The Handmaid's Tale Series 4 - finale coming up, no spoilers please.

[Clawdy]

New thread, looking forward to finale, but wishing it really was the last episode, with all storylines and characters ending satisfactorily.

It's a creamy sauce with bacon, to go on pasta.

@ChequerBoard

Sorry to go against the grain, but I thought that episode was awful. Lazy writing, poor plot lining stretching implausibility to new heights.

There were so many plot elements that needed to be woven together to make a great finale and this just didn't bother with any of them.

I've thought the whole series was awful tbh. They shouldn't have bothered.

@colouringindoors

"Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" (which I misquoted above) is a pseudo-Latin phrase which could be translated as "don't let the bastards grind you down."

I also think it's odd how much phone contact and nipping over the border there is with Gilead. Maybe that was always the way just that women weren't involved.

I thought that episode was fucking amazing television. Brilliant writing (even if you take issue with some elements of the plot) and sublime acting. Loved it.

thank you both

I think the border hopping is a feature of many longstanding wars tbh.

@ChequerBoard

Sorry to go against the grain, but I thought that episode was awful. Lazy writing, poor plot lining stretching implausibility to new heights.

There were so many plot elements that needed to be woven together to make a great finale and this just didn't bother with any of them.

Yep. All of this. It was really poor.

@ChequerBoard

Sorry to go against the grain, but I thought that episode was awful. Lazy writing, poor plot lining stretching implausibility to new heights.

There were so many plot elements that needed to be woven together to make a great finale and this just didn't bother with any of them.

Agree. They had a real good knack of ending a series with great episode but have really let themselves down here.

I thought Joseph Fiennes has been brilliant. Was surprised to see pp call him one of the weakest.

Guessing I'm not the only one in this thread who is rooting for June and Nick? Their chemistry on screen is second to none

@colouringindoors

can someone remind me what the ....carborundum type phrase meant?

Illegitimi non carborundum - pseudo Latin for 'don't let the bastards grind you down'.

My doctor once said that to me which I found rather cheering

I thought Joseph Fiennes has been brilliant. Was surprised to see pp call him one of the weakest.

I think it’s possibly the fact he was in a lot of scenes with Serena who just blows them all out of the water. Hard to look good when you’re standing next to her.

Guessing I'm not the only one in this thread who is rooting for June and Nick? Their chemistry on screen is second to none

Totally agree. Love seeing them onscreen together!

@RiaOverTheRainbow

I don't know why people think Luke has given up on Hannah? He's spent years trying to get her out. He was talking about moving on from the Waterfords, not Hannah.

Exactly.

Why does she have to leave though? Killing him might quench the need for revenge - even if she needs to leave Luke, why would she leave Nicole? It's all too much self-sacrifice for me clearly!
I loved Fred hinting to Canadian dude that he knew he fancied Serena.

I want Hannah to be a chip off the old block just somehow, yes even given her restricted upbringing from so young.

I thought June was having to leave because she had just killed a man and would be arrested? It’s not clear where the murder took place though. Where is this dead man’s land? Is it possible a murder there can’t be prosecuted in Canada?

Writing on the wall was excellent. I’m not sure how Joseph and Nick will explain this in Gilead though? Presumably it’s all been under the table.

Definitely the end of Luke and June.

It was a perfect ending in my eyes. The way in which Fred was killed was the the way it had to be. He had to be killed by those women, they had to have their vengeance. It couldn't be anyone else but them. Why should they just watch what happens? I'm very pleased. Just need Aunt Lydia and Serena now to get their comeuppance.

I think no man's land must be unoccupied USA, so I don't think Canada would have any jurisdiction over what happens there?

@AuntLydiasNewHairdo

It's a creamy sauce with bacon, to go on pasta.

I think it's entirely plausible that Joseph could've arrange to swap a bunch of unimportant women for a valuable asset to the Canadians/Americans. Gilead won't care about Fred facing justice, they just wanted him to shut up! Joseph can tell the rest of the world that Fred was dealt with in accordance with Gilead laws after admitting to extra-ceremonial rapes of his handmaid.

What will happen to Serena now though? Presumably her freedom was part of Fred's arrangement & that depended on the ICC granting him immunity. They thought that was just a formality. I'm guessing Serena already told them everything she knew about Gilead back when she & Fred weren't talking so she won't have anything left to bargain with. I think it's most likely that she'll end up in prison for her abuse of June & have her baby taken away from her. I wonder what the sentence is for what she's done. I'm guessing she'd be let out eventually & her baby wouldn't recognise her. Maybe he'd even be a bit scared of the crazy lady... Shame. I'm feeling vindictive & would love for her to end up back in Gilead as a handmaid. Perhaps she won't get sent to prison but her asylum claim could be denied & she could be deported. Can't really see how they could deny her asylum when she's missing a finger though. I can't imagine they'd deport her while pregnant, or allow the baby to be taken back to Gilead so I guess she's safe in Canada for another month or two at least.

Does anyone have any theories about how June might be able to get back into Gilead? Hannah's right in the middle of Gilead territory now so it'll be difficult for June to get that far undetected. I'm guessing she'll try to reach Nick for help. Maybe she'll ask him to hide her in his house & he'll have to come clean about being married. I wonder what his wife is like & if she'd be willing to help. Imagine if she turned out to be lovely & reasonable & part of the resistance. It was one thing when he was forced into marrying a pious child who clearly didn't know better but how would June react if his wife was on their side? She'd be difficult to hate!

I'm hoping next season will be the last one & I can see a final scene where June & Nick get Hannah out but June dies in the process, living just long enough to know that Hannah's safe in Canada. Then Nick & Luke have an awkward daughter-swap situation to deal with!

I'm disappointed we didn't see Aunt Lydia, Janine & Esther in the finale. I'm desperate to see what's going on with them. I think Janine's just trying to survive & stay in Aunt Lydia's good books now but there's no way Esther's just going to toe the line!

Well, it was certainly extraordinary.

@RiaOverTheRainbow

I think no man's land must be unoccupied USA, so I don't think Canada would have any jurisdiction over what happens there?

It must be.

I wanted Tuello to casually mention his husband (who I've made up), so Fred and Serena would twig they'd been played by a 'gender traitor'.