Handmaid's Tale Season 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, when Nick said something to the commander (not commander Waterford, but THE commander guy) about needing to be reassigned immediately, did he say something along the lines of commander Waterford being shady? Was there something else?
That scene confused me because it was pseudo aggressive, like what if he told Waterford what nick said? Seems to be a huge chance he took.

Also - I don’t fully understand the point of it. I’m sure it’s obvious but why does he even want to get re assigned?

Here's the full dialogue:

Nick: Commander Pryce!

Pryce: Nick, blessed day, very exciting.

Nick: Sir, I need your help. Reassign me. A new post, I'll go to the front, wherever.

Pryce: Nick, slow down.

Nicke: I can't stay in that house anymore.

Pryce: You've just been issued a woman, is there a problem?

Nick: It's not her. There's a lot i haven't told you about him. Reassign me. Promise me you'll protect the handmaid."

Pryce: You have my word.

Pryce is the chair of the council of commanders, so basically the boss of Waterford and the other commanders. He and Nick are tight (Pryce even calls Nick "son"). Not only did Pryce recruit Nick into the Sons of Jacob, but we know he was spying for Pryce for a while before this. One of the flashbacks in the Jezebels episode showed Nick reporting to Pryce that Commander Guthrie had been sleeping with his handmaid and stealing money from the transportation budget, for which Guthrie was arrested (I don't think we know what happened to him after that). Pryce also placed Nick in Waterford's house for the purpose of spying on Waterford, telling that Nick that they were going to clean up Gilead. So I think Nick knew he was safe going to Pryce and Pryce was going to believe him and take care of him, both because of their close relationship and because Pryce was already suspicious of Waterford.

As for Nick's request that Pryce protect Offred, remember the flashback where Pryce is riding in the car with Waterford and Guthrie (Nick was driving) and they're discussing how to handle fertile women in Gilead to boost birth rates. Pryce was the one saying they needed to be treated respectfully and in a godly fashion, while Guthrie and Waterford rejected that and proposed the current system of enslaving them and assigning them as concubines. Pryce then came up with the idea for the ceremony and having the wives present as his term of agreement, to give the whole thing a bit more of an honored air (and perhaps to offer some protection to the handmaids, since the men would be more restrained with them if the wives were present). It seems like Pryce may have always been uneasy with the handmaid system and how it degraded/abused the handmaids, and so might be more open to protecting a handmaid who was being abused or mistreated in some way by her commander.

My own personal theory is that Nick leveraged the bolded by banking on the fact that if he said Waterford was up to something that Pryce wouldn't remove him because he would want the intelligence. In my opinion, this was Nick's way of making sure that the Waterford's couldn't kick him out and separate him from June.

Ooooh!!! I like your theory. Wow. Very smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, when Nick said something to the commander (not commander Waterford, but THE commander guy) about needing to be reassigned immediately, did he say something along the lines of commander Waterford being shady? Was there something else?
That scene confused me because it was pseudo aggressive, like what if he told Waterford what nick said? Seems to be a huge chance he took.

Also - I don’t fully understand the point of it. I’m sure it’s obvious but why does he even want to get re assigned?

Here's the full dialogue:

Nick: Commander Pryce!

Pryce: Nick, blessed day, very exciting.

Nick: Sir, I need your help. Reassign me. A new post, I'll go to the front, wherever.

Pryce: Nick, slow down.

Nicke: I can't stay in that house anymore.

Pryce: You've just been issued a woman, is there a problem?

Nick: It's not her. There's a lot i haven't told you about him. Reassign me. Promise me you'll protect the handmaid."

Pryce: You have my word.

