Handmaid's Tale Season 3

[Anonymous]

My understanding of Nick's story so far: He was young, unemployed and floundering when he was taken in and given a job by the man who turned out to be the leader of the Gileadeans. I got the impression that Nick became like a son to him, so he has an especially protected position as well as an inside track to power.

Nick is basically a really good guy, so I suspect that he is horrified by the human rights abuses but also has love and loyalty to his father-figure.

I think he was placed as a well-trusted spy in the Waterfords' home when he met June. It would make sense that all the commanders are routinely spied upon by Eyes. After all, in a regime like this, absolutely no one is really safe. Joseph Lawrence has suggested as much.

As an intimate of the leader of Gilead, he would find out about the Waterfords' efforts in DC to get Nichole back, and he has the position or freedom to go there if he wants, so he did.

He's been officially elevated to commander and is apparently off to lead troops in Chicago now. I still personally believe he'll ultimately side with the resistance but will work slowly from the inside. Only when he's in a position to make a decisive difference militarily will he give up his loyalty to his father figure and commit to overthrowing the Gilead regime.

What I can't figure out is why the Swiss said they can't trust him. They had to have known his past when they made the deal with June. Maybe they ARE working with him but just being coy about it with both the Waterfords and June for sake of security.

[Anonymous]

The metal mouth staples on the DC handmaids were the most horrifying thing in this series, along with the Boston Globe scenes.

When Aunt Lydia moved that handmaid's mouth mask to get a look at the staples, I couldn't tell if she was intrigued and looking for ideas to use or if was repulsed. After the scene in June's bedroom with the mask, I still wasn't sure.

[Anonymous]

I think Nick is a “yes” man and does whatever is asked of him, so as not to cause himself any trouble. That is how he ended up on the front lines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is June the only Handmaid who gets to wear a red sweatshirt? It’s like her business casual look.

Ha. I've wondered this as well. It's pretty schlubby and I was really surprised she wore that to the christening and party at the Commander's house.

I seem to recall that it appeared as maternity wear of sorts, so I wondered if maybe it was because she was still post-partum? But I really have lost track of how old Nicole is supposed to be. Surely too old for that to make sense?

I don't know about this episode, it just felt very inconsistent between the total terror of the train station and the metal rings and then how easily June and Nick met in the yard at night and how there was a convenient time for an uninterrupted shouting match in front of the Lincoln statue. The metal rings were more horrifying when I thought just that one girl had them as a punishment. I assumed the rest were in a scold's bridle (which don't get me wrong, is definitely torture and horrifying) or that the red mouth things were enough to reinforce the silence. TBH when I realized they all had them I just thought, this doesn't make sense - there would be so many medical complications. I mean all the handmaids are eating a liquid diet only? You'd have to hospitalize them for any stomach illness or, hello, morning sickness. Just keeping their lips healthy would be a major daily hassle. Plus there would be big and ongoing psychological issues outside of any specific punishment - you'd probably have a bunch more suicide attempts, etc. Not that it is in any way acceptable but Aunt Lydia's red center relied in large part on the idea that there was an option for relief of pain via submission and obedience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is June the only Handmaid who gets to wear a red sweatshirt? It’s like her business casual look.

Ha. I've wondered this as well. It's pretty schlubby and I was really surprised she wore that to the christening and party at the Commander's house.

I seem to recall that it appeared as maternity wear of sorts, so I wondered if maybe it was because she was still post-partum? But I really have lost track of how old Nicole is supposed to be. Surely too old for that to make sense?

I don't know about this episode, it just felt very inconsistent between the total terror of the train station and the metal rings and then how easily June and Nick met in the yard at night and how there was a convenient time for an uninterrupted shouting match in front of the Lincoln statue. The metal rings were more horrifying when I thought just that one girl had them as a punishment. I assumed the rest were in a scold's bridle (which don't get me wrong, is definitely torture and horrifying) or that the red mouth things were enough to reinforce the silence. TBH when I realized they all had them I just thought, this doesn't make sense - there would be so many medical complications. I mean all the handmaids are eating a liquid diet only? You'd have to hospitalize them for any stomach illness or, hello, morning sickness. Just keeping their lips healthy would be a major daily hassle. Plus there would be big and ongoing psychological issues outside of any specific punishment - you'd probably have a bunch more suicide attempts, etc. Not that it is in any way acceptable but Aunt Lydia's red center relied in large part on the idea that there was an option for relief of pain via submission and obedience.

I agree. That’s not how you treat women you need to keep physically healthy for breeding. I remember at the start of season 2 (I think) June was being punished with the other hand maids but as soon as word came that she was pregnant she was physically spared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is June the only Handmaid who gets to wear a red sweatshirt? It’s like her business casual look.

Ha. I've wondered this as well. It's pretty schlubby and I was really surprised she wore that to the christening and party at the Commander's house.

I seem to recall that it appeared as maternity wear of sorts, so I wondered if maybe it was because she was still post-partum? But I really have lost track of how old Nicole is supposed to be. Surely too old for that to make sense?

