead groomed him via a recruitment agency and he said something like he'd do anything to be in work and have a better life than his childhood. Sounds now like he really has done anything Gilead wanted in order to save himself.

I don't think it's surprising there are different cultures in the different states and cities. The US is huge and there are different Commanders in charge of each district.

At the end one of the handmaids was looking up at June. I think she could be the one she met at the house. I saw that as a sign they were acknowledging a common goal. Obviously that's just my interpretation.

Luke must be worried to do anything that could have repurcssions for June. Canada and the rest of the world know what Gilead has done and are doing. Gilead have fertile women and a lot of weaponry. That is power. Canada won't want an invasion, as who will back them up?

Found last night's episode very disturbing and couldn't sleep afterwards. The mouth stapled shut thing was really grim. I thought it was good to be reminded that Gilead has a stronger hold in some places than others and was clearly in full control in Washington.

Found the 'happy families' juxtaposed with the member of the household with her mouth stapled shut really jarring, which I guess was how it was supposed to be.

Interesting developments with Nick, who must be some kind of double agent.

Also interested to see how the whole George / Fred thing will play out.

I'm enjoying the slow pace of this series. It feels more tense to me.