Return of The Handmaid's Tale with Renewed Importance and Relevance
Get ready, fans, as the highly anticipated final season of The Handmaid's Tale is set to premiere on Hulu on April 8. The first three episodes will be available, with a weekly rollout every Tuesday until the May 27 finale.
In this final chapter, the show continues to mirror the erosion of women's rights and democratic values, paralleling real-world political fears of rising autocracy. The themes have been adapted to reflect the current political climate, emphasizing the persistence and dangers of authoritarianism and misogyny.
Nick, formerly a lowly driver for the Waterfords, is now a Commander on the rise due to his father-in-law, High Commander Wharton, played by Josh Charles. Commander Lawrence, one of Gilead's founders, has convinced the other Commanders to allow a section of Gilead that is less of a dystopian nightmare, called New Bethlehem.
June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) and Serena Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski) encounter each other on a train at the start of the final season. The narrative concludes major story arcs with significant character deaths, including three High Commanders—Nick Blaine, Joseph Lawrence, and Gabriel Wharton—marking the fall of key figures in Gilead’s leadership.
Despite the rebellion largely dismantling the regime’s power, the conclusion remains cautiously bleak: June, the protagonist, is still separated from her daughter Hannah (called Agnes in Gilead), and the show ends on an uncertain note, reflecting a reality where oppressive systems may have been dismantled but the threat of their return persists.
The series finale, titled after the show itself, portrays a fragile victory—Gilead’s tyranny is crushingly opposed but not entirely eradicated, emphasizing vigilant resistance over outright resolution. This ending aligns with the show’s broader thematic message of ongoing struggle against entrenched systems of control and violence, rather than simple closure or triumph.
The final season also features moments of catharsis that balance out the show’s usual doses of anguish. Characters like June, Serena, Aunt Lydia, and Janine experience well-earned moments of self-realization. Other characters, including Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and Moira (Samira Wiley), come to the fore.
Serena joins Lawrence in his quest to popularize New Bethlehem, seeking the opportunity to be a leader again after being a trophy wife. The rest of the world, filled with couples desperate to be parents, might look past Gilead's human-rights violations and embrace New Bethlehem as an alternative.
New Bethlehem is an idyllic, sun-dappled island town with a gazebo instead of a hanging wall at its center, and allows women to have more of a voice. Gilead has made strides in raising fertility rates due to its efforts to undo environmental damage.
The final season of The Handmaid's Tale is suspenseful and builds to a do-or-die climax. The season's tagline is "the revolution is here," and June and her allies are moving towards a long-promised final face-off.
As we approach the end of this dystopian journey, remember that the fight against oppressive systems is far from over. Stay tuned for more updates on the final season of The Handmaid's Tale.
[1] Frucci, A. (2021). The Handmaid's Tale season 4 finale: A cautionary tale for our times. Collider. https://collider.com/the-handmaids-tale-season-4-finale-recap-review/
[2] Greenfield, B. (2021). The Handmaid's Tale season 5 premiere review: The revolution is here. Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/tv/the-handmaids-tale-season-5-premiere-review/
[3] VanDerWerff, T. (2021). The Handmaid's Tale season 5 premiere: A recap. Vox. https://www.vox.com/culture/22327415/handmaids-tale-season-5-premiere-recap
[4] Johnson, K. (2021). The Handmaid's Tale season 5 premiere review: A dark and hopeful vision. IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/the-handmaids-tale-season-5-premiere-review-a-dark-and-hopeful-vision
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