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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:
JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 02/09/2019 17:56

@kungfupannda there will be other women there living as Martha’s who have medical training. Even a vet could remove a bullet and stitch her up. The trouble will be if she needs medicines.

hagsrus0 · 02/09/2019 18:00

I wonder if the Marthas have any equivalent of the Aunts, to assign and supervise them?

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 02/09/2019 18:01

He's scared of her.

I would be too. She’s terrifying! Grin

Slight tangent, when C Lawrence was saying “Godspeed” to June, she said something religious back and I remembered the previous episode where she referenced jaws, I was really wanting C Lawrence to say “may the force be with you. Grin

CruCru · 02/09/2019 18:17

If Maggie has been captured, she’ll reveal names (under torture possibly). The other Handmaids can go back to their houses but June can’t.

Sagradafamiliar · 02/09/2019 18:27

Just watched it. Ignoring the gaping plot holes (including the fact that Serena was a well-known radical propagandist and author who toured campuses giving speeches and generated enough outrage to have been met with protesters), I enjoyed this last episode. I don't know if I can handle any more series veering into utter ridiculousness and thought this finale felt like a good natural end, presuming June is dead. That to me feels 'right'. We could then presume that the regime has now been so destabilised from the inside, and exposed from the outside that it would implode some time in the very near future. But of course there is money to be made and the seasons will limp on interminably.

ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 18:33

Well now if he never ever says that Joxer i'll be gutted. Grin

ElspethFlashman · 02/09/2019 18:37

I think the only way June can get away with shit is to be pregnant. But that's not very satisfactory as then she's chained to a bed in the Red Centre for 9 months, unable do do shit.

I don't wanna cause craziness but have you all heard the new theory that if shes pregnant she could somehow become the 2nd Mrs Lawrence? People either love it or hate it, lol.

I prefer it to the alternative tbh. Can't deal with yet another Commander.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 02/09/2019 18:47

Well now if he never ever says that Joxer i'll be gutted.

Grin it just felt like that scene was crying out for it.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 02/09/2019 18:50

I would very much love to be a fly on the wall when aunt Lydia is told what has happened. All those children stolen. The very thing she lives for, and she’ll know it was June’s doing before anyone even tells her. She can read June’s soul Grin

Knackeredmommy · 02/09/2019 18:54

Brilliant end! I was really starting to dislike June, but they brought it back for me with that ending. I think it's got 2 more series max before it gets too ridiculous though.

isittheholidaysyet · 02/09/2019 20:16

Just thinking...
The only handmaids involved with the taking of the kids were June and Janine.
The others were Marthas.

So houses are searched (including janine's) handmaids are present and correct. Janine then slips out to warn June what is happening.
In the early hours, then the handmaids might be able to slip out as they were present during the search, and return home without being discovered.

Doesn't account for missing Marthas and kids though.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 02/09/2019 20:56

I think the handmaids can get away with it.
I don't agree that Aunt Lydia can see right inside June - I think she doesn't know what to believe and is desperate to believe in her, but can't shake her nagging suspicion.

Shakennotshook · 02/09/2019 22:29

I still think widow Winslow marrying CL is more likely than June.

I think Luke left the info deliberately and him going to speak to Waterford was a setup. I hope.

Fred said to Tuello that it was 'so far beyond Gilead', but surely mass state-sanctioned regular rape is worse than what she did?

No, because it's not regarded as rape in Gilead due to ridiculous and clearly superseded by the new testament biblical precedent. It's fitting they use Rachel and Bilhah not Abraham and Sarah as examples given the whole point of the latter is abraham takes a concubine when he was meant to just trust God.

Ontheboardwalk · 02/09/2019 22:42

I had a lazy day yesterday and watched the final episodes of 13 reasons why then finished the day with this finale. Couldn’t sleep last night and been in a right mood today. Think it was the combination of the two shows

Only thing that’s got my mind in a good place today was thinking 'feck you Serena you had it coming'

drivingtofrance · 02/09/2019 23:08

Wow! There were some tears shed here at that episode.

What a result! Well done June for getting so many children out of Gilead.

I did think it was a bit far fetched that Moira, Luke and Emily were all just there to help unload theplane. But it made for an emotional reunion or two.

Luke looked very disappointed to not see June. Or Hannah.

I just hope that the Handmaids get away with it. There's bound to be some questions asked.

Shakennotshook · 02/09/2019 23:34

The subtitles were Luke saying "come on hannah" if anyone needs something else to cry about Sad

AGnu · 02/09/2019 23:34

Finally just watched it. I've been going mad all day waiting for the DC to go to bed. I cried. So many times. Emily introducing herself to Rita. "Daddy!" The handmaids & Marthas coming back to help distract the guardian. So many brave women risking their lives doing what women so often have to - protecting children from bad men.

Right, now I've got 15 pages to catch up on...!

Horatioroses · 02/09/2019 23:53

Rita will know where Hannah is wont she? So can at least reassure Luke about her welfare.

GrimDamnFanjo · 03/09/2019 01:12

I'm assuming the remaining handmaidens/Martha's will have to go under cover. None will be able to return unless they are able to blame a safely escaped Martha for their predicament which seems unlikely.
June's wound my just be an in and out in her side?
Where would they be carrying her to?

