Latest news with #Handmaids
Graziadaily
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Everything You Need To Know About The Handmaid's Tale Season Finale
It's been eight-years since The Handmaid's Tale first graced our screens, and introduced us to the world of Gilead. Now, after six incredible seasons the much-loved show has come to an emotional end. The TV series, which is an adaptation from a best-selling feminist book, Margaret Atwood's 1986 book of the same name, follows June, renamed Offred, as she navigates life in the totalitarian theocracy of Gilead, a former part of the United States. In Gilead, fertile women are forced into sex as Handmaids to have children for the elite. The show's finale this week has got everyone talking. While many loose ends are tied together and relationships are fixed, but there is one moment fans were hoping for that never truly materialised. June is not definitively reunited with her daughter Hannah. In an interview, Yahlin Chang, who took over as co-showrunner for Season 6, explained this was because of the planned sequel, The Testaments, which is currently in the works with Hulu. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Chang said: 'Our hands were tied, unfortunately, and we could not bring June and Hannah together because of 'The Testaments,' which was something that we really struggled with. I struggled with, speaking for myself, not giving people what they wanted or what I wanted.' The episode begins in the aftermath of episode nine, which saw Gilead's leadership destroyed and Massachusetts being freed. Next, the Mayday group focuses on liberating New York City. In the final episode of The Handmaid's Tale, we see June released from Gilead, wrapping up loose ends as she prepared to find her daughter. We see June and Luke decide to end their relationship, but they both vow to stay part of the resistance movement. June also says goodbye to Serena, who will go and live in a refugee camp with Noah, her baby son, with Serena admitting she is 'ashamed' of the torture that she put June through. June finally accepts Serena's apology. 'I forgive you, Serena,' she says. The episode ends with June revisiting her former home in old Waterford, where she first served as a handmaid. We see June start to write a book about her experiences, recording a tape recorder, with her reciting the first page of Margaret Atwood's novel. 'A chair. A table. A lamp. There's a window with white curtains, and the glass is shatterproof, but it isn't running away they're afraid of. A handmaid wouldn't get far. It's those other escapes. The ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge. Or a twisted sheet and a chandelier. I try not to think about those escapes. It's harder on ceremony days but thinking can hurt your chances. My name is Offred,' she said. Fans of the show don't have to be too disappointed it's coming to an end. The Testaments is Margaret Atwood's 2019 sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, and takes place over a decade after the original story. The show, which is currently in its production stage with Hulu, is described by the platform as 'a coming-of-age story that finds a new generation of young women in Gilead grappling with the bleak future that awaits them.' It will pick up more than 15 years after the events of "The Handmaid's Tale."' The show is set to document the journeys of Agnes and Hannah, June's daughter, and a fresh generation of young women. 'For these young women, growing up in Gilead is all they have ever known, having no tangible memories of the outside world prior to their indoctrination into this life,' Hulu said about the series. 'Facing the prospect of being married off and living a life of servitude, they will be forced to search for allies, both new and old, to help in their fight for freedom and the life they deserve.'
Cosmopolitan
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Alexis Bledel made a surprise return to The Handmaid's Tale for the series finale, ICYMI
Spoilers for The Handmaid's Tale series finale ahead!! Under his eye no more. The Handmaid's Tale came to an end this week with an explosive series finale, aptly titled 'The Handmaid's Tale.' The series finale was full of last minute twists and turns, including the surprise return of fan favorite Emily or Ofglen. After two seasons away, Alexis Bledel returned for the Handmaid's Tale series finale, giving fans a much-needed update on her character and helping bring June's story to a close. "It was an immediate yes," Alexis told The Hollywood Reporter of her return to the dystopian series. "It felt right to bring closure to Emily's journey and offer the audience a sense of completion." The actor left the series after four seasons of playing Emily, a Handmaid who helps June, played by Elisabeth Moss, join the rebellion in Gilead. Her character was written off in season 5, when it was explained that Emily had decided to continue fighting in Gilead. Many, including Emily's partner, believed her to be dead. But in the series finale, Emily runs into June in a now liberated Boston and reveals she's been working as a Martha for a sympathetic Commander while continuing the resistance. She also confirms that she's been in contact with her partner and son, tying up a loose end fans have been wondering about since season 5. Alexis appears again in a dream sequence alongside co-stars Madeline Brewer, Nina Kiri, Amanda Brugel, Samira Wiley, and Bahia Watson, where June imagines the Handmaids meeting under different circumstances, if Gilead never existed, singing karaoke without a care in the world. "I hope viewers take away to keep hope alive when things seem impossible," Alexis told THR of Emily's reappearance. "Even if it seems like seeds you plant couldn't possibly grow, plant seeds of hope anyway. You never know; they might find a way." Elisabeth, who directed the episode, was especially excited to reunite with her co-star. "My first official scene day one [on set] was with Alexis," she told THR. "So it meant a lot to get to work with her again." Showrunner Bruce Miller echoed that sentiment, saying, "It was wonderful to see her and Lizzie get right back into it after all that time. It's like watching the fucking Yankees bullpen every day with these guys. They're so good." The Handmaid's Tale is available to stream on
