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Old 06-20-2018, 01:07 PM
  #136
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It's nice to get confirmation that (a) not all of the Wives are incapable of bearing children, and (b) that fertility can be rewarded with promotion. Both were true in the book, and I've been curious about whether that would be the case in the series. I can only imagine how jealous Serena, Naomi Putnam, and other Wives depending on Handmaids for babies must be of a Wife who can bear a child of her own. Even Fred looked jealous of the newly promoted Commander who was expecting a baby with his wife.

Mind you, Serena gets no sympathy from me. She freely chose to return to a life where she takes part in various ridiculous rituals in order to pretend that God means for her to be mother to June and Nick's baby. She could be in Hawaii right now, being helped to have her own baby. She should remember that next time she's stuck knitting.

Interesting vibe off Fred in this episode. They've never clarified just where he stands in the hierarchy of Commanders. It's not a stretch that the bombing of the new Rachel and Leah Center and his failed mission to Canada, have hurt his standing. He took offence when June asked if it was in his power to move her to Hannah's district, rather than assuming that he could do it. Perhaps he doesn't have that kind of clout. In the flashbacks, he seems almost like Serena's sidekick at times, not an equal partner, much less a superior. The advent of Gilead put power in his hands, and he's greedy for more. He wants to feel in control within the home, as well as in his life outside the home, but this season has chipped away at the facade of power.

His pregnant Handmaid ran away. He wasn't able to get Nick transferred. He was in charge of the dedication of the new Rachel and Leah Center and it ended in disaster. When he was injured, Serena proved that she could do his job at least as well as he could. He had to push to be assigned to the trip to Canada, and ended up thrown out on his ear. He knows that he is not the father of June's baby, but being a father, officially if not biologically, is perhaps the only way he is going to advance after his various set-backs.

I'd say that arranging the visit with Hannah was less about doing a kind deed for June and more about showing her that he had the power to do it.

It's sick that Hannah's adoptive parents renamed her. She was at least five at the time. Her name is also a Biblical one, arguably one that is very meaningful in Gilead, so it wasn't a case of it being deemed inappropriate. It was a way for her adoptive parents to put their stamp on her, regardless of her feelings. Great performance by the child actress. She really captured the contrast between the lively, happy child of the flashbacks, and the quiet, solemn little girl of the present.

The baby has the right idea, delaying its arrival into Gilead as long as it possibly can.

Aunt Lydia must have been a matron at a girls' boarding school or something. She has perfected the "I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed" look.

Eden's costume reminds me of an old-fashioned pinafore, which emphasizes that she is just a child.

One nice element of the premature Birth Day ritual was the contrast between the genuine camaraderie among the Handmaids and the superficial friendships of the Wives. The Wives are playing a part, and I doubt that the Serena of the flashbacks would have chosen the likes of Naomi Putnam for a friend. One element of the books that I would like to see in the show is the way the Wives take turns being "sick". They've got so little to do that they have an unspoken rota, with each of them taking it in turn to claim illness, take to her bed for a few days, and be fussed over by the others.

After this episode, I'll be quite happy if Fred and Serena both end up crucified. That's suitably Biblical, right?

I wasn't expecting the ending. I'm not sure if I can take another teased escape for June, though. Can the third time please be the charm?
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Old 06-20-2018, 04:15 PM
  #137
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Ugh, poor Emily. That opening rape scene was so hard to watch, it’s so disgusting. It was hilarious when Emily just laid there after the guy collapsed.

Definitely seems that Eden figured out there was something between Nick and June. It wasn’t that hard to figure out considering how he looks at her.

So commanders are able to sleep with their wives and if their wives get pregnant then they do not need handmaid’s? Is that the case?

Sometimes June just way over steps her bounds. Her trying to get the commander to take her to her daughter’s district was just stupid? Why would she ever believe he would do it? Then to essentially tell him the child wasn’t his? WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING? Seriously, stupid move. So stupid. Does she want to get Nick in trouble?

The June rape scene was even harder to take than Emily’s. That was full on rape and Serena didn’t just hold her down, she facilitated it. She knew what it would do to June. She did it purposely to destroy her and hurt her. Any small sliver of sympathy I had for Serena is 100% gone. How horrible.

The guard kissing Eden, oh yikes. That is not going to end well at all. Nick saying “don’t worry about it” was hilarious. But at the same time, he is just being way too cold with her. He needs to change or something bad is going to happen. She is going to report him. I wish he would just sit down with her and talk to her, like him just sitting there as she cries is so cold. He should at least try to comfort her and explain to her.

Fred letting June see her child was her way of making up for what he did. Hannah annoyed me so much with blaming June. I realize she is a child but damn kid, it’s not June’s fault that this is happening. Then telling her she had new parents was just gut wrenching. It was a relief to hear that Hannah had only been hit twice. I mean, its still horrible, but better than what I expected. Watching Hannah get taken away again was so sad. I wish June had said to her that she would come for her someday. A part of me cant wait for this show to be over so that we can see June reunited wit her kids because its just sad.

