The Handmaid’s Tale Recap: God’s Own Country

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Gabriel Wharton and his followers maintain a belief in a God who is stern and unyielding. They uphold a God who would empower a select group of individuals to mete out punishment to wrongdoers. They envision a God who harbors resentment towards, and ultimately annihilates, anything that displeases him. In essence, they imagine a God who appears disapproving when viewed in reflection.

This series, The Handmaid’s Tale, doesn’t feel compelled to address the question of what or who God might be. Instead, it sets up an intriguing confrontation: democracy versus theocracy, represented by June and Gabriel in the final struggle. However, as the story reaches its conclusion, the show remains thoughtful and aiming high, delving into philosophical discussions rather than relying on explosive action and emotional release. Unlike other shows that might abandon religious themes for action and catharsis, June takes time to elucidate her faith in “Execution”, describing the nature of the deity she invokes every time she sacrifices herself for a cause.

In essence, June has always remained true to herself, and she isn’t patriotic prior to America’s fall, but rather a firm believer. Her daughters have been baptized. June expresses trust in Serena, saying, “We are responsible for keeping them safe and nurturing them in a world overflowing with love.” In her perspective, love, not the security provided by political power, is the fundamental prerequisite for safety, even in this wretched land. She tells Gabriel during their confrontation that “He who lives in love, lives in God.” The struggle here is over this place which was once America, a battle of ideas. Before Serena’s wedding, June inspires Moira to fight not with cries of “USA,” but with religious scripture.

The action resumes in the disorderly scene following the wedding, where:

1. Serena, clutching her newborn Noah, flees from the crowded bridal bed and seeks shelter at Joseph’s residence after seeing someone being stabbed on her front step.
2. Lydia collapses onto the floor of the Red Center.
3. Nick’s wife, who seems to have been pregnant for an eternity, supposedly experiences premature labor.
4. Regrettably, Rita’s baking talent doesn’t seem to make the poisoned wedding cake a very effective sleeping aid; it appears that the Calm app would work better.

The Handmaids continue to walk through deserted streets, leaving me puzzled about their purpose and destination at first. One might wonder if they’ve completed their missions already. A group consisting of June, Moira, Janine, and the real name of Aunt Phoebe (Eva), climb into a truck destined for a military checkpoint that Mayday should have arranged by this point. They sparked the flames of liberty across Boston – or at least in the affluent neighborhoods where Commanders reside. These women are now heading northward.

June had confidently stated earlier that “they’ll never catch us off guard,” but her overconfidence was misplaced. They did, in fact, anticipate our move. It often seems like they always know when we are coming. The rebellion was quickly suppressed on the very night it started, leaving only 37 high-ranking Commanders dead. To me, that doesn’t sound like a significant number. The truck was searched, and the women were returned to Gilead custody, a place they had barely managed to escape from.

Although the number of casualties might not be high, Boston appears to be struggling. Gabriel advises the surviving Wives and children to be relocated to a safer location within a country where they are essentially prisoners anyway. Naomi has Charlotte prepared and ready, even accepting Joseph’s worn copy of A Little Princess as a gift for the girl he considers his adopted daughter. “This child yearns to learn more than anything,” he tells his false wife, who is now like a Tin Man without a heart. “We must teach her,” he adds. Serena declines to join the caravan despite Gabriel’s promise that they can conceive a child naturally – without raping an outsider. Before leaving, Gabriel reveals that it was June who planned the attack that began even before their wedding. “I thought we were friends,” is Serena’s stunned reaction.

Initially, I found myself clinging to the notion that June’s arrest was somehow part of her intricate scheme – a crucial move in this high-stakes game so delicate that not even Moira could have been privy to the details. However, when I witnessed June once again confined within her small Hannibal Lecter-like cell, my hope began to wane. Throughout season six, Gabriel has been subtly developing as a significant character, but until his recent confrontation with his new wife last week, actor Josh Charles had been relatively underutilized. In “Execution,” Gabriel finally faced off against June in a long-awaited showdown.