Time Magazine
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Where All the Key Players on The Handmaid's Tale Wind Up in the Series Finale
W arning: Spoilers ahead for the series finale of The Handmaid's Tale It's hard to believe it, but one of television's most eerily prescient and challenging series has come to an end. Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, stars Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne, a woman enslaved as a Handmaid in an alternative America taken over by Gilead, a totalitarian theocracy. The show's themes around women's rights and bodily autonomy became distressingly more timely with each passing season, and while anecdotally it felt so bleak as to become unwatchable for many, it continued to set viewership records throughout its eight-year run. But for those who found the show too painful to continue, rest assured that the sixth and final season was markedly less tragic—though not without some heart-shattering moments. The final season focuses largely on the rebellion movement, and June and company's efforts in taking Gilead down for good. Admittedly, the most explosive moments of The Handmaid's Tale come in the two episodes before the finale. In Episode 8, 'Exodus,' the Handmaids lead a massive rebellion during the wedding of Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) and Commander Wharton (Josh Charles), killing dozens of Commanders and creating a massive vulnerability in Gilead. And Serena's marriage ends as soon as it begins, when she gets home and discovers Wharton has enlisted the services of a Handmaid, despite Serena's fertility. In Episode 9, 'Execution,' Gilead retaliates, capturing June and dozens of other Handmaids, attempting to hang them in the gallows in a public execution. But the rebellion emerges again, led by the rebel group Mayday, as they free the Handmaids and kill more commanders and many members of Gilead's army in the process. After she's freed, June works with Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) to kill the most powerful remaining commanders with a bomb that blows up their plane. June and the Handmaids have finally won. Still, the finale of The Handmaid's Tale has plenty of revelations and reveals as it wraps the series on a surprisingly hopeful note. Here's where each of the series' key characters stands after the series finale. Commander Joseph Lawrence Commander Joseph played a vital part in establishing Gilead as a major force, becoming the prime architect of the economy. But throughout the series, he became increasingly repulsed by these actions, which included enslaving thousands of women. In Season 6, he works with Mayday to take down Gilead from the inside. He's tasked with planting a bomb on a plane full of high-level commanders, and leaving before they get on the plane. It winds up being a suicide mission; the other commanders see Joseph before he can leave. Joseph sacrifices himself in an effort to undo the horror he helped bring onto the world. Commander Nick Walker Nick (Max Minghella) had quite the journey in the final season of The Handmaid's Tale, balancing his love for June with his life as a father and high-level commander in Gilead. He sells out June's plan to take out a group of commanders at Jezebel's, which shatters her trust in him. Nick's dedication to the commanders proves to be his undoing. At the encouragement of his wife Rose (Carey Cox), he gets on the plane with the other commanders—the same one Lawrence has planted a bomb on. He dies alongside Joseph and the other commanders. Rita A Martha (an infertile woman who works as a domestic servant) who befriended the Handmaids, Rita (Amanda Brugel) played a significant role in the Mayday rebellion. Despite escaping to Canada, Rita returned to New Bethlehem for the chance to reunite with her sister. Mercifully, the two are brought back together after years apart. In New Bethlehem, Rita bakes the cake for Serena's wedding to Commander Wharton. She laces the cake with a sedative, which leads to the Handmaids killing 37 commanders in one evening, turning the tide against Gilead. She saves June from the gallows, shooting the crane operator who attempted to hang her. Rita was a symbol of quiet valor throughout The Handmaid's Tale, and without her, the liberation of Boston would have never happened. Emily The most shocking appearance in this season of The Handmaid's Tale goes to Emily (Alexis Bledel), a former series regular who left the show after Season 4. We last heard of Emily in Season 5, when her wife Sylvia (Clea DuVall) told June that she'd returned to Gilead (after escaping to Canada) to fight with Mayday. Emily finds June in a now-liberated Boston, where the former reveals that she was in Bridgeport, Conn., working as a Martha for a Commander for seven months. But he was a friend, allowing Emily to keep in touch with Sylvia and her son Oliver. 'So you weren't just gone?' June asks her. 'Of course not, they're the reason I'm fighting,' Emily responds. Moira Moira (Samira Wiley) was one of June's best friends before the Gilead takeover, and remained a close ally through their time in Gilead. Moira escaped to Canada in Season 4 and has worked with June's husband, Luke (O-T Fagbenle), to help secure homes for Gilead refugees. In Season 6, she fights against Gilead as part of Mayday with June and Luke. Though she's absent from the finale (flashbacks excluded), she continues to work for Mayday in the quest for liberation of America under Gilead. Janine One of the biggest question marks in the final season of The Handmaid's Tale was the fate of Janine (Madeline Brewer). Few endured more than Janine, who remained in Gilead through the entire series, while seeing many of her friends escape for a better life. Janine has been separated from her daughter Charlotte, and forced into sex work as a Jezebel. She then becomes a handmaid again under Commander Bell (Timothy Simons), who is extremely abusive and controlling. She plays a role in the rebellion, and she luckily escapes death by hanging, but unfortunately, in the ensuing firefight, she is taken by Gilead once again, and her status is unknown. But in the finale, her extreme suffering finally comes to an end. Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), who has been determined to save Janine, finally comes to her senses about Gilead. Alongside Naomi (Ever Carradine), who was raising Janine's daughter, Lydia frees Janine, handing her off to June. In an extremely welcome surprise, Naomi gives Charlotte back to Janine, finally giving Janine the long-awaited happy ending she so richly deserves. Serena Serena's (Yvonne Strahovski) life is left in flux after the liberation of Massachusetts. After being a key member of New Bethlehem, she's been stripped of her passport and has been refused entry by Canada and the European Union. Now a refugee, Mark (Sam Jaeger) gets her a temporary place in a UN settlement. She's last seen with her son in the refugee camp, holding him close and telling him he's all she's ever wanted. But it's hard to shake the feeling that it's just something Serena is telling herself to make peace with her new, uncertain life. Before she leaves for the refugee camp, she does get the opportunity to properly apologize to June for everything she's put her through. June sincerely forgives her, which comes as a relief to a woman who's gone through a significant evolution throughout The Handmaid's Tale. They were forced to work together numerous times this season, and you get the sense that if circumstances were different, the two may have been friends. June After leading the Mayday rebellion in Boston, June has successfully liberated the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts. The Handmaid's Tale truly puts June through the wringer at every opportunity, yet she comes out victorious, obliterating the Gilead that once controlled her and so many other women. She's reunited with her mother and daughter, Holly, and she's fought alongside Luke with Mayday throughout the season. While they may not be together anymore, they still care deeply for one another, and they're united by their shared goal: to get their daughter Hannah back. Though audiences wanted nothing more than to see June find Hannah, the mission to get her back is still ongoing. She leaves her family behind and continues to fight to get Hannah. Both her mother and Luke suggest that June write a book about her experiences. She's hesitant at first, but at the end of the finale, she takes a long walk through what was once Gilead. She returns to the Waterfords' home, where she once served as Handmaid Offred, the beginning of her horrific, life-altering experience. She begins to record, making note of her experiences. It's the same dialogue from the very first episode. In close-up, she looks at the camera and smiles, cutting to black and ending the series. While the finale of The Handmaid's Tale is largely a celebration of the rebellion's success, the fact that June and Hannah are yet to reunite is a reminder of how far they have to go. Massachusetts may be free, but most of America still lies under Gilead's rule. For now. With the show's sequel series, The Testaments, now in production, and set 15 years in the future, we know there's more to Gilead's story to unfold on-screen in the years to come.
Cosmopolitan
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Alexis Bledel's ‘Handmaid's Tale' Series Finale Cameo
Spoilers for The Handmaid's Tale series finale ahead!! Under his eye no more. The Handmaid's Tale came to an end this week with an explosive series finale, aptly titled 'The Handmaid's Tale.' The series finale was full of last mimute twists and turns, including the surprise return of fan favorite Emily or Ofglen. After two seasons away, Alexis Bledel returned for the Handmaid's Tale series finale, giving fans a much-needed update on her character and helping bring June's story to a close. 'It was an immediate yes,' Alexis told The Hollywood Reporter of her return to the dystopian series. 'It felt right to bring closure to Emily's journey and offer the audience a sense of completion.' The actor left the series after four seasons of playing Emily, a Handmaid who helps June, played by Elisabeth Moss, join the rebellion in Gilead. Her character was written off in season 5, when it was explained that Emily had decided to continue fighting in Gilead. Many, including Emily's partner, believed her to be dead. But in the series finale, Emily runs into June in a now liberated Boston and reveals she's been working as a Martha for a sympathetic Commander while continuing the resistance. She also confirms that she's been in contact with her partner and son, tying up a loose end fans have been wondering about since season 5. Alexis appears again in a dream sequence alongside co-stars Madeline Brewer, Nina Kiri, Amanda Brugel, Samira Wiley, and Bahia Watson, where June imagines the Handmaids meeting under different circumstances, if Gilead never existed, singing karaoke without a care in the world. 'I hope viewers take away to keep hope alive when things seem impossible,' Alexis told THR of Emily's reappearance. 'Even if it seems like seeds you plant couldn't possibly grow, plant seeds of hope anyway. You never know; they might find a way.' Elisabeth, who directed the episode, was especially excited to reunite with her co-star. 'My first official scene day one [on set] was with Alexis,' she told THR. 'So it meant a lot to get to work with her again.' Showrunner Bruce Miller echoed that sentiment, saying, 'It was wonderful to see her and Lizzie get right back into it after all that time. It's like watching the fucking Yankees bullpen every day with these guys. They're so good.'