AGnu · 03/09/2019 01:34

Not sure why Rita would know where Hannah is when even CL didn't know.

I'm so looking forward to the next series now. I think the handmaids have been out all night tending to those who were shot & searching for June. They only found her at dawn but still have time to get her back to CL's house & return to their own placements before they're missed. I think some handmaids did appear with children which is why they were there. Commander Creepy had a handmaid despite having numerous children already so it does happen that there are households with both children & handmaids.

I'm hoping that either June is pregnant & that affords her some protection for now or that Gilead assumes she was on the plane. If the others can get her back to CL's then they can hide her in the basement. CL, Beth & the other Martha can all pretend they didn't know what June was planning or where she could possibly be now. Once the heat had died down perhaps CL could forge some paperwork & have her sent to another district to help with the Martha network there. Or she could just go underground to try & find Hannah. Perhaps it'll turn out that Hannah is where June told Janine that her dead son was - California, I think. Hannah could be living happily by the beach & not really want to go on the run with June.

The Marthas could quite easily have returned from their midnight stroll & lay down on the floor & waited until the rohypnol wore off the parents & pretended to be groggy too. "Huh? What happened? Why am I on the floor...? Your daughter? Nope, I've not seen her, soz..."

I'm wondering whether Serena might say she was just trying to help June. Handmaids only get so many placements before they're deemed infertile & shipped off. By taking her to Nick Saint Serena was just trying to give her a chance to survive. Of course June wouldn't be able to take care of their baby & they'd all be in danger if anyone admitted publicly that C. Waterford wasn't the father so Serena promised to take care of the baby & love her like she was her own. That's all she's been trying to do. She even went so far as to walk her husband into a trap that would see him in prison for the rest of his life just so she could fulfil her promise to June. She's totally selfless & only has June & Nichole's best interests at heart... Poor Serena being set up by her vindictive, abusive husband who's just trying to get his sentence reduced & punish her for bringing him to justice. He arranged for her finger to be cut off just for reading the Bible, don't ya know!?

They'd better have more evidence than Fred's word if they're actually going to secure a conviction. Maybe Nick's in on it too. He knows what they did to June - I can't see him wanting either of them living happily in Canada, let alone having custody of his baby. Can you imagine what would happen if June or Nick made it to Canada & Serena had been living freely & officially adopted Nichole?!

I loved Rita & Emily's moment. Every scene with Luke leaves me cold so I wasn't particularly bothered that he was waiting for Hannah, I just thought, "it must suck for him." I was also a bit "meh" when Rita was telling him that June did it. Well, "meh" about him - I was mostly thinking that she didn't need him & his general wet blanket routine. Perhaps he was holding her back before & she'd actually have been a fierce warrior woman pre-Gilead if she hadn't been so busy playing the good little woman role to keep the man who wandered away so easily from his first wife.

Maybe Gilead's changed her, maybe it's just brought to the fore a repressed part of who she is. We know her mum was pretty outspoken & strong. She's not completely changed though. She's not as ruthless as she'd like to think - she endangered them all because she couldn't bring herself to shoot the Martha. Or perhaps she is that ruthless but realised the sound of a gunshot could draw more attention to them.

AGnu · 03/09/2019 01:40

Does anyone else think there's a chance that June might be dead? The last song was called "Into Dust" & she seemed to be having a flashback to a happy memory of Luke & Hannah. Perhaps she'll be dead by the time they get her back to CL's & they can bury her under Eleanor's flower patch. Janine could take over the narration. She seems a lot stronger/more stable these days. We could follow her journey as she gets her fight back & leads the charge against Gilead.

PsuedoSatisfactionBaby · 03/09/2019 05:47

Well THAT was worth waiting for. After stringing us along for weeks with nothing much happening, the feeling of relief at getting the kids out was huge! If the series stopped right now, i would be satisfied. I thought it was tied up quite nicely for a season finale. I’m so glad they didn’t leave it as some huge cliff hanger where we were left wondering if the children got out safely.

LOVED Serena getting arrested after being so close to freedom. LOVED CL reading the stories to the children. LOVED the Martha that murdered the commander and his wife. LOVED Rita. LOVED the handmaids rescuing June at the end.

I can’t think how they can possibly return though and claim to know nothing of what happened. There would be torture a plenty and people would talk under duress. June has been linked too many times with plots...they must surely put her in the wall. If they don’t it just gets ridiculous.

footballmum · 03/09/2019 06:53

Has anyone noticed that the book sequel is released on 10th September? It’s set 15 years after the original book ended (when June got into the van). I suppose it’s feasible that series 5 might jump to that timeline?

pinksparkleunicorns · 03/09/2019 06:58

Place marking

CurbsideProphet · 03/09/2019 07:06

@footballmum I'm pretty sure the tv adaptation is being kept completely separate to the original novel and the new sequel. I'm going to see Margaret Atwood in October so I'm hoping she might talk a bit about the tv adaptation / if she knows how many seasons are planned and whether June will be in it for the long haul and the suggested 10 seasons on THT.