Happy Season Six Premiere Day, friends! The day is finally here! As usual, our friends at Hulu have blessed us with the first three episodes dropping today so there is a ton of ground to cover in today’s review. Remember that this review and analysis will include MANY SPOILERS so do not continue to read unless you have watched them already! With that being said, let’s dig into the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale.
Episode 601 – Train
June and Serena’s journey takes an unexpected turn. Moira makes a bold decision. Nick deals with a powerful visitor.
Writers: Nika Castillo and Bruce Miller
Director: Elisabeth Moss
We picked up right where we left off on the train with June playing with baby Noah. Serena attempts to engage in a conversation with June where she attempts to relate to her, but June continues to remind her that they live under vastly different circumstances. The banter between the two is fascinating as Serena now also finds herself on the run. June’s injuries from being run over by a truck begin to catch up with her as she begins to overheat and become lightheaded. Serena helpfully finds a doctor to examine June’s broken arm, who notes that she has an infection brewing, but also notes the tension between June and Serena.
Back in Gilead in New Bethlehem, Nick is released from handcuffs and delivered back to his wife at home. The guardian driving informs him that High Commander Wharton is waiting for him. Making his Handmaid’s Tale debut, is Josh Charles, playing Rose’s father, a High Commander. This can’t be good for Nick, who was just arrested for punching Commander Lawrence after the assassination attempt on June. Wharton meets Nick out back to have a heart-to-heart chat. Nick admits to his father-in-law that Rose is right to be upset with him, and Wharton is surprisingly understanding of Nick’s actions. He calmly encourages him to prioritize his wife and baby on the way. This is immediately setting off alarm bells in my mind; I sense a good cop/bad cop situation building.
June manages to get in touch with Moira on the phone who informs her that Luke is in jail. When June explains what happened to her travel buddy, Serena expresses that she has faith in June’s ability to always fight to get her family back together. More urgently, Moira let June know that the train will not be going to Vancouver. “They’re overwhelmed and they won’t let the train come in.” They have no idea where they are headed but the train continues to barrel down the tracks to who knows where. June expresses that she doesn’t know if she can be alone again, but Serena vows to help her.
Back in Toronto, Moira makes a stop at Mark Tuello’s office to push him to do what he can to help Luke. Tuello let’s her know that the Canadian government “wants to start normalizing relations with Gilead and that would mean de-recognizing the United States”. Tuello’s entire office could be shut down in less than a year. The U.S. military is depleted and Tuello is beginning to lean towards Mayday as a means of fighting back against Gilead. Moira declares that she wants and needs to help Mayday fight back, no matter what it takes.
Other women sitting with June and Serena on the train begin to discuss their trauma they experienced in Gilead. Serena is once again forced to confront the realities that women face at the hands of the regime she helped to build. Unfortunately, Serena thinks she can relate to these women (cue my eyeroll). June tells these fellow survivors the story of when she and Hannah were captured in the woods, and June reveals that she blames herself because she let her go. This idea of letting go will be a common theme throughout the season. When the doctor returns to check on June, he reveals that he knows who Serena Joy is and has alerted train security who are on their way to arrest Serena. June is torn over this revelation and asks that he at least promise to “keep [Serena’s] baby safe”. After picking up baby Noah, the doctor slowly reveals that he was a fertility doctor in a lab in Gilead and exposes Serena’s identity to the other passengers who instantly jump up and become aggressive towards her after recognizing who she is.
June can see exactly where this is headed and makes some efforts to put distance between the angered passengers and Serena. Of course, Serena can’t help but mouth off and put blame back on the women for Gilead’s atrocities, declaring that they deserved it. Once the security guard arrives, he inspects Serena’s forged papers, he wants to let her go, but June urges him to arrest her in an attempt to protect her from the other passengers. The security officer expresses his grief over those he’s lost in Gilead and intentionally leaves her with the increasingly aggressive passengers. It begins to get physically violent, looking like it’s headed towards a Gilead style “particicution”. June pulls the train’s emergency brake and rushes Serena out of the car. In a final attempt to save her, June pushes Serena holding baby Noah from the train.
June wakes to find that she is the last one on the train at its final stop. After disembarking, she learns that she has landed in a refugee community in Alaska. She and Nichole get in line to be processed, find some food, and get medical attention for June’s injuries. Just as we feel relief that she has arrived somewhere safe, I spot a side profile that must be too good to be true, but it isn’t. An older woman in scrubs begins to yell June’s full name, and it cracked my heart wide open because I realized it’s Holly, June’s mother. Friends, I absolutely ugly cried and SOBBED my eyes out. This entire time, June has believed that her mom died in the colonies, yet here she is, alive and well running to embrace June. As a woman who has lost her mom very young, I cried tears of joy for June and heartache for my own circumstances. Imagining reuniting with your mom after believing she’s dead is the impossible dream, and I am so grateful that after all June has been through, she gets to be with her mom. No matter what else happens this season, I will never forget this moment and what it means to me on an emotional level. Bravo, Nika Castillo and Bruce Miller. You made me ugly cry once again.
