The Handmaid’s Tale Recap: Promised Land

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If you trick me once, it’s on you. But if you keep tricking me, that’s my fault for sticking with another season of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The premiere hinted at fresh situations for June and Serena, who have long been trapped in a tiresome pattern of dashed and reinstated hopes. From enemies to allies to enemies again and again. However, by the end of episode two, both characters seem to be spinning back to their familiar storylines that they can’t escape. How many fingers will Serena have to lose before she realizes that patriarchy means no women are included in the decision-making process? I think it might take ten. And how often will June look intensely at the camera with a tense smile, only to find herself on the brink of death? I worry there is no limit to this.

The hour-long show titled ‘Exile’ is skillfully made, filled with heartfelt comparisons and satisfying references to earlier events. However, it ends up on somewhat predictable ground, turning a series that explores misogynistic theology and authoritarianism into a confrontation between women. June Osborne, a former handmaid determined to flee Gilead repeatedly until it takes her life, serves as the main character, while Serena, who authored a traditionalist wife’s Bible that contributed to the establishment of a regime denying women the right to read in the first place, stands as the primary antagonist. It seems that in this oppressive society where all women are oppressed or enslaved, the real villains are… you guessed it. Women!

If this episode provides insights into June and Serena’s characters, it reveals that they are voluntarily participating in the struggle rather than being compelled as they were before in Gilead. Previously, Serena appeared almost brainwashed, clinging to the ideal of this new order despite its ongoing disempowerment. However, in “Exile,” she gets a momentary opportunity to be less judgmental and moralistic, like the woman who quickly stirred up adversaries on the refugee train. Only Serena Joy could have such fortune as to escape from a moving train and find herself in Canaan, a community of women and children who enjoy gardening. She asks Abigail, their leader, to address her as Rachel.

Rachel is guaranteed admission into Eden without any doubt, even though we don’t witness her transition since a two-month time leap, which suggests the intensity of the final season, piques curiosity. I was intrigued to discover if Canaan could transform Serena – would focusing on motherhood and experiencing a supportive sisterhood potentially diminish her fanaticism? Could living among no men help Serena cease controlling how men behave towards women?

Unfortunately, when Serena unmasks herself to Abigail, who had recognized her all along, Abigail urges Serena to acknowledge her part in shaping the horrific society of Gilead. “Make amends,” Abigail suggests, sounding like sweetness to a tyrant’s ear. Regrettably, at this critical juncture, Serena misinterprets this misguided counsel. Just then, the newly married Joseph and Naomi Lawrence arrive in Canaan, seeking to entice her back to New Bethlehem. There, she is promised more than a superficial reformist role. Instead, she can wield “true influence,” as Joseph assures her, within a patriarchal system that retains the power to withdraw that influence at any moment. For instance, will they allow Noah Waterford, a genuine son of Gilead, to grow up without a father figure?

Serena enthusiastically agrees to help create Gilead Lite, as she finds the taste appealing and the amount less filling, because her fervor, a double-edged sword, fuels both her eagerness and her unyielding spirit. In truth, what Serena yearns for beyond a child is a platform to express her deeply held convictions. Yet, if aligning with Gilead once more seems the path toward rectifying matters, then perhaps it’s better to let them remain uncorrected.

Two months of tranquility and solitude unexpectedly marks the maximum rest and relaxation period for June in June’s terms. On a train bound for Alaska, she confided in Serena that she couldn’t endure “it” – life, motherhood, survival – on her own once more. Remarkably, she wouldn’t have to face this challenge alone. After parting ways with her eldest daughter, her spouse, and her closest friend, June serendipitously finds herself in her mother’s protective embrace at the refugee camp. In Alaska, she is not merely secure; she is reborn as a child. Upon awakening, she finds herself nestled in her mother’s bed. “She’s so intelligent,” Holly remarks about Nichole, a sentiment that grandmothers often express. June shares with her mother that the last time she saw Hannah, Hannah no longer recognized her. Could anyone other than your own mother aid you in mending from such emotional pain?

Though it’s heartening to see Holly back, the reasons given for her return to the story by “Exile” leave me a bit skeptical. You say she was searching for her daughter, but with limited phone access, that seems challenging. I get that. But wouldn’t supply trains or planes occasionally bring newspapers to Alaska? Given the prominence of Angel’s Flight, the largest rescue operation ever, it’s hard to believe no one in Alaska would have heard about it.

