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

999 replies

Clawdy · 16/08/2021 08:00

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

OP posts:
MrsRobbieHart · 23/08/2021 11:04

She must have really believed in it at one point for her to engineer the handover of all her autonomy to other men. You wouldn’t do something like that unless you had total faith that it was what your god wanted. I can’t even imagine fear would be enough of a driver for a free and somewhat powerful (in her own world) woman, as Serena was, to create this world without creating some sort of escape route for herself.

LadyEloise1 · 23/08/2021 11:08

Great posts too from TheMoth, Furries and OverByYer

TheMoth · 23/08/2021 11:08

Thank you! I'm work-avoiding.

SpindleWhorl · 23/08/2021 11:14

[quote lilmishap]@SpindleWhorl I was obsessed with The Company of Wolves as a teen, but I couldn't work out what the handmaids robes reminded me of, now I think it was that damn film...[/quote]
Ditto! It's a very powerful symbol, an archtype I guess.

ChequerBoard · 23/08/2021 11:15

Serena's motivation all along has been to become a mother. That's quite an obsession - to motivate and agitate a revolution of state to enable her to access a baby.

Once she has her child (if her pregnancy goes well and baby is well on delivery) I think her motivations will shift. I see Serena as the ultimate tiger mother - nothing will be too good and no crime too great if it's for the benefit of her child.

Ultimately Serena will want her baby to be the supreme ruler, with mummy at his side to guide him.

Breathmiller · 23/08/2021 11:28

Do we actually know for sure that Tuello and Serena slept together? lf so, I must have missed that.

I always thought he was just doing his job and talking her into defecting by offering her a new life with the possibility of a baby. Not that he would be part of that.

He was just saying that she could have that life if she left Gilead and turned on Fred. And to be honest, he was only saying that, not because he particularly cared what life she would have afterwards but because he was manipulating her to rat on Gilead.

I also felt that when June approached him last night when he was running, he was saying "you have over stepped by coming into my private life".

It's a job he is doing and I didn't get that he fancied Serena. He was doing his job in tricking her to trust him.

Maybe I missed something or forgotten something from earlier though?

AuntLydiasNewHairdo · 23/08/2021 11:44

He fancied her, at the very least. Soft gazes and that.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 23/08/2021 11:49

@MrsRobbieHart

Speaking of the last supper- we never got to see what the last supper dinner with all the aunts was about. It didn’t go anywhere.
Betrayal of June, of Fred, murder, crucifixion (Fred on the wall), vengeance, sacrifice (June of her family) it was all part of a theme
AuntLydiasNewHairdo · 23/08/2021 11:53

Just another Monday night dinner for the Aunts in the Red Centre. They were just having dinner. The symbolism was for us.

JaninesEyePatch · 23/08/2021 11:54

@Breathmiller

Do we actually know for sure that Tuello and Serena slept together? lf so, I must have missed that.

I always thought he was just doing his job and talking her into defecting by offering her a new life with the possibility of a baby. Not that he would be part of that.

He was just saying that she could have that life if she left Gilead and turned on Fred. And to be honest, he was only saying that, not because he particularly cared what life she would have afterwards but because he was manipulating her to rat on Gilead.

I also felt that when June approached him last night when he was running, he was saying "you have over stepped by coming into my private life".

It's a job he is doing and I didn't get that he fancied Serena. He was doing his job in tricking her to trust him.

Maybe I missed something or forgotten something from earlier though?

No I agree, I didn't ever get an inkling that it was anything more.
JaninesEyePatch · 23/08/2021 11:57

@sluj

Was that really Fred's body on the wall or is he going to turn up again? There's a reason they made the corpse headless and wearing a different coat 🤔
This is a really good point.... When I saw that scene it didn't really look like a body at all to me - looked like some clothes hanging off a scarecrow 😂
Crinkle77 · 23/08/2021 11:57

@Furries

Felt disappointed by the episode.

June wanted Fred to feel fear, to be scared for his life. And I obviously get why.

For me, what would have been more fitting, is them scaring the shit out of him. And cutting off his finger - see how you like it, you bastard.

But then to have stopped and handed him back to The Eyes. And for him to have been tried, convicted and sentenced under the rules that HE helped to create. And to end up being taken to the wall - those final moments would have struck absolute fear in him. Literally hoisted by his own petard.

Yes I think that's what I would have preferred.
TonyThreePies · 23/08/2021 12:05

Do we actually know for sure that Tuello and Serena slept together? lf so, I must have missed that.

Same, it wasn't on my radar at all!

And was that definitely Fred on the wall? There was nothing that indicated it was him, was there?

Remmy123 · 23/08/2021 12:09

No - Tuello and Serena did not sleep together .. he flirted with her etc all manipulation.

Why is Luke so upset at what June did to Fred? Surely he understands she needed revenge!

TeaStory · 23/08/2021 12:12

I don't think Tuello would have been so unprofessional to sleep with Serena. At that point she was presenting as an abused and traumatised victim.

June has passed a moral event horizon, I think it would be annoying if she were perfect.

TeaStory · 23/08/2021 12:13

*so unprofessional THAT HE WOULD sleep with Serena. I don't believe he did, but I believe he has mixed feelings about her.

SisterJude · 23/08/2021 12:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AuntLydiasNewHairdo · 23/08/2021 12:23

DH says it wouldn't be the end of our marriage if I killed Fred. So that's ok.

MrsRobbieHart · 23/08/2021 12:34

Do we actually know for sure that Tuello and Serena slept together? lf so, I must have missed that.

It hasn’t even been hinted at tbh. I think folk just get carried away.

MrsRobbieHart · 23/08/2021 12:38

@AuntLydiasNewHairdo

DH says it wouldn't be the end of our marriage if I killed Fred. So that's ok.
Grin
Thatswhathappens · 23/08/2021 12:44

I loved the bit where June said to commander Lawrence, Joseph don’t be a dick, when they were all sitting in the cafe, his acting was great, it made me smile!

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/08/2021 12:55

I thought Fred was wearing his white shirt not a different jacket - but I do need new glasses so I could be wrong. I don't think it's completely unrealistic that June and the others behaved the way they did they are seriously damaged. It would make it impossible for June and Luke to resume their marriage, though.

I don't think Tuello slept with Serena, it's Fred's. I hope the baby is taken away, its what she deserves and would be better for the baby.

nottoday3000 · 23/08/2021 12:58

Serena and the baby in exchange for Hannah ...maybe

goinggently · 23/08/2021 12:59

There was a white shirt and black tie, and then a short white jacket over the top. Clothes are never a mistake in THT so it must have some significance or other 🤔

SoupDragon · 23/08/2021 13:01

@MrsRobbieHart

Do we actually know for sure that Tuello and Serena slept together? lf so, I must have missed that.

It hasn’t even been hinted at tbh. I think folk just get carried away.

I thought it was hinted at that he had feelings for her though.