Pryce is the chair of the council of commanders, so basically the boss of Waterford and the other commanders. He and Nick are tight (Pryce even calls Nick "son"). Not only did Pryce recruit Nick into the Sons of Jacob, but we know he was spying for Pryce for a while before this. One of the flashbacks in the Jezebels episode showed Nick reporting to Pryce that Commander Guthrie had been sleeping with his handmaid and stealing money from the transportation budget, for which Guthrie was arrested (I don't think we know what happened to him after that). Pryce also placed Nick in Waterford's house for the purpose of spying on Waterford, telling that Nick that they were going to clean up Gilead. So I think Nick knew he was safe going to Pryce and Pryce was going to believe him and take care of him, both because of their close relationship and because Pryce was already suspicious of Waterford.

As for Nick's request that Pryce protect Offred, remember the flashback where Pryce is riding in the car with Waterford and Guthrie (Nick was driving) and they're discussing how to handle fertile women in Gilead to boost birth rates. Pryce was the one saying they needed to be treated respectfully and in a godly fashion, while Guthrie and Waterford rejected that and proposed the current system of enslaving them and assigning them as concubines. Pryce then came up with the idea for the ceremony and having the wives present as his term of agreement, to give the whole thing a bit more of an honored air (and perhaps to offer some protection to the handmaids, since the men would be more restrained with them if the wives were present). It seems like Pryce may have always been uneasy with the handmaid system and how it degraded/abused the handmaids, and so might be more open to protecting a handmaid who was being abused or mistreated in some way by her commander.

This is awesome, thanks!

[Anonymous]

I think Nick knows that with Offred being under so much scrutiny and supervision in the Waterford household, there's no way he'll be able to get her out from that location again. And since it seems like she's a good 5-6 months along at this point, he knows there's limited time left for them to escape before Offred has their baby and it's taken away from them for good. So he's desperate to find some way to get them both out now, before the baby is born, so they can be a family together. Maybe he thinks another location will be less secure and easier to get her out, or maybe he thinks if he comes clean to Pryce, Pryce will take pity on him and let he and June settle elsewhere as an Econofamily (although I think it's unlikely that Pryce would look the other way on things like Nick being married and having had sex out of wedlock given that he seems to be a true believer in the morality purportedly underlying Gilead).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, when Nick said something to the commander (not commander Waterford, but THE commander guy) about needing to be reassigned immediately, did he say something along the lines of commander Waterford being shady? Was there something else?
That scene confused me because it was pseudo aggressive, like what if he told Waterford what nick said? Seems to be a huge chance he took.

Also - I don’t fully understand the point of it. I’m sure it’s obvious but why does he even want to get re assigned?

Here's the full dialogue:

Nick: Commander Pryce!

Pryce: Nick, blessed day, very exciting.

Nick: Sir, I need your help. Reassign me. A new post, I'll go to the front, wherever.

Pryce: Nick, slow down.

Nicke: I can't stay in that house anymore.

Pryce: You've just been issued a woman, is there a problem?

Nick: It's not her. There's a lot i haven't told you about him. Reassign me. Promise me you'll protect the handmaid."

Pryce: You have my word.

Pryce is the chair of the council of commanders, so basically the boss of Waterford and the other commanders. He and Nick are tight (Pryce even calls Nick "son"). Not only did Pryce recruit Nick into the Sons of Jacob, but we know he was spying for Pryce for a while before this. One of the flashbacks in the Jezebels episode showed Nick reporting to Pryce that Commander Guthrie had been sleeping with his handmaid and stealing money from the transportation budget, for which Guthrie was arrested (I don't think we know what happened to him after that). Pryce also placed Nick in Waterford's house for the purpose of spying on Waterford, telling that Nick that they were going to clean up Gilead. So I think Nick knew he was safe going to Pryce and Pryce was going to believe him and take care of him, both because of their close relationship and because Pryce was already suspicious of Waterford.

