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The Handmaid's Tale S4 at C4 pace (no spoilers from Hulu subscribers) Thread 2

999 replies

OverByYer · 08/07/2021 09:53

Under his eye

OP posts:
EmpressWitchDoesntBurn · 20/07/2021 08:10

I suppose they might become Marthas. It might say in the book somewhere.

WorldsBestBoss · 20/07/2021 08:15

Don't think it ever states anywhere what happens to them.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 20/07/2021 08:36

According to book world they would definitely have gone to the colonies. Series world seems a tiny bit more merciful. They definitely wouldn't have been aunts. Maybe Marthas.

BIWI · 20/07/2021 08:43

They're no longer fertile, but they will have several years of being able to do physical work, so I'm guessing they'd be sent off to work in the colonies.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 20/07/2021 08:51

But in book world there’s still an idealisation of the handmaids’ role despite their being fallen in the first place. Isn’t there a bit about how in the future when it’s less of an emergency situation it will be one handmaid per family rather than having to rotate, with the implication of them becoming a loved family member? I think honourable retirement for handmaids who have served Gilead well is more likely as an ideal at least. That’s certainly what Aunt Lydia would be pushing for.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 20/07/2021 08:55

I think becoming Marthas makes sense. If they have behaved well as handmaids they have shown they are obedient. In order to make everyone behave you have to make it look as if there is a role for you as long as you behave. The colonies are for disobedient women. If you’re going to end up in the colonies no matter what you have less incentive to be a good girl.

BIWI · 20/07/2021 08:57

I suppose that as the child/children they bear for the family grow up, and as the men and their wives grow older, they won't want more children. Perhaps the handmaids transition into roles within the household as nannies?

Breathmiller · 20/07/2021 08:59

Yes I'm sure in book world they are sent to the colonies.

I also have in my mind somewhere that if Handmaids had 3 babies for a commander and wife then they had the promise of not needing to be a hamdmaid anymore. That they would go off a live a nice life of retirement for handmaids. Of course (if I haven't made it up in my head somewhere) I very much doubt it would have happened.
It would have been off to another family, jezebels or the colonies.

I think what we saw in the first part of the first series is how Gilead felt it was or wanted to be. And as the story has progressed we see the dark underbelly of it where it is chaotic and nothing like the projected ideology of how they present themselves.

I quite like that we are seeing the areas where there is fighting and how life is like there. It was always alluded to earlier as something far off and a long way from the 'order' that was presented in the time of Offred.

RiaOverTheRainbow · 20/07/2021 09:01

I think it's most likely that there would be propaganda about a charming little handmaid retirement home, somewhere picturesque and rural, but in reality they would go straight to the colonies.

GrandPrismatic · 20/07/2021 09:42

Just caught up this morning!

So Luke flashback at the start…what was that supposed to make us think? That she would pick Luke over Nick?

And the ending….agree it was totally ridiculous….but I loved it all the same! I hope she takes her back to Canada…I’ve a feeling she will stay and fight though!

And Aunt Lydia with the girls…she looked like she was really wrestling with her conscience…I love (hate) her character and it’s complexities.

EmpressWitchDoesntBurn · 20/07/2021 09:48

@BIWI

I suppose that as the child/children they bear for the family grow up, and as the men and their wives grow older, they won't want more children. Perhaps the handmaids transition into roles within the household as nannies?
It’s hard to believe the wives wouldn’t feel threatened though - these women who their husbands are fucking AND who gave birth to their children.
BIWI · 20/07/2021 10:00

Yes, but you only had to see how the wives behaved when Janine's baby was troublesome - the wife didn't want anything to do with her! I should think they would love having a nanny to do all the difficult stuff. (Some of them, anyway)

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 20/07/2021 10:28

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

But in book world there’s still an idealisation of the handmaids’ role despite their being fallen in the first place. Isn’t there a bit about how in the future when it’s less of an emergency situation it will be one handmaid per family rather than having to rotate, with the implication of them becoming a loved family member? I think honourable retirement for handmaids who have served Gilead well is more likely as an ideal at least. That’s certainly what Aunt Lydia would be pushing for.
Handmaids who don't produce a baby after three postings get sent to the colonies. Maybe ones who do produce a baby get to retire to be a Martha as a reward.
CloseYourEyesAndSee · 20/07/2021 10:29

@BIWI

Yes, but you only had to see how the wives behaved when Janine's baby was troublesome - the wife didn't want anything to do with her! I should think they would love having a nanny to do all the difficult stuff. (Some of them, anyway)
The Marthas raised the babies not the hand maids.
Breathmiller · 20/07/2021 10:41

Handmaids who don't produce a baby after three postings get sent to the colonies.

Ahhh, this may be where i have got the 3 thing from. Does anyone else remember their being a limit on how many babies handmaids had before they were let off the baby factory hook? I think I might have got it mixed up with the 3 tries and you're out scenario.

Jeez. What a conversation to be having. Gilead truly is fucked up beyond belief.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 20/07/2021 10:45

@Breathmiller

Handmaids who don't produce a baby after three postings get sent to the colonies.

Ahhh, this may be where i have got the 3 thing from. Does anyone else remember their being a limit on how many babies handmaids had before they were let off the baby factory hook? I think I might have got it mixed up with the 3 tries and you're out scenario.

Jeez. What a conversation to be having. Gilead truly is fucked up beyond belief.

I don't know if they would retire a hand maid who could produce babies :( I think that's why June in the book was willing to go along with the Nick plan. Was the Waterford's her third posting?
WitchSharkadder · 20/07/2021 11:39

In the book it was her third but in the TV series it was her second.

IIRC, @CloseYourEyesAndSee is correct that Handmaids who failed to produce babies after 3 postings were off to the colonies. Ones that were fruitful were promised the nice retirement home once they were no longer fertile.

YoutubeZoom · 20/07/2021 12:32

I thought Grünwald thinking back to the time with Luke was only longing for security, peace and love. She understands that she changed as a person too much to be able to get back there.
We see how Emily and Moira could never continue with their old lives after Gilead. They are different people.

YoutubeZoom · 20/07/2021 12:34

I do not know who Grünwald is 🤦‍♀️ My phone keeps secrets from me.
I meant June.

MotionActivatedDog · 20/07/2021 12:39

Grunwald! 😂

Freecuthbert · 20/07/2021 12:47

For a moment there I was wondering who Grünwald is!

WitchSharkadder · 20/07/2021 12:54

I interpreted June's flashback at the beginning as her reminiscing what loving, consensual sex was due to Janine & Steven having sex nearby and June not viewing that as consensual because Janine was coerced.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 20/07/2021 13:26

I agree they wouldn’t let you stop as long as there was a possibility of you producing another baby. Even if doctors had warned you might die in the process.

Is that a plot line they have ever explored? It’s been a while since the show has focused on the actual business of being a handmaid iirc.

RiaOverTheRainbow · 20/07/2021 14:16

Tbf I don't think enough of the commanders are fertile for too many births to be a big concern.

Twizbe · 20/07/2021 15:36

I'm sure in the book she mentioned that a successful birth led to a nice retirement. A sort of redemption through service type thing.

I imagine if they behaved they might get to be aunts or something similar in the training of new handmaids, or Martha's if they were good at domestic things, perhaps in a place like Jezebels.