I liked many parts of this ending and other bits not so much. I sometimes feel that I am so involved due to loving the book(s) that I want to see the whole world in Gilead times that is alluded to in the book/first series.
But, I don't like the path that it takes sometimes or the way it is portrayed to make 'good telly'.
So, I often have mixed feelings on it But, i am so involved that I am willing to keep going and to overlook the bits I feel have jumped the shark. I do find it interesting to discuss those here too and hear other's thoughts.
I think that it is entirely plausible that Fred would be handed over for 22 women, I think in the grand scheme of things in Gilead he was not as important as he and Serena would like to believe. Commanders who go off piste go missing easily, à la the Commander who was killed at Jezebels, a story concocted to keep the Gilead facade and move on. And I do think in wars that it happens behind the scenes, clandestine meetings of power over supposedly impenetrable borders, and hush hush swaps of prisoners and people going missing. It's only the proles who have to live lives according to the rules of the State. It's all a facade and those in power do whatever the fuck they want behind the scenes. As it has always been.
I do wish that Fred had been taken back, maybe after a kicking or just a chasing through the woods from the women and then faced a Gilead trial. They could have had their 'make him feel fear' moment at their hands then he would have had the complete humiliation of being tried and put on the wall or a particucation in a huge ceremony. The ultimate humiliation and fear to see his own regime turn against him then be killed according to the laws he made.
I also felt sad that these women were all turned back into what they were as handmaids. I could see someone or even two people going rogue and being so affected by what they had experienced that they couldn't let it go, but a whole group? I suppose it shows that it just needs a particular leader (June) to rile a group of people up to commit atrocities. Many of them in history. It's quite scary.
My 'jumping the shark' moments in this episode were the circle of torches to mimic the library, I get it made good cinematography but as a PP said they were a pack of wild animals at that point, making a ceremony of it with perfectly placed torches was not where they were in their head.
And, the kiss with Nick, nah, not needed. Made them seem weirdly like they were getting off on it. It just doesn't fit with who I thought both of them were.
As for June's remembering dancing with Fred and imagining biting him, I felt like any moment she would say "i ate him with fffffava beans and a nice chianti!" Too much.
But, lots of possibilities to be taking into next series.
June going back for Hannah so back into Gilead.
Luke back to his quiet life in Canada looking after Nichole.
Serena having her baby and what happens to him and her. Will the Puttnam wife (can't remember her name) words come true? 'That baby belongs to Gilead.'
Aunt Lydia, Janine and Esther at the Red Centre.
Commander Lawrence (who I agree, I love his little moment of play) which way will he turn in the end? Or does he just play it as a game and has no ethics of good and bad sides?
And Nick? Will he be a double/triple agent? Will we see his wife and possible handmaid? How will that go down with June?
I know we don't really discuss the content of the original book or The Testaments and I believe there was a mention that it won't follow the story of The Testaments (which I find odd - I want it all to tie up really cleverly) but do we know if it follows the epilogue of the main book? Because, hopefully without giving anything away to those who haven't read it , I already feel due to amount of written testimonies on trial and such like that the lack of knowledge in the epilogue seems unlikely now.