Another chapter of The Handmaid’s Tale comes to a close with the Season 5 finale. Although June has spent the majority of this season in Canada that’s supposed to be safe, she’s anything but.
As we get to the end of the season, June realizes she must get out of Toronto. In a finale titled “Safe,” does she finally manage to get to a place where she’s actually safe?
In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 finale, Gilead carries out another assassination attempt on June. However, she survives it and leaves Toronto on a refugee train to America. Sadly, during the course of the show, Nick, Janine, and Luke get arrested for their respective digressions.
Need the finale explained in more detail? Here’s everything you need to know!
1. Another Assassination Attempt on June
Lawrence all but confirms to Nick that the previous shooting incident was an attempt to kill June and that he won’t stop there.
Tensions are running high in Toronto. On one end, residents are increasingly getting opposed to Gilead refugees, wanting to kick them out of Canada. On the other end, Gilead is succeeding in increasing its influence and numbers in Canada.
June, Luke, and the others are sandwiched between these two extremes, quickly realizing they need to get out. What solidifies this decision is when another assassination attempt is carried out on June; that too, in Toronto itself.
To describe it succinctly, Gilead tries to kill her by getting her run over several times.
2. Nick’s Futile Double Agent Attempt
When Nick learns about Lawrence’s intentions, out of his unconditional love for June, he finally succumbs to being a spy for Tuello.
In the mix, he does raise suspicions and even gets scorned by his wife Rose. But it is perhaps rewarding for him to see June once again and share a tender moment with her. He knows he can’t be with her, but is ready to do anything to ensure her safety.
Later, when he hears that June was attacked again, he storms into Lawrence’s wedding and punches the Commander. If he wasn’t already going to be arrested for his ties with Tuello, this action made sure he did.
His anger blew his cover, and it’s worth wondering if he’s of any use to Tuello anymore. If Tuello feels there’s no need to protect him, this may be the last we may see of Nick.
3. Janine Gets Arrested
Janine is facing her own set of difficulties as Aunt Lydia is making sure she falls back in line. Although at times Lydia genuinely feels for her, she ultimately plays it off as becoming a Handmaid is Janine’s safest bet and her duty in society.
As such, Janine reluctantly agrees to become Lawrence and Naomi’s Handmaid, even bearing with the latter’s offensive remarks.
But everyone has a breaking point. As it was with Nick, Janine’s too is when she hears about June’s condition. She realizes that no one is safe from Gilead even if they escape—for wasn’t June attacked in Canada?
In her anger, Janine ends up attacking Naomi and is arrested for the same. As we know, misbehaving Handmaids are subjected to a range of punishments from mutilation to death. Season 6 may reveal Janine’s fate.
4. Luke Makes a Sacrifice
Seeing his wife get rammed down provokes Luke into going after the driver and assaulting him. Sadly for all parties involved, the driver ends up dying from Luke’s punches, which subsequently puts Luke on the wanted list.
Tuello helps the group one last time by providing them with fake refugee IDs, letting them know there are trains that will take them to America. June, Nichole, and Luke successfully make it to the station where officials are checking ID papers.
However, to deflect attention from June and Nichole, Luke surrenders himself to the police who are on the lookout for him. June is torn to leave Luke behind once again, especially not knowing if this arrest will end in a life sentence or not.
5. June Heads to Safety
Thanks to Luke’s distraction, June is able to get on the train with Nichole. It’s a bittersweet affair, but she tries to pacify herself while talking to baby Nichole about how Hawaii will be a much safer place for them.
Much to everyone’s chagrin, the finale ends with June hearing another baby’s wails. She locks eyes with Serena who’s on the train with Noah. Happy to see June there, she asks, “Got a diaper?”
June responds with a smile that is both sinister and pained, with Billy Eilish’s Bury a Friend playing in the background.
6. What happens to Hannah?
For the sake of a more streamlined story, Hannah is missing from the finale. Lawrence has made it clear that the only way Gilead would let June be with Hannah is if both of them stay within Gilead’s jurisdictions, following all the rules.
June has repeatedly rejected this offer, which has not only put her life in further danger but also increased the distance between her and Hannah. As of the finale, there’s no viable way June could’ve saved Hannah. So, running off to another safe location may have been the best option.
As Season 6 will be the last, it may deal with June’s reunion with Hannah in a larger capacity.
7. About The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale is an American dystopian television series created by Bruce Miller for Hulu. It is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name.
Set in the fictional dystopian state of Gilead, where fertile women are kept as “handmaids” and are subjected to child-bearing slavery, the series Offred (June Osbourne) and her fight for her freedom from Gilead, along with all the oppressed.
The series has covered four seasons worth of runtime, and the fifth season will premiere on Hulu on 14 September 2022.
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