The penultimate episode of The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 confirms that the revolution is here, finally! After repeated failed attempts to take over Gilead and free the victims from the oppressive system, it seems this time Mayday might have a foolproof plan. As you’d expect, June was consumed by guilt when she discovered that Nick had told Commander Wharton about their Jezebel plan. She blamed herself for trusting Nick blindly, and she was ready to walk away from Mayday and live a quiet life with her mother and daughter in Alaska. But can June ever find peace in Alaska, knowing that there are thousands of women trapped in Gilead?
Spoiler Alert
Is this the end of Nick and June’s relationship?
June was devastated when she overheard High Commander Wharton enthusiastically narrate how his son-in-law had proved to be a loyal servant of the nation. While she knew how difficult it was to survive in Gilead, she expected better from Nick. She too had been in challenging situations, but she always chose to do the right thing, the brave thing. But Nick was too afraid of losing the life he had built in Gilead. There was no doubt that he loved June, but he also enjoyed the benefits and rewards that he got from the system. If he truly wanted to, he could have escaped this whole mess, but he didn’t. In the previous episode, during a flashback, Nick had told June that his life before the founding of the new nation was insignificant. He strongly believed that June wouldn’t have noticed him if they had met at the time. But in Gilead, he played a crucial role. He was allowed to climb the ladders, and he was already a commander. While he was bothered by the injustice, he was not ready to sacrifice his life for the same. He could see the hatred in June’s eyes when she found out the truth. Nick tried explaining that he didn’t have a choice and he was simply trying to protect himself. He thought it was what anyone in his position would do, but that was not a good enough reason for June. She loved him, and she trusted him, and she couldn’t believe that he would rather let the innocent women working at Jezebel die than take a risk, even if it came at the cost of his life. Nick reasoned that he had told Wharton that the Jezebel girls had nothing to do with the Mayday plan, but he didn’t listen to him. As soon as they crossed the border, June got out of Nick’s car. She didn’t want to engage in a conversation with him, and she was not interested in staying in touch with him. In June’s eyes, their friendship had come to an end. And even though Nick wanted to start his life afresh with June, he knew it was a distant dream. Gilead had turned him into a monster, and he’d started to believe that there was no way out.
What happened to Janine?
Under the instructions of High Commander Wharton, the Guardians shot every woman working at Jezebel except Janine. Commander Bell, who’d taken a perverted liking towards Janine, saved her from the mass execution, but of course, he was no angel. He took pleasure in getting rough with her, and he saved her simply because he wanted to satisfy his libido. After her conversation with June and Moira, Janine thought rescue was right around the corner. But to her horror, she witnessed her friends die in front of her eyes. Bell wanted Janine to be his handmaid even though he was only recently married. Aunt Lydia was elated when she discovered that Janine was still alive, but she soon realized that she was living in a dreadful condition. She had stopped by Commander Bell’s house and complimented him for rescuing Janine. After handing over the essentials Janine would require, Aunt Lydia was asked to leave and was not allowed to meet Janine. She noticed Janine standing next to the window; she had bruises all over her face, and she was soon dragged away by Bell’s wife. Janine was being tortured, and since she was Bell’s handmaid, no one could interfere in his family affairs. Aunt Lydia helplessly stared after her.
What was June’s plan?
When June returned to Mayday’s camp, she could see the disappointment and distrust in the eyes of the members. They believed she’d betrayed them, and they refused to forgive her for it. June was disappointed in herself for the way things had turned out. She was not ready to forgive herself for it, and nor did she expect the people around her to. June felt defeated; she had let down the cause, and she was ready to head home. Moira was the only one who understood her. She knew what it was to be completely helpless in Gilead, and she thought June trusting Nick was quite natural considering he was the one who’d been there for her. She believed June had been through hell, and that this one mistake of hers shouldn’t define her. June had come to the conclusion that Luke didn’t love her anymore, and she wanted to release him from his obligation as her husband. While Luke was disappointed in June for not being careful enough and trusting Nick, a Gilead commander, he’d never stopped caring about her. After everything they’d been through, Luke wasn’t yet ready to live his life without June in it. June reciprocated his feelings, and she was glad that it was not just Hannah who was keeping them together, but they genuinely wanted to be each other’s support system. June was packing her belongings when Commander Lawrence paid her a surprise visit. The failure of the Jezebel plan had directly affected him. He had been waiting for his critics to be killed in a blast, but instead, nothing worked out as planned. He stopped by at the Mayday camp to come up with a plan to take down the commanders.
Lawrence was disappointed to see June defeated, and he tried to encourage her to take on the challenge. He told her about Janine, but June didn’t think she had it in her to continue fighting. He also added that Serena was getting married to High Commander Wharton in Boston, and the event was supposed to be broadcast globally. June was told that the handmaids would also be there to show their respect to the matrimonial union. This was obviously demeaning, but Wharton had somehow convinced Serena that it would symbolize how tight-knit Gilead was. Serena wanted to believe that she was about to bring major reforms to New Bethlehem, but clearly Wharton is not trustworthy. While he might be encouraging her to come up with plans for New Bethlehem, he will possibly end up stripping her of all her freedom and rights once they were married. While June didn’t think she had any strength left in her to continue the fight, when she heard about Serena’s wedding, she immediately thought of a plan.
June knew how Serena operated, and she was also confident that the massive gathering would allow them to infiltrate. Lawrence supported her idea; he was of the belief that since the commanders had recently tasted victory, they would be relaxed and they would not expect immediate retaliation. Moira was ready to join the mission; she agreed that if they dressed as handmaids, they would stand a chance to infiltrate the wedding. June and Moira decided to smuggle weapons to the handmaids living in Gilead. They were told that they would be extracted upon the completion of the mission, and June and Moira were okay with it. They were determined to see the end of the authoritarian regime. Luke added that they could detonate the bombs that they had set up for their previous mission. Lawrence thought it was a good idea, since it would create panic and chaos, allowing the military enough time to enter Gilead.
Will June’s Plan Succeed?
Rita Blue, former Martha, had realized that New Bethlehem was simply a brand new cover for the rotten system, especially after Nick advised her to fend for herself. In the end, she decided to help June execute her plan. Lawrence had brought her vials of toxic medication that she will presumably inject into the food that she would be making for Serena’s wedding. Since Aunt Lydia always had her eyes on the handmaids, Lawrence came up with the idea of sending her to DC to discuss her plans about the retired handmaids. Lydia didn’t expect her suggestion to be seriously considered, and she was pleasantly surprised by Lawrence’s proposal. While Lawrence kept Lydia engaged, Aunt Ruth, who was sympathetic to the cause, helped June and Moira safely enter the Red Center. When she mentioned that Janine would not be at the wedding because of Bell, June decided to rescue her, implying that Moira would lead the handmaids who would be attending the wedding.
The Handmaid’s Tale episode 7’s ending emphasizes how it was now or never for June and the Mayday army. It was the best opportunity for them to strike; if they made a mistake, they would be immediately executed, but if they succeeded, thousands of innocents would be set free. It is impossible to determine if they will manage to execute their plan successfully, but revolution is often born out of sheer hope that surpasses all logical explanations.