I don't know about this episode, it just felt very inconsistent between the total terror of the train station and the metal rings and then how easily June and Nick met in the yard at night and how there was a convenient time for an uninterrupted shouting match in front of the Lincoln statue. The metal rings were more horrifying when I thought just that one girl had them as a punishment. I assumed the rest were in a scold's bridle (which don't get me wrong, is definitely torture and horrifying) or that the red mouth things were enough to reinforce the silence. TBH when I realized they all had them I just thought, this doesn't make sense - there would be so many medical complications. I mean all the handmaids are eating a liquid diet only? You'd have to hospitalize them for any stomach illness or, hello, morning sickness. Just keeping their lips healthy would be a major daily hassle. Plus there would be big and ongoing psychological issues outside of any specific punishment - you'd probably have a bunch more suicide attempts, etc. Not that it is in any way acceptable but Aunt Lydia's red center relied in large part on the idea that there was an option for relief of pain via submission and obedience.

I agree. That’s not how you treat women you need to keep physically healthy for breeding. I remember at the start of season 2 (I think) June was being punished with the other hand maids but as soon as word came that she was pregnant she was physically spared.

Commander Stabler’s kids are a few different ethnicities. I get the sense that he discards his handmaids frequently and doesn’t give a hoot about their physical or emotional well being. It would be interesting to see how they treat pregnant handmaids in the dc “culture.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is June the only Handmaid who gets to wear a red sweatshirt? It’s like her business casual look.

Ha. I've wondered this as well. It's pretty schlubby and I was really surprised she wore that to the christening and party at the Commander's house.

I seem[/b] to recall that it appeared as maternity wear of sorts, so I wondered if maybe it was because she was still post-partum? But I really have lost track of how old Nicole is supposed to be. Surely too old for that to make sense?

I don't know about this episode, it just felt very inconsistent between the total terror of the train station and the metal rings and then how easily June and Nick met in the yard at night and how there was a convenient time for an uninterrupted shouting match in front of the Lincoln statue. The metal rings were more horrifying when I thought just that one girl had them as a punishment. I assumed the rest were in a scold's bridle (which don't get me wrong, is definitely torture and horrifying) or that the red mouth things were enough to reinforce the silence. TBH when I realized they all had them I just thought, this doesn't make sense - there would be so many medical complications. I mean all the handmaids are eating a liquid diet only? You'd have to hospitalize them for any stomach illness or, hello, morning sickness. Just keeping their lips healthy would be a major daily hassle. Plus there would be big and ongoing psychological issues outside of any specific punishment - you'd probably have a bunch more suicide attempts, etc. Not that it is in any way acceptable but Aunt Lydia's red center relied in large part on the idea that there was an option for relief of pain via submission and obedience.

I agree. That’s not how you treat women you need to keep physically healthy for breeding. I remember at the start of season 2 (I think) June was being punished with the other hand maids but as soon as word came that she was pregnant she was physically spared.

[b]Commander Stabler’s kids are a few different ethnicities. I get the sense that he discards his handmaids frequently and doesn’t give a hoot about their physical or emotional well being. It would be interesting to see how they treat pregnant handmaids in the dc “culture.”

well. done.

[Anonymous]

Commander Stabler. Lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is June the only Handmaid who gets to wear a red sweatshirt? It’s like her business casual look.

Ha. I've wondered this as well. It's pretty schlubby and I was really surprised she wore that to the christening and party at the Commander's house.

I seem to recall that it appeared as maternity wear of sorts, so I wondered if maybe it was because she was still post-partum? But I really have lost track of how old Nicole is supposed to be. Surely too old for that to make sense?

I don't know about this episode, it just felt very inconsistent between the total terror of the train station and the metal rings and then how easily June and Nick met in the yard at night and how there was a convenient time for an uninterrupted shouting match in front of the Lincoln statue. The metal rings were more horrifying when I thought just that one girl had them as a punishment. I assumed the rest were in a scold's bridle (which don't get me wrong, is definitely torture and horrifying) or that the red mouth things were enough to reinforce the silence. TBH when I realized they all had them I just thought, this doesn't make sense - there would be so many medical complications. I mean all the handmaids are eating a liquid diet only? You'd have to hospitalize them for any stomach illness or, hello, morning sickness. Just keeping their lips healthy would be a major daily hassle. Plus there would be big and ongoing psychological issues outside of any specific punishment - you'd probably have a bunch more suicide attempts, etc. Not that it is in any way acceptable but Aunt Lydia's red center relied in large part on the idea that there was an option for relief of pain via submission and obedience.

I agree. That’s not how you treat women you need to keep physically healthy for breeding. I remember at the start of season 2 (I think) June was being punished with the other hand maids but as soon as word came that she was pregnant she was physically spared.

Commander Stabler’s kids are a few different ethnicities. I get the sense that he discards his handmaids frequently and doesn’t give a hoot about their physical or emotional well being. It would be interesting to see how they treat pregnant handmaids in the dc “culture.”

But fertile women are a valuable resource - it's not just about one guy and his preferences.

I definitely feel like we aren't done with this DC storyline - the whole thing seemed pretty contrived to draw Fred and Serena in, right down to Mrs. Former Corporate Lawyer telling Serena she liked her book. And all the kids.