As for Nick's request that Pryce protect Offred, remember the flashback where Pryce is riding in the car with Waterford and Guthrie (Nick was driving) and they're discussing how to handle fertile women in Gilead to boost birth rates. Pryce was the one saying they needed to be treated respectfully and in a godly fashion, while Guthrie and Waterford rejected that and proposed the current system of enslaving them and assigning them as concubines. Pryce then came up with the idea for the ceremony and having the wives present as his term of agreement, to give the whole thing a bit more of an honored air (and perhaps to offer some protection to the handmaids, since the men would be more restrained with them if the wives were present). It seems like Pryce may have always been uneasy with the handmaid system and how it degraded/abused the handmaids, and so might be more open to protecting a handmaid who was being abused or mistreated in some way by her commander.

My own personal theory is that Nick leveraged the bolded by banking on the fact that if he said Waterford was up to something that Pryce wouldn't remove him because he would want the intelligence. In my opinion, this was Nick's way of making sure that the Waterford's couldn't kick him out and separate him from June.

Ooooh!!! I like your theory. Wow. Very smart.

I agree! That's brilliant

[Anonymous]

To the PP who typed out the dialogue and explanation, thank you!

Was Pryce the same person who Waterford went to when he asked for Nick to receive a promotion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who typed out the dialogue and explanation, thank you!

Was Pryce the same person who Waterford went to when he asked for Nick to receive a promotion?

Yes, Waterford asked Pryce to promote Nick to a position in D.C., but Pryce declined and told Waterford to keep him.

[Anonymous]

so Pryce was maybe the only decent guy but now he's probably dead, great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:so Pryce was maybe the only decent guy but now he's probably dead, great.

Pryce wasn’t a decent guy. He still wanted the fertile women to be forced to reproduce, he just didn’t want them assigned as sex slaves in such an overt way. He fully believes in the system he’s created, the subjugation of women, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, when Nick said something to the commander (not commander Waterford, but THE commander guy) about needing to be reassigned immediately, did he say something along the lines of commander Waterford being shady? Was there something else?
That scene confused me because it was pseudo aggressive, like what if he told Waterford what nick said? Seems to be a huge chance he took.

Also - I don’t fully understand the point of it. I’m sure it’s obvious but why does he even want to get re assigned?

Here's the full dialogue:

Nick: Commander Pryce!

Pryce: Nick, blessed day, very exciting.

Nick: Sir, I need your help. Reassign me. A new post, I'll go to the front, wherever.

Pryce: Nick, slow down.

Nicke: I can't stay in that house anymore.

Pryce: You've just been issued a woman, is there a problem?

Nick: It's not her. There's a lot i haven't told you about him. Reassign me. Promise me you'll protect the handmaid."

Pryce: You have my word.

Pryce is the chair of the council of commanders, so basically the boss of Waterford and the other commanders. He and Nick are tight (Pryce even calls Nick "son"). Not only did Pryce recruit Nick into the Sons of Jacob, but we know he was spying for Pryce for a while before this. One of the flashbacks in the Jezebels episode showed Nick reporting to Pryce that Commander Guthrie had been sleeping with his handmaid and stealing money from the transportation budget, for which Guthrie was arrested (I don't think we know what happened to him after that). Pryce also placed Nick in Waterford's house for the purpose of spying on Waterford, telling that Nick that they were going to clean up Gilead. So I think Nick knew he was safe going to Pryce and Pryce was going to believe him and take care of him, both because of their close relationship and because Pryce was already suspicious of Waterford.

As for Nick's request that Pryce protect Offred, remember the flashback where Pryce is riding in the car with Waterford and Guthrie (Nick was driving) and they're discussing how to handle fertile women in Gilead to boost birth rates. Pryce was the one saying they needed to be treated respectfully and in a godly fashion, while Guthrie and Waterford rejected that and proposed the current system of enslaving them and assigning them as concubines. Pryce then came up with the idea for the ceremony and having the wives present as his term of agreement, to give the whole thing a bit more of an honored air (and perhaps to offer some protection to the handmaids, since the men would be more restrained with them if the wives were present). It seems like Pryce may have always been uneasy with the handmaid system and how it degraded/abused the handmaids, and so might be more open to protecting a handmaid who was being abused or mistreated in some way by her commander.

