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Handmaid's Tale. EPISODE 13 SEASON FINALE!!! (season 3). Channel 4, 01/09/19. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

509 replies

OriginofSpecies · 01/09/2019 20:18

This is the thread for the season finale Episode 13 (season 3) of The Handmaid's Tale.

We are watching on Channel 4, UK pace and have only seen episodes 1 - 12 so far.

Please, NO SPOILERS.

OP posts:
ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 13:15

The guardians had already started doing house to house searches by the time they all left the Lawrence house for the plane

You're right, I'd forgotten. But would they be focusing on houses with kids as a priority? They can't search every house in the city.

Hmmm..... I'm sure the Handmaid's will get away with it somehow. I can't see them killing off Janine or Alma at the moment.

Also, if loads of kids are gone, they need Handmaid's more than ever!!!

DarlingNikita · 02/09/2019 13:17

Elspeth, yes, I see what you mean.

But I do agree she'll probably go for the 'the state forced me' argument. I would!

ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 13:21

The actress has said "I'd love if Serena goes back to Gilead". Now I know next year isn't even started to be written yet, so who the fuck knows, but omg imagine if Serena is extradited back to Gilead to face trial for it?

And June and Nick have to testify against her?! Omgomgomg. EPIC.

Remember Putnum lost a whole arm for improper actions with a Handmaid.

Only thing is Nick and June would need immunity or they'd go down for not reporting it at the time.

EBearhug · 02/09/2019 13:38

June couldn't report - they'd have all said she was lieing, and a commander's and a wife's and an eye's voice will all carry far more weight than a handmaid's word. It's only come out now because there's no mutual loyalty any more - plus neither Fred nor Serena are currently at risk of the death penalty as they might be in Gilead, so it's safer to betray each other.

I did enjoy that episode, despite some things happening a little too conveniently. It's left lots of questions open for the next series. I think they could have probably done this in 10 episodes, not 13 - it was slow round the middle of it all.

I agree that sometimes plot was second place to arty camera positions. It is visually stunning at times, but that shouldn't drive it.

GodDammitAmy · 02/09/2019 13:45

Does anyone think that Luke maybe left the papers on purpose so Fred would find them? They knew Serena was going to stitch up Fred, maybe this was their security that he would return the favour and they would both go down?

Sassenach85 · 02/09/2019 14:18

Can someone tell me how they knew to expect a plan full of kids?? Have I missed a huge part of the plot?

Is it supposed to be that Billy had an ongoing deal with Canada that was part of the infiltration and so he somehow got the message to them about the cargo?

MargoLovebutter · 02/09/2019 14:28

Sassenach85, that was what June discussed with the barman in Jezebel's on the night she killed Commander Winslow. I'm not sure she thought it was going to be 52 either, but they knew there would be a whole load of kids. How the hell they all got on the plane without anyone noticing is still a bit of a mystery to me - but I'm trying not to let details spoil the story!!!!

Ginger1982 · 02/09/2019 14:47

Sorry if this has been mentioned but was the guard June shot the one who she spoke to in the cages at the start of the episode?

MrsSlocombesPussy · 02/09/2019 14:49

They were expecting 52 because a couple of episodes ago, they got 52 muffins (muffin means yes).

ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 14:54

No, two different guards.

DarlingNikita · 02/09/2019 15:17

imagine if Serena is extradited back to Gilead to face trial for it?
Would Gilead consider it a crime? It's interesting because it would show up the state's hypocrisy –what's the difference, really, between what she did and the ceremony? Just some biblical window dressing.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 02/09/2019 15:26

Canada wouldn't extradite Serena back to Gilead, where they have the death penalty and torture. It came up earlier in the series when we were talking about Emily.

Speaking of which, I was absolutely convinced we were going to lose Emily this series, probably because being investigated for the 'crimes' she committed in Gilead would make her commit suicide. Glad I was wrong on that one.

CurbsideProphet · 02/09/2019 15:51

Serena just wanted a baby. In season 2 when June was hiding in the Mackenzie summer house Serena said something like she agreed to everything and all she asked for in return was a baby.

Fred could have put 2 and 2 together himself regarding June and Nick.

I'm glad Serena is getting her comeuppance. It wouldn't sit well with me if she didn't.