Also, regarding the demands/threats surrounding Baby Nichole's fate, I find it really hard to believe that Gilead has robust military capabilities that they'd be willing to deploy for one kid. They are apparently fighting a battle in Chicago. I realize they likely took over all of the USMIL's equipment, but still.

[Anonymous]

Serena's question, "Are they all yours?" shows that she has doubt about the use of handmaids. It's like her brain reverted for a moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding of Nick's story so far: He was young, unemployed and floundering when he was taken in and given a job by the man who turned out to be the leader of the Gileadeans. I got the impression that Nick became like a son to him, so he has an especially protected position as well as an inside track to power.

Nick is basically a really good guy, so I suspect that he is horrified by the human rights abuses but also has love and loyalty to his father-figure.

I think he was placed as a well-trusted spy in the Waterfords' home when he met June. It would make sense that all the commanders are routinely spied upon by Eyes. After all, in a regime like this, absolutely no one is really safe. Joseph Lawrence has suggested as much.

As an intimate of the leader of Gilead, he would find out about the Waterfords' efforts in DC to get Nichole back, and he has the position or freedom to go there if he wants, so he did.

He's been officially elevated to commander and is apparently off to lead troops in Chicago now. I still personally believe he'll ultimately side with the resistance but will work slowly from the inside. Only when he's in a position to make a decisive difference militarily will he give up his loyalty to his father figure and commit to overthrowing the Gilead regime.

What I can't figure out is why the Swiss said they can't trust him. They had to have known his past when they made the deal with June. Maybe they ARE working with him but just being coy about it with both the Waterfords and June for sake of security.

I think that Nick's mentor/father-figure died during that scene when the handmaid ran in with the bomb and blew it all up. Nick was in the process of asking for a transfer or something....or trying to get June transferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding of Nick's story so far: He was young, unemployed and floundering when he was taken in and given a job by the man who turned out to be the leader of the Gileadeans. I got the impression that Nick became like a son to him, so he has an especially protected position as well as an inside track to power.

Nick is basically a really good guy, so I suspect that he is horrified by the human rights abuses but also has love and loyalty to his father-figure.

I think he was placed as a well-trusted spy in the Waterfords' home when he met June. It would make sense that all the commanders are routinely spied upon by Eyes. After all, in a regime like this, absolutely no one is really safe. Joseph Lawrence has suggested as much.

As an intimate of the leader of Gilead, he would find out about the Waterfords' efforts in DC to get Nichole back, and he has the position or freedom to go there if he wants, so he did.

He's been officially elevated to commander and is apparently off to lead troops in Chicago now. I still personally believe he'll ultimately side with the resistance but will work slowly from the inside. Only when he's in a position to make a decisive difference militarily will he give up his loyalty to his father figure and commit to overthrowing the Gilead regime.

What I can't figure out is why the Swiss said they can't trust him. They had to have known his past when they made the deal with June. Maybe they ARE working with him but just being coy about it with both the Waterfords and June for sake of security.

I think that Nick's mentor/father-figure died during that scene when the handmaid ran in with the bomb and blew it all up. Nick was in the process of asking for a transfer or something....or trying to get June transferred.

Oh, you may be right. If so, they didn't show us anything about how Nick reacted and was dealing with it.

[Anonymous]

I’m so confused by the Lincoln memorial scene. How did June and Serena have a major smack down and June have a poignant emotional break, all while a thousand handmaids in their Dress Reds are kneeling in Olympic ceremony choreographed rows facing them?

One thing I did like in this episode: I think the multicultural kids of commander Stabler helped emphasize that those kids aren’t theirs. They are basically stolen children. Serena asking “are they all yours?” kind of reinforced that, but also reminded us how blind she is to biological motherhood so that she can justify the messed up handmaids dynamic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m so confused by the Lincoln memorial scene. How did June and Serena have a major smack down and June have a poignant emotional break, all while a thousand handmaids in their Dress Reds are kneeling in Olympic ceremony choreographed rows facing them?

One thing I did like in this episode: I think the multicultural kids of commander Stabler helped emphasize that those kids aren’t theirs. They are basically stolen children. Serena asking “are they all yours?” kind of reinforced that, but also reminded us how blind she is to biological motherhood so that she can justify the messed up handmaids dynamic.

Nice adoption slam. The dynamic is rape and child stealing but being a mom has nothing to do with biology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m so confused by the Lincoln memorial scene. How did June and Serena have a major smack down and June have a poignant emotional break, all while a thousand handmaids in their Dress Reds are kneeling in Olympic ceremony choreographed rows facing them?

One thing I did like in this episode: I think the multicultural kids of commander Stabler helped emphasize that those kids aren’t theirs. They are basically stolen children. Serena asking “are they all yours?” kind of reinforced that, but also reminded us how blind she is to biological motherhood so that she can justify the messed up handmaids dynamic.

Nice adoption slam. The dynamic is rape and child stealing but being a mom has nothing to do with biology.

DP. Oh, come on. It's a show where children are literally stolen from their parents in the name of God and women are raped by men to produce children that are then taken from them and given to their torturers. For the culture to work the concept of parenthood has to have been completely removed from biology. That was PP's point.