The Handmaids Tale S4 at C4 pace (no spoilers) thread 3

[MotionActivatedDog]

New thread!

Why would Canada send Serena back to Gilead? They want to prosecute her for war crimes.

Just catching up...

I was feeling sorry for Luke until the sex scene. I get what June was doing but I think he should've stopped it. It just doesn't sit right with me that he was happy to go ahead knowing what she's been through.

Ooh, June's "if you feel yourself getting sucked in by her, run. Run for your life" to Tuello at the end was actually very Pinter though wasn't it. Maybe he does have a thing for Serena.

I got the impression luke was in total shock about what June was doing.

Yeah, maybe.

@WitchSharkadder

I was feeling sorry for Luke until the sex scene. I get what June was doing but I think he should've stopped it. It just doesn't sit right with me that he was happy to go ahead knowing what she's been through.

Was watching with DS so wasnt really focusing on the sex scene 😬, but he did say no a couple of times didn't he? Plus she had her hand clamped over his face...

It just doesn't sit right with me that he was happy to go ahead knowing what she's been through.

I don't think he's really got any inkling, though. I mean he knows they were raped each month, but I don't think he really understands.

Luke was half asleep, told June to wait, then she pinned his hand and covered his mouth. Do you think he should have shoved her off him?

Not sure we were watching the same sex scene? He kept trying to stop her but then she pinned him down and gagged him. It was pretty rapey TBH

A lot of women just freeze in these situations instead of physically resisting. Seemed to me like he kind of did that

You're all probably right. I don't know why it was just really uncomfortable for me, but I guess it was meant to be uncomfortable.

I agree that it was supposed to be uncomfortable. Is she getting any therapy at all?

It was very uncomfortable, but I'm not sure how anyone could watch that scene and think Luke was the one at fault.

@GoingGently

A lot of women just freeze in these situations instead of physically resisting. Seemed to me like he kind of did that

Yes I think that’s what it was. Confusion/shock and just WTF is happening.

@WitchSharkadder

You're all probably right. I don't know why it was just really uncomfortable for me, but I guess it was meant to be uncomfortable.

Yes it was really uncomfortable.

The sex scene made me very sad actually. Luke had been trying to be so careful in not touching her too much, maybe thinking they would work up to intimacy at the right time and it would be right and loving. That was very much not right or loving. June is so damaged. I found it very difficult to watch.

I can see June staying just long enough to see Fred & Serena condemned and then going back in for Hannah.

The way she talked to Nichole about ‘Luke and Moira raising you’ and ‘your daddy and I love you’ didn’t sound as if she planned to be around to raise her herself. Whatever she’s pretending at the moment.

There was a line in June’s monologue about serena where she said something like “she’ll do whatever it takes to get what she wants/needs” and I thought that means June is playing along with Luke, Moira, tuello etc to get what she needs- which I think means back to Gilead for Hannah and nick.

@MotionActivatedDog

There was a line in June’s monologue about serena where she said something like “she’ll do whatever it takes to get what she wants/needs” and I thought that means June is playing along with Luke, Moira, tuello etc to get what she needs- which I think means back to Gilead for Hannah and nick.

I'm thinking similar

hmm interesting idea. Will s4 end with her going back?!

The sex scene was about power. June had just been to see Serena and was turned on by her own power and then used that plus her anger on luke too. Not necessarily conciously. But rape is not really about sex. Its power, control etc.

@WitchSharkadder

I was feeling sorry for Luke until the sex scene. I get what June was doing but I think he should've stopped it. It just doesn't sit right with me that he was happy to go ahead knowing what she's been through.

I was feeling sorry for June until the sex scene. I get what Luke was doing but I think she should have stopped it.

How does that sound when it's the other way around? Not good?
Yes June is traumatised and to some extent so too is Luke - his wife was enslaved, raped, daughter kidnapped etc but if it had been Luke pinning June down in that sex scene he would have been crucified in here. (And elsewhere)

I’m watching and reading now but I notice people saying it was Emily’s wife who carried Oliver. I thought it was Emily who carried him as that is how she became a hand maid by having a living healthy baby. Oliver then has dual heritage and was able to go to Canada leaving Emily behind

Is there any chance that they are pretending Serena is pregnant in order to get her to tell them everything so they can prosecute properly?

I mean, it isn’t hard at the moment. Get a fake scan picture and done.

@WitchSharkadder

I was feeling sorry for Luke until the sex scene. I get what June was doing but I think he should've stopped it. It just doesn't sit right with me that he was happy to go ahead knowing what she's been through.

Not sure how you got that take from it! It was quite clear that she didn't wait for him to consent and he was in shock. His response was very common in those who are sexually assaulted or raped.