GoldenGumballs · 02/09/2019 15:58

Yes I think Fred has read the files. I just love CL hope he’s back and more powerful next series. He’s such a complicated character. The plane will have radioed ahead to tell Canada about the kids on board.

KatharinaRosalie · 02/09/2019 16:01

But, but..so many things just didn't make sense.

  • they're going door to door looking for a lost child, and didn't encounter any drugged or killed parents.
  • you plan all this complicated escape and only at the last minute you will start figuring out where the airport is and how to get there?
  • airports, even in free countries, are heavily secured and guarded. In Gilead, they can just walk in and board the plane? I've lived in a totalitarian country and you could not even go to the beach because you might take a fishing boat and escape. No way could you just walk across the airport tarmac and board a plane.
  • there was heavy gunfire exchanged and no other quards came to see what this was about?
  • the Martha who killed the couple wanted to take the child back, where exactly? How would she explain what happened?
kungfupannda · 02/09/2019 16:10

I agree about the accessibility of the plane - very unlikely, but I suppose it was necessary for the plot.

The Martha who killed the parents was the one who brought the baby, not the one who wanted to go back - she'd just drugged the mother.

ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 16:11

Well she kept rabbiting that her Mistress was kind and just or something so she was clearly going to throw herself on her mercy.

She was captured, so I guess she's a big problem.

kungfupannda · 02/09/2019 16:14

Possibilities re getting June medical attention - although none of my theories for the last episode were remotely accurate:

  1. The doctor who helped June - not sure how they'd get her to him though.

  2. The Martha who used to be a surgeon and who was brought in to try and help Janine's baby.

  3. June's mother has somehow escaped from the colonies and is back in Gilead, coordinating the resistance. She and June clash over the way forward, with June prioritising getting children out and Holly focusing on bringing down the patriarchy.

BIWI · 02/09/2019 16:28

@KatharinaRosalie

you plan all this complicated escape and only at the last minute you will start figuring out where the airport is and how to get there?

But wasn't CL supposed to be organising trucks originally? Didn't he then back out and say he was aborting the whole mission? So June then said she was going to go ahead anyway - that was when she asked him to get a map.

Fiderer · 02/09/2019 16:42

I thought there had been also road blocks set up after the first girl disappeared so June had to figure out another way to get to the airport.

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 02/09/2019 16:45

The handmaids are all now fugitives. There's no way they can go back into society, they are going to have to become part of the resistance and underground Martha network. I think they'll try to make their way to Canada - it's not that far, they are in the woods and the Martha's know that. There are scattered homesteads, none of which have tv or radio, so, it's not impossible for them to find some food and shelter. And, hopefully, a nice friendly doctor who happens to have massive of surgical skills, equipment and antibiotics. And a wheelchair, she's going to need a wheelchair. Or a 4x4 car, actually. That'd be good.

Who'd take June on as a handmaid now? She's, as CL said, trouble.

I'm amazed they didn't kill June off. It's a clever writer who can keep us all guessing for so long.

DarlingNikita · 02/09/2019 16:45

Serena said something like she agreed to everything and all she asked for in return was a baby.

Bit rich of her, isn't it, painting herself as someone who was only in a position to 'agree' when she'd actually been instrumental in laying the groundwork for Gilead.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 02/09/2019 16:52

'Who'd take June on as a handmaid now? She's, as CL said, trouble.'

Someone strict, who doesn't think much of women and is arrogant enough to reckon he can control her, and who really wants a baby.

Honestly, I can imagine there being a commander who is all, 'ha, she needn't think she can get away with all that in my house, I'll have her under lock and key.'

It's a running theme of the show that men tend to underestimate women, to their cost.

CaptainMyCaptain · 02/09/2019 17:16

Just watched on catch up and read the thread. I was in tears from the moment Moira went on to the plane and saw all those little faces in the stupid pink hoods. I can choose to overlook the massive plot holes and can't wait for the next series now.

ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 17:44

I think he had organised transport and had changed the location of a top meeting so that the Guardians were concentrated on the other side of town.

But then Maggie was captured and the meeting was cut short and he came home and said there were roadblocks going up, and inspections and he was pulling the plug.

Then June had her whole Captain Phillips "I AM THE CAPTAIN NOW" speech and demanded some maps to figure out cross country.

BTW, Lawrence looked like he was shitting himself during that whole conversation. The close up of his hand nervously gripping the arm of the chair. He's scared of her.

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