Episode 602 – Exile
June tries to settle in a new community. Serena seeks a sanctuary. Luke and Moira take a big risk.
Writers: J. Holtham
Director: Elisabeth Moss
After being pushed off of the train, Serena ventures into the night looking for shelter, and in true Serena Joy fashion, stumbles upon a church. A woman finds her outside and we cut to Serena waking up in a car parked outside of what appears to be a large boarding house full of women and children. A woman named Abigail welcomes her to their community who says it’s a “faith-based community, there’s only women and children here.” She quotes scripture which goes a long way with earning Serena’s trust. Although, she introduces herself as “Rachel”. “Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children or else I die”, anyone?
June wakes up in her mom’s house to the sound of Holly singing “I’ll Be Your Mirror” by The Velvet Underground to Nichole. It’s the perfect emotional moment as June wakes up feeling the safety and comfort of being back in her mom’s home while her mom sings the same song that June always sang to Hannah and then to Nichole. June finally gets to tell her mom how much they searched for her and learns what happened to Holly. She was dragged out and tried under the Gilead system for being an abortion doctor. As a doctor, she took care of the Aunts and Guardians in the Colonies. She always kept the faith that she would see June again someday. It was incredible to hear how much Holly had faith that June would be a fighter and a survivor. The army liberated The Colonies where Holly was posted and brought her to the camp in Alaska. We learn that there are still Americans in Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam. Holly stayed in Alaska for the hope of one day reuniting with June, who then tells her mom what happened to Hannah. I am so grateful that June has her mom there to comfort her in this moment.
Mark Tuello has managed to pull whatever strings he still has left with the Canadian government to get Luke released from jail. Unfortunately, he must wait 3-4 months for his hearing. Luke finally lets his anger out about his frustration at not being able to help Hannah before she’s married off in Gilead. Moira lets him know that Mayday is working on a plan to kill the Commanders that shot down the U.S. planes that were trying to rescue Hannah. Without knowing any details, Luke is all in on whatever the plan will be.
Nick pays a visit to Commander Lawrence to give him a heads up that High Commander Wharton is on his way. Once he arrives, Lawrence is happy to sing the praises of success and interest in New Bethlehem. Wharton is still skeptical but intrigued in the idea. He asks, “Where does Mrs. Waterford fit into all this?” and suggests she be brought back to help promote Gilead’s way of life, at least for the upcoming visit from foreign diplomats. Nick is hesitant about the idea but agrees to reach out to The Eyes to find her.
Two months later, Serena is picking tomatoes in the garden with Noah when she has a flashback to visiting her father before she married Fred. We learn that Serena’s dad was a minister and encouraged Serena’s writing and work of promoting her ideology.
In a fireside chat with Nick, High Commander Wharton begins to talk to Nick about his parents and upbringing. Highlighting that Nick did not have a good relationship with his father, Wharton points out that Nick has sought father figures in other men like Fred and Lawrence. And once again stresses that Nick needs to prioritize his family, particularly his son, when making choices. It’s beginning to make me wonder if Wharton has been spying on him. The camera lingers on Nick as he ponders his father-in-law’s advice.
Abigail chats with Serena and informs her that she knows exactly who Serena is, has read her book, but welcomed her into their community anyway. Abigail brings Serena to the point where she must confront what she’s done and that must make it right. She then flashes back to visiting her father who is in a wheelchair and non-verbal in his older age. She tells him vaguely of the change that she and Fred are about to bring to the country, “just like you always wanted.” Snapping back to the present, a car pulls up and who gets out? Joseph Lawrence and Naomi, the new Mrs. Lawrence, arrive to have a chat with Serena. Lawrence tries to sell her on coming back to New Bethlehem with the idea of a kinder Gilead and promising to make her the face of reform. He lures her in with independence, the right to read and write, and the ability to have real influence. He finally drops the hammer and reminds her that the Wheelers may also be able to track her down if she doesn’t move to New Bethlehem.
June is having a tough time getting a hold of Luke but finally reaches Mark and learns that Moira and Luke are stuck in No Man’s Land after trying to help Mayday. June starts packing to go rescue them, but Holly is trying to put a stop to it. June finally divulges a bit of her relationship with Nick, which scares Holly even more. She insists that all the Eyes and Commanders are monsters, and that June can’t work with Nick. She’s desperate to keep June with her and keep her safe, now that she finally has her back. And June snaps back, hurting Holly in the process.
At a SUPER uncomfy dinner with everyone at the boarding house, Lawrence and Naomi make it clear that their faith is for show, as they have a hard time even attempting to just say grace at dinner with their new hosts. Sitting at the head of the table, Serena steps in and takes over and announces to the table that she knows her true calling: to heal this broken world. We can all see where this is going. Serena elicits so many eye rolls from me this season.
After their fight, Holy joins June on the porch and tells her how hard she fought to find June and that she can’t lose her again. June apologizes for hurting her mom. Holly acknowledges that June needs to go to save Luke and Moira but convinces her to leave Nichole there in Alaska with Holly to keep her safe. She articulates that although she wasn’t always there for June, she wants to be here for Nichole. In a touching montage of June playing with Nichole, I can’t help but fear that it may be a long time before they are together again.