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Handmaid's Tale' Series Finale Ending Explained: Who Died? Who Returned?
The series finale of The Handmaid's Taleincluded more character deaths and some surprising returns - but did the show end on a satisfying note? During the Tuesday, May 27, finale, June (Elisabeth Moss) and the rest of the survivors of the resistance picked up the pieces after Gilead was defeated in several states. The entire episode is meant to mirror the pilot, where viewers were originally introduced to June's journey. As June reflected on how far she has come, those around her encouraged her not to bury the past but to, instead, embrace it. She was reminded that she had a story to tell, so by the end of the finale June had arrived at her old house. June walked around and started to set the scene, which sounded familiar to those who read Margaret Atwood's novel. "It isn't running away they're afraid of. We wouldn't get far," she said in a voiceover. "It's those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge." June's on screen narration brought the series full circle, as it was the setup for Atwood's book of the same name, which followed a dystopian future where a second American Civil War resulted in a totalitarian society that subjected fertile women - a.k.a Handmaids - to forced childbirth so that wealthy couples could raise children. Before the series came to an end, coshowrunners Yahlin Chang and Eric Tuchmanteased the vision for the finale. "I think we can expect an honest conclusion to the story. We keep using the word honest because we try our best to be realistic," Tuchman noted exclusively to Us Weekly. "What would happen in real life - and what we hope people take away - is this feeling of hopefulness and resilience that June and many of the other characters have demonstrated and will demonstrate in the last couple of episodes." He continued: "When you're up against an oppressive regime and when your rights are stripped away, you just never stop fighting. You keep going. Hopefully people will draw some optimism and feel empowered by what plays out." Keep scrolling for a breakdown of where every character's story ended: June The aftermath of the explosion left June figuring out her next steps. She remained focused on reconnecting with her daughter Hannah, which based on flash forwards may actually happen. June also wanted to keep helping the resistance despite the risks. After speaking to several of her loved ones about her experience, June returned to her first home in Gilead where she recalled the events in the series premiere. She started to write a book about her experience, which brought the story full circle. Serena After helping June, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) was personally left out of options. No place would allow her on their soil and she had no passport. With help from Mark - after a chemistry-filled conversation - Serena headed for a refugee camp. She apologized to June before she left, which June accepted. The last scene with Serena showed her struggling to find her new home but ultimately living happily with her son by her side. Emily June reunited with Emily (Alexis Bledel) as a parallel to the show's first season. June and Emily walked along the water, but instead of seeing bodies hanging in the area they saw effigies of dead commanders and freedom graffiti. Emily offered an update on her life, which revolved around her going undercover to aid the resistance. It took a toll on Emily's marriage and relationship with her son, but she seemed certain things would improve with time. Janine When the final episode picked up, Janine (Madeline Brewer) was missing after being taken amid the rebellion. She was returned - to June - but their reunion was short-lived because Janine's focus turned to her daughter. With help from Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), Naomi (Ever Carradine) returned Charlotte to Janine. Aunt Lydia There was a brief glimpse of Aunt Lydia when she reunited Janine with her daughter. She also asked June to look out for Janine as they shared a moment of respect for one another. Fans can look forward to checking in with Aunt Lydia when The Testaments premieres on Hulu. Luke Following the rebellion in Boston, Luke (O-T Fagbenle) found his calling while helping people in the area rebuild their lives. He was determined to keep working for Mayday, which separated him from June. They agreed that even though they are different people, they would focus on helping others before reuniting - hopefully with their daughter, Hannah. Mark Through his conversations with June, it was obvious that Mark (Sam Jaeger) wouldn't stop fighting until everyone was free. There was also that interesting interaction between Serena and Mark that hinted at a possible reunion - and maybe romance - in the future. Copyright 2025 Us Weekly. All rights reserved.
