Rebellion Blooms: A Recap of Handmaid's Tale Seasons 1-5
Recap and Final Verdict on The Handmaid's Tale Series: Key Events and Critical Analysis
Welcome to the world of Gilead—a terror-stricken creation born from fertility crises, environmental catastrophes, and extremist ideologies. The Handmaid's Tale, a dystopian drama series on Hulu, plunges us deep into this twisted reality, where women are stripped of their rights and treated as mere reproductive vessels. As the story unfolds through five heart-wrenching seasons, our protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss), emerges from the ashes igniting the spark of rebellion that captivates us all.
Season 1 (The Birth of Gilead)
June was once a college-educated woman, thriving in her life as a book editor, wife, and mother. But in the chaos of declining fertility rates, increased birth defects, and silent maternity wards, Gilead emerged. Former conservative pundit turned regime enforcer, Serena Joy Waterford, helped build the ideology leading to women's subjugation and betrayal. June, now designated as Offred, becomes the Handmaid assigned to the Waterfords. The ritualized rape and torture Offred endures during "The Ceremony" leave her scarred, but she finds strength and solidarity with other Handmaids, smuggling letters and slowly igniting the cinders of resistance.
Season 2 (Rage, Resistance, and Rebellion)
June's thirst for freedom is only intensified in Season 2. While enduring Capitol punishments for refusing to stone a fellow Handmaid, June manages to escape using an elaborate network of sympathizers. Negotiating her way through a Boston abandoned by the elite, June becomes a ghost in their decadent world, seeking out her daughter Hannah. Meanwhile, Moira, presumably having escaped and settled with other refugees in Canada, steps up her efforts to help those still trapped in Gilead.
Season 3 (Switching Gears)
With renewed determination and the network of Marthas and Handmaids behind her, June plots her next move. She finds herself under the roof of Commander Lawrence, a man who once helped Emily escape and whose regrets with the rising of Gilead grow louder each day. A bond forms between June and Nick, the Waterford's driver, who is secretly an Eye. Together, they smuggle nearly 100 children to safety, but at a fatal cost for June, who is left writhing in pain and near-death.
Season 4 (Freedom With Complications)
June's mission becomes even more harrowing in Season 4. In a desperate attempt to rescue her daughter Hannah, she faces betrayal, loss, and shocking vengeance. Finding solace with Esther, a traumatized Wife, June eventually overcomes her enemies, taking down Fred Waterford in the final moments. Powerless to protect Hannah herself, June entrusts her daughter's future to the Canadian refugee network set up by her former friend, Moira.
Season 5 (Wrapped Around Your Finger)
Season 5 reveals a new landscape as June and the Waterfords' struggles reach Canada. Facing continued persecution, June confronts the reality of empowering communities and healing wounds left by Gilead. Meanwhile, Serena struggles to hold onto her family, her dignity, and her questionable standing among the resistance forces. With each season, the women of Gilead prove that they are more than just handmaids and that the fight to reclaim their lives will never be forgotten.
[1] Handmaid's Tale: What's Gilead? Here's What You Need to Know. (2017, June 3). Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://ew.com/tv/handmaids-tale-gilead-explained/[2] Handmaid's Tale season 3 episode 2 summary. (2019, June 5). Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/handmaids-tale/handmaids-tale-season-3-episode-2-summary/[3] Handmaid's Tale season 1 episode 5 summary. (2017, April 29). Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a3846095/handmaids-tale-season-1-episode-5-review/[4] The Handmaid's Tale s3 finale: how Moira’s story is connected to real-world issues. (2019, August 23). Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://www.mashable.com/article/handmaids-tale-season-3-recap-moira
In Season 1, June, formerly a college-educated woman, endures the ritualized rape and torture as Offred, a Handmaid, but she finds strength in solidarity with other Handmaids, smuggling letters and igniting the cinders of resistance against Gilead's oppressive system (review of 'The Handmaid's Tale', Season 1).
In Season 2, as June escapes from Gilead, she becomes a ghost in the decadent world abandoned by the elite, seeking her daughter Hannah, while Moira, now safe in Canada, steps up her efforts to help those still trapped in Gilead (review of 'The Handmaid's Tale', Season 2, focusing on entertainment and resistance).
