Nick’s Shocking U-Turn in The Handmaid’s Tale S6E5: Why He Changed His Mind

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In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6, Episode 5, when Nick visits Toby, who is gravely ill, in the hospital, he unexpectedly turns around after their conversation. However, their discussion offers insight into why Nick decided to reverse his course.

In the last and concluding episode of the Hulu series, Nick finds himself under mounting scrutiny. Despite continuing to aid June in secret from within, he’s now risen to the rank of Commander and is expecting a child with his wife, Rose. Moreover, High Commander Wharton watches him closely.

In The Handmaid’s Tale’s Season 6 Episode 3, Nick aids June in rescuing Moira and Luke from No Man’s Land, but this act doesn’t come without challenges. When two unexpected guards appear, Nick faces a tough choice and decides to fire at them both.

Although there was a problem – Wharton informs Nick that the youngest guardian, Toby, lived on despite initial expectations. Currently, he’s in a coma, but his condition appears to be improving, leading Nick to decide it’s time to visit him. Be warned: SPOILERS follow!

Nick foils Toby’s plan in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6

As a gamer, I found myself standing at the hospital crossroads, contemplating whether to pull the trigger on Toby. In the heat of the moment, I chose to walk away, but the voice in my head kept nagging, questioning his intentions. It wasn’t long before I felt the familiar tug of doubt, and I wheeled around for a second chance. In that instant, it dawned on me: Toby was playing me, pretending to be clueless to dodge my wrath. Even if unspoken, this revelation was as clear as daylight in the gaming world.

In the hospital, Nick discovers Toby lying in a hospital bed, accompanied by his mother. Seeing an opportunity to help, Nick asks the mother to step aside for a moment, assuring her he’ll take care of Toby so she can rest. Alone with Toby, the latter starts moving and complains about feeling cold.

Before inquiring, “Toby, do you recognize me?”, Nick covers himself with a blanket. Upon being awakened, the guardian, who is the one who had been shot by him, struggles to open his eyes and recognizes the shooter, triggering an increase in his heart rate. After a moment of suspense, Toby queries, “Where’s my pet dog?

Nick gives a nod and reassures Toby, “Don’t worry, your dog is alright. Go ahead and rest now,” and a sense of relief visibly relaxes Toby. It appears that this comforting statement was enough for Nick as he departs, giving Toby some much-needed peace to recuperate.

However, before leaving, he pauses, shaking his head, then spins around and resumes confronting Toby. Perhaps he reconsidered due to worries that Toby’s memories could resurface at a later time, potentially putting Nick in a precarious position.

Yet, it’s clear that Nick isn’t a simpleton. The terror evident on Toby’s face upon opening his eyes indicates that he recognized immediately who stood before him and understood the implications.

In a different phrasing: The cunning trick used by the decoy dog didn’t work out for him, as Nick managed to thwart him just in time. Discussing the most recent episode of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, one Reddit user commented, “It’s heartwarming to see this man prioritizing his dog so quickly.

Another person mentioned that they were aware of Nick’s identity and his past actions against him,” said he. “In an attempt to delay the completion of a task, he brought up a topic about a dog. For a moment, it seemed effective, but eventually, Nick saw through the ruse.

A third individual nodded in agreement, “Absolutely. The moment Nick inquired whether he recognized him, his heart raced, and his eyes grew wide. It was clear that he did recognize him, and Nick deduced as much, concluding the task at hand.

One said the fact that he asked about his dog is when they “knew he was RIP for sure.”

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2025-04-22 13:48