Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:33     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

I don't see this as a win/loose or moral/amoral thing so much as a cost of war thing. June is choosing to stay in the war/resistance/revolution. That's not compatible with life as a refugee and family woman. It involves a lot of violence and extrajudicial justice.

So it's very sad because it probably means she can't stay with Luke/Nicole as a murderous revolutionary/guerrilla fighter. I thought HIS face close up in that scene was great, actually.

+1000 this season sucked and the last episode, while at least surprising, was totally unbelievable and silly.

This is a small complaint but I'm to believe that June drove all the way home from the border lands without wiping the chunks of Fred from her face? Just so she could like, rub them on the baby? It's so heavy handed and unnecessary. The scene was great as it was. We didn't need an implausibly bloody baby to drive the point home. We got it.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:30     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.


Agreed. I would have preferred to see Fred in fear being dragged off after being traded (that much is plausible) and then his finger show up in the mail to Serena (with Serena opening the package). I don't know if there will be more seasons but I think leaving his exact fate unknown at the end would have been sufficiently satisfying as a viewer.


Ha, speak for yourself. I am upset the viewers were not shown them actually stringing his rapist arse up.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:26     Subject: Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What disappoints me is all you whiners talking about how disappointed you are at June and Co's violent dispatching of Fred.

Hello? Don't you realize that you want this character to "suck it up" like every other abuse victim ever when faced by a patriarchal system?

You are being the patriarchy here. And that is more scary than any fiction on the screen.


Well, we generally don’t want abuse victims to bite off chunks of their abusers, even if they deserve it. The international justice system had clearly failed June but sending him back to Gilead should have been enough.



Losing one's humanity means that the abusers won.


I guarantee Fred did not think he won as he took his last breath.




Fred thought of himself as the true victim and the Godly, righteous victim of evil women. What they did reinforced his belief that Handmaids are lesser beings.
June ultimately lost.


June didn’t lose because of what Fred believed. What Fred believed was irrelevant.



I disagree. June lost.


Looks like Fred lost the most.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:25     Subject: Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What disappoints me is all you whiners talking about how disappointed you are at June and Co's violent dispatching of Fred.

Hello? Don't you realize that you want this character to "suck it up" like every other abuse victim ever when faced by a patriarchal system?

You are being the patriarchy here. And that is more scary than any fiction on the screen.


Well, we generally don’t want abuse victims to bite off chunks of their abusers, even if they deserve it. The international justice system had clearly failed June but sending him back to Gilead should have been enough.



Losing one's humanity means that the abusers won.


I guarantee Fred did not think he won as he took his last breath.




Fred thought of himself as the true victim and the Godly, righteous victim of evil women. What they did reinforced his belief that Handmaids are lesser beings.
June ultimately lost.


June lost the day she was kidnapped and conscripted into force breeding. They killed everything in her, except her body. It's great she was able to regain just a moment of living again through her vengeance, and if only briefly.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:19     Subject: Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:I have absolutely no problem with what June and company did.

This whole “Gilead wins if Fred is killed by a mob of pissed off former Handmaids” is such a weird argument.
It makes it sound like Gilead is a pesky older brother trying to get a rise out of his little sister. Or a “nice girls don’t stoop to that level” dismissal of the rage of women.

The Gilead leaders don’t care if these women have become vengeful and full of hate, they care about power - power over women, power over other men, power over other countries. They’ll be pissed that June and company got the privilege of punishing Fred, but will get no pleasure out of “how far she’s fallen.”

Now, as much as I hate Serena, I do think that June or Truello being involved in sending her back to Gilead to become a handmaid would be them being no better than Gilead. And while I am relishing in the fear Serena has of being made into a handmaid, I don’t think it would be the morally right thing to do. But please, do take that baby away from her because I do hope she’s in a less cushy jail for the rest of her natural life and I fear what nonsense she would teach the baby.

Additionally, Fred probably wouldn’t have been executed in Gilead. He would have weaseled his way out of it, because he’s Fred. He would have thrown Serena under the bus in a heartbeat. And his fellow asshat Commanders would have bought it, because if they didn’t they’d worry they would be similarly punished for a future transgression (see Commander Putman). This was the only way to be sure.

Further, June isn’t supposed to be some perfect example of womanhood. Atwood didn’t write her as that deliberately, she’s got human weaknesses like everyone does, she’s not a saint. And someone mentioned earlier, men are righteous avengers in so many works of fiction (The Count of Monte Christopher, The Punisher, Gladiator, any Liam Neeson movie since Love, Actually).

I hope this gives her and the other women some closure, but I don’t think it will, unfortunately, I don’t think anything will. Maybe getting Hannah back, maybe.

As for the Nick vs. Luke debate, I hope she ends up with neither of them. I thought the same for Katniss in The Hunger Games.