Instead of Gabriel wanting to converse with June who’s being held captive, he doesn’t. He does, however, perform small acts of kindness for her, like opening her door and fetching a chair. I laughed when Gabriel suggested June should have been more patient with Serena’s reforms, given that she alone couldn’t significantly enhance working conditions for women who suffer through abuse such as rape and kidnapping. Later on, it becomes clear why Gabriel has come – to perform a distorted version of last rites for a traitor awaiting execution. Gilead, according to Gabriel, is a divine realm on Earth, and the Commanders are its imperfect priests.

In another phrasing, it could be stated as follows: Just like its executioners, they too are part of him. If any series dared to off its lead character in the second-to-last episode and disregard the original storyline, it would undeniably be The Handmaid’s Tale. In this regard, it was comforting to witness Lydia and the other Handmaids being led to the gallows alongside June, as it seemed unlikely that they could eliminate half of their cast members all at once. Gabriel’s strategy for restoring tranquility in his apprehensive city involves inviting the devout Econopeople to watch the rebels meet their end, yet the crowd becomes anxious when they realize that the rebels are holy Handmaids.

In her one last opportunity to make amends, Lydia, whose jaw has been aching since the previous week, decides on a raw, emotional outburst. She implores for mercy for her daughters who she describes as “captives under the rule of evil, faithless men.” Instead of shouting praises, her prayer ascends to the heavens, where it seems even June’s deity is giving approval. However, what struck me most was the tranquility that pervaded the scene. I found myself questioning why the Handmaids weren’t voicing their “I love you”s, or why the Econopeople weren’t causing disturbances given the recent deaths of 37 Commanders. This moment in Gilead reveals its most fragile and exposed state.

In a chilling manner reminiscent of a villain, Gabriel delivers his final speech before committing his heinous acts. At this moment, Luke, Ellen, and Rita sneak into the crowd unnoticed by June. As she’s led towards execution, June requests a moment for prayer. She confesses to God that she has let down her friends and family. She implores Him to find purpose in their lives, even as they approach death. In a defiant cry, she shouts, “Don’t let the bastards wear you down,” echoing the phrase she found etched on the wall of her confinement room way back in season one, now shouting it as she marches towards her grave.

Through all this time, it seems Luke might have pondered over how his spouse managed to survive in Gilead when many others did not. Here’s the explanation: June Osborne possesses an indomitable will to resist that surpasses the combined resolve of the rest. If the series had ended with her death at that moment, I would have accepted it. The phrase “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” was a legacy she received from the actress who portrayed Offred to Fred and Serena before her. And June didn’t just follow this advice; she passed it on. She declared it boldly in the face of wickedness. In essence, the fate of any character in The Handmaid’s Tale doesn’t really matter. Does June find Hannah? Does Janine see Charlotte? Does Nick’s wife ever give birth to a child? If the ideas she represents continue to flourish, then in some way, June continues too.

In another phrasing: The wretches failed to crush her spirit – they never could – instead, they suspended June high above ground using a rope noose. It was then that Mayday’s retaliation commenced. Explosives were hurled, and the Econopeople were provoked into action. They successfully liberated all the women at the execution spot, among them June and Lydia. Afterward, American military aircraft started bombing key locations, yet I can’t fathom what those places are in Boston, be it Fenway or Faneuil Hall, or even the “Make Way for Ducklings” sculptures. We don’t get to witness much of the battle.

By the time we reach June, everyone is wandering around their temporary headquarters, discussing phase two. Mayday’s initial strategy – the one that prompted them to scout Jezebels initially – was to eliminate the most radical commanders in Boston, which, given the circumstances, appears to be the optimal next move, if they can manage it. June seems amused upon discovering that Serena is safe and sound under protective custody just across the street. In essence, they share a similar trait – they’re both survivors.

