The Handmaid’s Tale season 3 finale was incredible last night. Where do I begin?
June’s been planning to free 52 kids from captivity in Gilead and “Mayday” is finally here. She and the Marthas are preparing to get the children to a cargo plane that will fly them all to Canada, but obstacle after obstacle is presenting itself. One Martha arrives too early with a little girl, Rebecca, then gets nervous waiting for nightfall to hit and tries to back out. June grabs hold of the girl and threatens to shoot the Martha, who escapes. In a momentary lapse of judgement, June points the gun at a crying Rebecca but doesn’t shoot… whew!
The Martha, moving around way too much in daylight, was spotted at some point and now June’s Commander also wants to back out of the plan, as there will be a search party for Rebecca and roadblocks. “I’m pulling the plug,” Commander Lawrence said. “The girl has to go home.” But June isn’t having it, informing Commander Lawrence that he is no longer in charge.
June, her network of Marthas and Handmaids, and the kids end up leaving earlier than expected through the woods — yet another change of plans, as they were supposed to head to the plane by car — and the journey is scary as hell. With search lights everywhere and way more than 52 kids in tow, the group moves swiftly in the dark, making their way to the cargo plane (which, by the way, they’re not even sure will be there).
Elsewhere, a detained Fred Waterford has been exacting his revenge on wife Serena. Serena worked out an immunity deal with Canadian authorities, claiming that anything she may have done in Gilead was under duress. BUT, Fred informs authorities that she acted alone when she forced Nick to rape and impregnate June so that she could claim the baby. Serena is arrested and her “daughter” is taken away. Justice!
June, crew, and kids can see the cargo plane in the distance, but there’s a problem — guards have just pulled up next to it in a truck. Ready to sacrifice herself for the greater good, June tells her crew to get the kids to the plane. Meanwhile, she’s planning on creating a distraction. Instead, Martha Rita leads the kids to the plane by herself, while the rest of the crew holds it down with June… throwing rocks at the guards who meet their attack with gunfire. June stands up, allowing the only surviving guard to see her. He chases her through the woods, firing his gun and eventually shooting her. As he leans over a wounded June, she grabs the gun she tucked into her sock earlier and shoots him. She then forces him to get on his walkie talkie and signal to the other guards that everything is “all clear.” Then, keeping with the theme of the episode, she “ruthlessly” shoots him dead.
The kids and Rita make it to Canada. Remember little Rebecca? Her dad just happens to be one of the volunteers waiting to help out when the plane touches down. Rita meets June’s husband Luke, who is also volunteering and waiting to see if his daughter Hannah will be one of the kids arriving on the plane. Hannah is not one of the freed children, but Rita informs him that his wife is the one who orchestrated the entire escape.
Back in Gilead, a group of Handmaids arrive to help June, who is still injured in the woods.
It was an amazing episode… and social media hasn’t stopped talking about it since yesterday. Hit the flip to see what everyone is saying.