I do realized this is just fiction, and apologies for the rambling, but no one I know in real life watches this show!! Also, the word Gilead starts to look really funny if you type it out a few times….


Well said, especially the bolded
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:16     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:This was a really boring season. Too much talking, too many lingering pauses. And Canada is not that interesting. I would rather see more of Gilead.


Agree
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:16     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.


Agreed. I would have preferred to see Fred in fear being dragged off after being traded (that much is plausible) and then his finger show up in the mail to Serena (with Serena opening the package). I don't know if there will be more seasons but I think leaving his exact fate unknown at the end would have been sufficiently satisfying as a viewer.
Really? I completely disagree. I would’ve been pissed. I wanted that closure and I wanted him to suffer. Got both.


Let Gillad dosa with it.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:15     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:I was disappointed by the gang killing of Fred. It was so unoriginal and unsatisfying not to mention completely unbelievable even in the context of fantasy.

And I hope they don’t let Elisabeth Moss direct anymore episodes. I really can’t handle another season of close ups on June’s face.



It was pretty lame.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 16:05     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.


Agreed. I would have preferred to see Fred in fear being dragged off after being traded (that much is plausible) and then his finger show up in the mail to Serena (with Serena opening the package). I don't know if there will be more seasons but I think leaving his exact fate unknown at the end would have been sufficiently satisfying as a viewer.
Really? I completely disagree. I would’ve been pissed. I wanted that closure and I wanted him to suffer. Got both.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 15:05     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.


Agreed. I would have preferred to see Fred in fear being dragged off after being traded (that much is plausible) and then his finger show up in the mail to Serena (with Serena opening the package). I don't know if there will be more seasons but I think leaving his exact fate unknown at the end would have been sufficiently satisfying as a viewer.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 10:34     Subject: Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What disappoints me is all you whiners talking about how disappointed you are at June and Co's violent dispatching of Fred.

Hello? Don't you realize that you want this character to "suck it up" like every other abuse victim ever when faced by a patriarchal system?

You are being the patriarchy here. And that is more scary than any fiction on the screen.


Well, we generally don’t want abuse victims to bite off chunks of their abusers, even if they deserve it. The international justice system had clearly failed June but sending him back to Gilead should have been enough.



Losing one's humanity means that the abusers won.


I guarantee Fred did not think he won as he took his last breath.




Fred thought of himself as the true victim and the Godly, righteous victim of evil women. What they did reinforced his belief that Handmaids are lesser beings.
June ultimately lost.


June didn’t lose because of what Fred believed. What Fred believed was irrelevant.



I disagree. June lost.


I think we are well past June ever being able to 'win'. Gilead took her humanity, family, ability to be a mother, etc. They both lost- Fred lost his life, June lost who she was. But you all are expecting way too much from someone who has experience this much trauma- I would imagine many women in her position would kill their captor.
Absolutely agree. But this thread does really show the differences between the Moiras (talk therapy, move on, happy thoughts, etc.) and the Junes (anger, revenge, etc.). I’m a June myself.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 09:28     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

This was a really boring season. Too much talking, too many lingering pauses. And Canada is not that interesting. I would rather see more of Gilead.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 09:26     Subject: Handmaid’s Tale season 4

I can only say next season she needs to bring down gilead
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2021 00:36     Subject: Handmaid’s Tale season 4

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What disappoints me is all you whiners talking about how disappointed you are at June and Co's violent dispatching of Fred.

Hello? Don't you realize that you want this character to "suck it up" like every other abuse victim ever when faced by a patriarchal system?

You are being the patriarchy here. And that is more scary than any fiction on the screen.


Well, we generally don’t want abuse victims to bite off chunks of their abusers, even if they deserve it. The international justice system had clearly failed June but sending him back to Gilead should have been enough.



Losing one's humanity means that the abusers won.


I guarantee Fred did not think he won as he took his last breath.




Fred thought of himself as the true victim and the Godly, righteous victim of evil women. What they did reinforced his belief that Handmaids are lesser beings.
June ultimately lost.


June didn’t lose because of what Fred believed. What Fred believed was irrelevant.



I disagree. June lost.


I think we are well past June ever being able to 'win'. Gilead took her humanity, family, ability to be a mother, etc. They both lost- Fred lost his life, June lost who she was. But you all are expecting way too much from someone who has experience this much trauma- I would imagine many women in her position would kill their captor.
Anonymous
Post 06/17/2021 23:33     Subject: Re:Handmaid’s Tale season 4

I was disappointed by the gang killing of Fred. It was so unoriginal and unsatisfying not to mention completely unbelievable even in the context of fantasy.

And I hope they don’t let Elisabeth Moss direct anymore episodes. I really can’t handle another season of close ups on June’s face.