Serena boards a private jet bound for New Bethlehem in a stunning mauve/lilac outfit, notably with her hair down as she heads to Gilead. New Bethlehem looks like a small Stepford suburb in the fifties. June heads out and arrives at a safe house to join Mayday in the search for Moira and Luke. “Let’s bring them home.”
Episode 603 – Devotion
June struggles to save her loved ones. Commander Lawrence welcomes diplomats to New Bethlehem. Aunt Lydia searches for Janine.
Writers: Nina Fiore & John Herrera
Director: David Lester
Mark is at the safehouse with Mayday and reveals to June that the U.S. military is funding Mayday and they’re working on a plan to kill extremist commanders. He also informs June that Serena and Noah are in New Bethlehem. “She always comes out on top.” Mark knows that Nick will somehow show up to meet June and help find Luke and Moira, which he points out to June, wearing a knowing smirk.
At Nick’s house, Lawrence introduces him to a German diplomat. Once alone, the diplomat delivers the message to Nick that June is waiting for him at Mile Marker 17 in No Man’s Land. And we know Nick; he’s already on his way. Upon their reunion in the forest, June eventually wears Nick down until he agrees to go help Luke and Moira. But she also insists on going along with Nick. Who is he to tell her no? Like THAT’S ever worked before.
Joseph arrives at Serena’s brand-new beachside house in New Bethlehem to convince her to really sell the idea of this new community to the foreign diplomats scheduled to arrive that day. Serena drills into Lawrence on his lack of faith. She really seems to need him to have some sort of relationship with God. They both want to make Gilead a better place and know that they each played a huge role in the pain and destruction it has already caused to the world.
We finally catch up with good old Aunt Lydia this season, who arrives at the dressing room of a Jezebel’s location. She looks aghast at the outfits and the activities her former handmaids are engaging in until her eyes land on Janine. It broke my heart to see Janine in Jezebel’s but I’m so grateful to see her still alive. Lydia vows to get her out, but Janine says no. Aunt Lydia thought that her handmaids that bore children would be rewarded with a safe life and is horrified to learn that a few end up at Jezebel’s but most end up in the Colonies. Janine tells Aunt Lydia to forget about her and heads off to work.
Lawrence gives the diplomats (and the audience) a tour of New Bethlehem. We see women writing, wearing clothing outside of the prescribed Gilead dress code, and even working. How is anyone in Gilead’s power structure allowing this? Commander Wharton meets up with Serena and is oh so flattering. We can all see where this is going, right?
Nick and June arrive at an abandoned water park to search for Moira and Luke. As they walk around the grounds, they see that it is being patrolled by the Eyes. Nick reveals that he went to visit June when she was in the hospital.
The diplomats gather in New Bethlehem and push back against Lawrence and his idea to bring refugees back. Rightfully so considering the egregious human rights violations. Serena takes it upon herself to give a speech about her past actions, and that she must atone here in New Bethlehem to help change Gilead for the better. She defends their fertility successes and their cleaning up of the environment. As the cherry on top of her sales pitch, she shows off her greatest success: Noah. She also takes a moment to show off Rose Blaine, Nick’s wife who is very far along in her pregnancy. Lawrence promises that New Bethlehem is “all the good of Gilead, with none of the bad.” The diplomats are eating it up and are quickly coming around. After her performance, Wharton gets back to complimenting and flirting with Serena.
In the water park, Nick starts to break down about how his feelings for June have destroyed him, along with watching her choose Luke. June reveals that she still has love for Nick, obviously. And of course, he continues in the rescue plan for her. Luke and Moira are hiding out inside waiting to be rescued, while Luke is making me REAL nervous waving a gun around. But I enjoy seeing him take action and wanting to finally make some big moves. As Moira and Luke begin to bicker, they hear someone approaching and drop down to hide. Thankfully, it’s Nick and June arriving to rescue them in one of the most awkward reunions of the entire series. This is also the first time that Moira is meeting Nick, which I completely forgot about. As they head to Nick’s car, they’re stopped by two Eyes. Knowing there’s no way out of there; Nick shoots them both. Ah, the things we do for love.
The Lawrences join Serena, Rose, and Commander Wharton for celebratory champagne. Naomi gets some incredible lines as she attempts to participate in Serena, Wharton, and Lawrence’s strategy conversation. Wharton points out that Nick should be there already, but Lawrence covers for him (but not very well). Later that evening, Lydia is waiting at Lawrence’s home to fight to rescue Janine from Jezebel’s. Her desperation is showing because she somehow thinks Naomi will reconsider and give Janine another chance. Lydia demands to know why handmaids cannot become econo-women. Lawrence has no intention of helping Janine and encourages Lydia to let it go.
Nick delivers June, Moira, and Luke back to Tuello at the Mayday safehouse. Nick starts to push back against helping Tuello now that Wharton is in his home. He threatens to expose Nick if he stops helping, but Nick knows he won’t. June and Nick have a bit of a silly goodbye and acknowledge how often they have emotional goodbyes only to see each other again. They decide to leave it at “see you later.” Oh boy!