My own personal theory is that Nick leveraged the bolded by banking on the fact that if he said Waterford was up to something that Pryce wouldn't remove him because he would want the intelligence. In my opinion, this was Nick's way of making sure that the Waterford's couldn't kick him out and separate him from June.

Why would Nick be afraid of being transferred now? Waterford already tried that and they rejected his request, I don’t see why he would see an increased threat now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Ofglen went rouge because after they cut out her tounge she had nothing to lose, so why not kill them all?

How would she have gotten her hands on bomb-making equipment? Someone must’ve helped her. Just because a handmaid said mayday was shut down doesn’t mean it’s true.

I have a strange secret hope that Aunt Lydia is helping them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And why did nick request the reassignment? That confused me.

Yes!! I need to know more.

I thought Nick asked for the reassignment because he 1) he didn't want to get married; he was being punished for sleeping with June even though Serena made him do it and 2) he doesn't like/respect Fred anymore and 3) he doesn't like where Gilead is going/gone. He was fine with Gilead in the beginning, but no longer. but yeah, asking for June to be protected likely isn't good for June.

but, considering some of these men might be dead now, it might not matter. but i'm pretty sure at least 1 of them will survive.

My first thought was that Nick knew what was about to happen (don't want to spoil it), and wanted to plant the seed that Waterford was somehow involved. Maybe that's a little far-fetched but I seem to remember from Season 1 there were hints that Nick was involved in May Day? Am I nuts?

The other thing that gave me chills from this episode was Serena's expression when June asked her if she could see Hannah. Holy shit. She is one stone-cold wife.

I'm not so sure Mayday was behind that. In episode 4, Alma told June that Mayday had gone silent and was done helping handmaids.

I interpreted that to mean that they were done helping handmaids escape, meaning their focus is on the larger movement and not helping individual handmaids get to Canada. They expended a lot of energy and risked a lot to help get June out, and it resulted in them losing some people and having to go quiet for a while.

I don't see the ending as Mayday helping the handmaids. I see it as the handmaids helping Mayday. Well, one handmaid at least. I don't think the others were in on it.

Given Nick was able to arrange June's escape before, he obviously has some connections to Mayday. Also, the other handmaid (can't remember her name) who was sent to fields or whatever, she knew that Nick was an eye. There's some connections there. It's unclear how far that goes -- whether Nick is a double agent or what.

I don't understand fully what Nick's end game was in talking to Pryce. I do think that he was trying to heighten Pryce's suspicions of Waterford, but who knows.

Next episode should be interesting.

[Anonymous]

"I'm not so sure Mayday was behind that. In episode 4, Alma told June that Mayday had gone silent and was done helping handmaids."

Does anyone know why one of the Handmaids is named Alma when all the others are Of+their Commander (Offred, Ofglen, Ofsamuel, etc.)? It stuck out to me during the weird Handmaid brunch scene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I'm not so sure Mayday was behind that. In episode 4, Alma told June that Mayday had gone silent and was done helping handmaids."

Does anyone know why one of the Handmaids is named Alma when all the others are Of+their Commander (Offred, Ofglen, Ofsamuel, etc.)? It stuck out to me during the weird Handmaid brunch scene.

I believe she’s also Ofrobert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Finally some action! I loved the ending to episode 6 (bomb).

I love the premise of this show but sometimes it's so freaking slow with very little dialogue and just longgggg drawn out panning shots.

But next week they better not show it was just a small blast and a bunch of guys get injured or maybe a couple die but most of them are ok. To keep making it interesting, the main guy Pryce and Waterford need to be dead.

And tbh, if I was a Handmaid, I would have just stood still instead of running off when I realized what she was going to do. At least it would be an escape to such a terrible life.

[Anonymous]

I think we know the blast was large though, large enough to blow out the windows and reach the courtyard.

It took half the season but the show is finally getting interesting .