June was quite noticeable during her time in Toronto, wasn’t she? Aren’t there any front-page photos of her at a rally, standing with Mark Tuello? Or perhaps you missed June’s testimony at Fred Waterford’s high-profile trial? It just seems odd that Holly would have missed all this. I can’t shake the feeling that maybe I am overlooking something.

I was eager to observe how June would respond to peacefulness. Might she soften her tough exterior and find comfort in raising her daughter here, if only temporarily? Initially, it appears things are going smoothly. Mark and Moira manage to free Luke from prison. He’ll have to remain for his trial, but then he can board a train bound for Alaska. However, Luke is tired of waiting. He waited for so long, and now that he’s been reunited with his family, he can’t wait any longer. He wants Hannah back as well. With teary eyes, he swears allegiance to Mayday alongside Mark and Moira, becoming a part of the struggle that has been June’s entire life since they were first separated.

In the narrative, Nick finds himself in a delicate predicament within New Bethlehem. Upon his father-in-law’s urging, he reconciles with Joseph, but continues to work alongside Mark, who has recently formed an alliance with Mayday, which includes Luke. While I acknowledge that this is a profound, high-stakes drama centered around intellectual themes, it’s hard not to notice the addition of a classic love triangle to the plotline. Both Nick and Luke cannot coexist as June’s romantic partners when the series concludes in the remaining seven episodes. It seems unlikely that she will choose one over the other, but opting for neither is out of the question – I’d scream if that happened! The most straightforward resolution would be for one of them to meet a heroic demise, and both seem to be entertaining the notion of such a sacrifice. Presently, Commander Wharton resides in Nick’s residence, forcing him to secretly carry out his espionage activities. In his conversation with Mark, Nick discusses the Mayday fighters as if they are embarking on a suicide mission. If Luke perishes while attempting to rescue Hannah from Gilead, it will be both heartbreaking and convenient.

After June discovers Luke’s departure from the safe and controlled territory, she chooses to side with Mayday as well. Since Nick hasn’t responded since his meeting with Mark, June is the one who can bring him back in line. This action seems righteous. It’s clear that this is the path June Osborne would take. However, I couldn’t help but shout at the TV, “Don’t leave your daughter, June!” Unfortunately, she does leave her daughter, a sacrifice that’s somewhat softened by the fact that Nichole will be with her grandmother. Granted, Nichole isn’t very familiar with her grandmother. She barely knows her father. She’s never lived anywhere for long. All the women in this show have faced so much turmoil, but little Nichole was born into chaos. I had hoped Alaska would offer June a refuge; however, June is restless by nature. But maybe this can be where Nichole learns to walk and talk. Maybe it’s her last chance at a normal life.

As the warmth of June arrives in Alaska, I find myself as distant from Hannah as ever. Yet, should I reunite with Mayday, my separation from Nichole will be just as profound. From its inception, “The Handmaid’s Tale” has been a tale not only of motherhood but also of countless other aspects. Remarkably, even in its sixth season, the series continues to steer clear of becoming overtly dogmatic about what it means to be a good mother.

In a past season, I shared with Serena that I couldn’t safeguard my baby without him being by my side. That sentiment held true then. However, how does one shield their daughter from an advancing ideology? Perhaps, you conceal her in a world light-years away. The Last Frontier.

Fundamentally, “Exile” seems to undo much of the exhilarating dynamism that marked the season opener. Characters like Serena and June find themselves returning to the conflict they’ve been trying to evade, both unwilling to settle for a form of freedom that doesn’t equate to total triumph. These women are cunning, stubborn, and formidable, yet “The Handmaid’s Tale” consistently denies them the depth and complexity they deserve. They don’t grow or adapt. Their minds remain unyielding, like unwavering missiles relentlessly pursuing their goals.

Before June leaves to reunite with Mayday at another dilapidated secure location in a remote area, Holly proposes taking off her identification tag. “I’ll do it only when all the handmaids are liberated,” she tells her mother (instead of “When there’s no one left to fight”). However, what if these individuals’ determination – their strength – is more complex than they realize? Serena justifies her actions by citing maternal instinct, but she could have protected Noah in Canaan; it will be much harder for her to escape from being the “global representative” of New Bethlehem’s gleaming island penitentiary. And June could have kept Nichole safe in Alaska and allowed Luke to lead the search for Hannah in the South. Are they engaged in this struggle now because they are such dedicated mothers or because they can no longer recall how to live any other way?

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2025-04-08 20:57