In their unique way, Serena expresses joy upon seeing June revived, yet June feigns shock at this revelation. Regardless of their relationship status, these ladies are dance partners who engage in playful banter. When June questions Serena about the Commanders’ whereabouts, she responds coolly. However, they share a common cause. Similar to Joseph’s Eleanor and Lydia, this alliance transcends politics, motherhood, and even friendship. It runs deeper, reflecting a bond more profound than any of these aspects. By the day’s end, Serena discloses that her husband and the Commanders are at Bedford airport, as they share the same faith in a God who provides solace. “My help comes from the Lord,” Serena had previously declared during prayer for June’s soul alongside Joseph, invoking the Creator of Heaven and Earth. These women trust in a divine force that heals and restores.

The responsibility lies with Joseph, who possesses clearance as a High Commander, to plant a bomb that activates at altitude onto the aircraft and exit before his comrades arrive. It’s evident that this mission is a suicide one; it’s already understood that Joseph won’t make it through “Execution.” This is apparent when he confides in Naomi that he and Charlotte are on chapter nine, hinting at their impending demise. We need to teach her is what June consents to, placing her only a few feet away when the other Commanders unexpectedly arrive prematurely. The hawks of war plan to petition the federal government for the means to eradicate Mayday completely, and Gabriel graciously invites Joseph to the cause. As he embarks, a resolute Joseph expresses his farewell by touching his heart, a gesture meant to reconcile things for Eleanor, by dying for his errors at last.

In June’s concealment within the hangar of the airplane, the unexpected turn of events comes into sight. Nick. His wife has summoned him to unite with her father in the struggle for Boston. He consents, driven by the realization that June’s actions had potentially endangered their yet-to-be-born son, but fortunately, Rose and the baby were unaffected. To my perspective, it appears more like a “no harm, no foul” situation. Nevertheless, Rose implores Nick to demonstrate his loyalty towards God and Gilead, urging him to prioritize their family above June, the mother of his child.

In simpler terms, June is wide-eyed with shock as the man she cares for, despite her reservations, hesitates at the bottom of the plane stairs, preparing himself for his terrifying companions. Is it overly romantic to assume that this pause is a cruel cosmic test, giving June a choice? There’s little June can do but let him board, but one can’t help but wonder. If Nick hadn’t lied about Jezebels, would she have found a way to stop him from getting on the plane? As he vanishes into the doomed aircraft, is June hoping that his father-in-law will call him back to Rose’s side? Instead, Nick sits next to Joseph and regrets not taking June’s advice to quit this all. June knew that there could be no such thing as safety in Gilead, even for the powerful.

June is always in motion, yet finds herself without action to take. She’s associated with dangerous individuals like Joseph and Nick, who have kept her alive; however, it’s crucial for them to meet their end. When their plane explodes and plummets from the sky, it appears less like a catastrophe and more like stars shooting out from the debris, much like celestial bodies falling from the heavens or fireworks on Independence Day.

The war advocates won’t make it to Washington. In the upcoming week, we’ll discover how far Gilead is prepared to go for a lawless territory with no more High Commanders, given its internal strife – a territory that fostered liberal communities such as New Bethlehem initially. There’s hope that Mayday might triumph in the Battle for Boston. Rita and her sister will be liberated together, just as Nick once promised. Luke and June may find reconciliation in a world without Nick; they can stroll down the streets of their past memories and observe what remains of themselves.

Throughout season six, it’s remarkable how nothing is wasted; each scene fits perfectly. In “Exile,” Holly advises her daughter against trusting Nick, only for him to betray her in “Shattered.” Similarly, Serena insists Joseph pledge loyalty to God in “Devotion,” and later approaches him for prayer in “Execution.” The wives and children are being pushed further into Gilead as revealed at the start of an episode. It seems Mayday might rescue everyone still in Boston without returning a single mother with her child. Janine will have her freedom and be as distant from Charlotte as she’s ever been. I’m unsure if there’s any divine presence in that scenario.

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2025-05-20 19:55