Nick hugging and holding June after Hannah left was so sweet. I just love them together. It’s clear how much he cares about her. I’m confused what happened at the end though. Why were those guys taking Nick? Did the commander set all of that up as a way to get them in trouble? I don’t understand.
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Old 06-20-2018, 06:56 PM
  #138
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I was freaking out they've ended the season there!
Will be interested to see how they ended it then.
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Old 06-20-2018, 09:56 PM
  #139
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Nick hugging and holding June after Hannah left was so sweet. I just love them together. It’s clear how much he cares about her. I’m confused what happened at the end though. Why were those guys taking Nick? Did the commander set all of that up as a way to get them in trouble? I don’t understand.
I haven't seen the ep yet but my guess is that they found out that Nick gave the letters to Luke and all signs point to Eden since she knew and probably told the Commander. I'd have to watch to get the context though.
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Old 06-20-2018, 10:15 PM
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No, what doesnt make sense is that Fred allowed June to go see Hannah and her and Nick went to the house. After Hannah left these guys showed up to take Nick. So, the whole set up was confusing because obviously Fred arranged it. So where did these random guys come from?

Im guessing that Fred set it up, not Eden, because June made the comment about the baby not being his. Who knows, maybe Eden went to the commander and told him. Btu she was suspicious of June the whole episode, so her being the one to rat him out seems to obvious. On top of that, Nick saw Eden kissing a guard, so it doesnt make sense she would rat him out imo. AND she was crying pretty hard, she seems to think she likes Nick a lot, so would she do that to him? Guess we will find out.
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Old 06-20-2018, 11:18 PM
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I know that the odds are exceptionally slim, but what do you think would happen if Emily became pregnant from Commander Roy's last effort? Would they let his widow have custody of the child when she has no husband to support her or to be a father to the child? Would the Wives who call themselves her friends be vying to be the ones to get the baby?

It never occurred to me that Fred might have deliberately set Nick and June up. It's possible; he could dislike the idea of raising Nick's child so much that he'd rather let June make a run for it.
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Old 06-21-2018, 01:04 AM
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so cute

can't wait to see it either
Have you watched the new episode yet?
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Old 06-21-2018, 03:15 AM
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It's usually gone up by now for me, still waiting though. Slow day i think.
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Old 06-21-2018, 03:22 AM
  #144
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Such beautiful moments between June and Hannah. I was crying when she told her daughter to be happy
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Old 06-21-2018, 03:30 AM
  #145
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It's usually gone up by now for me, still waiting though. Slow day i think.
It's normally on SBS (an free to air TV channel down here) but it's not airing this week for some reason.
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Old 06-21-2018, 03:31 AM
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I keep checking whilst i have some free time but it still hasn't gone up.
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Old 06-21-2018, 03:32 AM
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I keep checking whilst i have some free time but it still hasn't gone up.
Hopefully it goes up for you soon.
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Old 06-21-2018, 10:08 AM
  #148
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Have you watched the new episode yet?
oh yeah, I have. my swollen eyes are proof
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I know that the odds are exceptionally slim, but what do you think would happen if Emily became pregnant from Commander Roy's last effort? Would they let his widow have custody of the child when she has no husband to support her or to be a father to the child? Would the Wives who call themselves her friends be vying to be the ones to get the baby?
I thought about that too I think that widows don't have any kind of right in this society, since the wives don't really do either. they can have as much as their husbands allow but if there's something about them the men don't like, I think they can go, maybe become Marthas since they're usually infertile.if they're lucky, since we've seen the wife of a commander sent to the colonies who was played by Marisa Tomei. but what would happen to the baby probably given to someone like June's daughter was...
that part was amazing though, when the guy had a heart attack right after and Emily was all "there's a bigger chance for it to work if she stays still" like she wanted to help. I was like, I wish she'd kick the dude or something and then she did I loved that. the least that he deserved.
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Im guessing that Fred set it up, not Eden, because June made the comment about the baby not being his. Who knows, maybe Eden went to the commander and told him. Btu she was suspicious of June the whole episode, so her being the one to rat him out seems to obvious. On top of that, Nick saw Eden kissing a guard, so it doesnt make sense she would rat him out imo. AND she was crying pretty hard, she seems to think she likes Nick a lot, so would she do that to him? Guess we will find out.
it seems possible that it was Eden she was really upset... honestly I don't blame Nick for not even pretending to care. he's got so much on his plate and June comes first for him, of course it can cause a lot of trouble and maybe it did I was almost glad that someone showed affection towards Eden cause she wanted that so bad, though it was still creepy...that guy's about Nick's age but I bet he doesn't care that she's a teen...

there's been lots of rape scenes on the show but I think they were the most disturbing in this one...Serena is out of her mind and I can't believe that I let myself fall for her for even 5 minutes, to think she can change she's a monster just like Fred...the thing they did to her together...they deserve to burn in hell. it was just their last act before she left so they could break her and dehumanize her one more time...

I'm not sure if June meeting Hannah helped either of them, but I hope it did. I think it just confuses a kid and it could make her life harder with her new parents it was horrible that she resented her mother at first because I'm sure her new parents have taught her "well" about why she can't be with her real mom. must've made her look like a monster.
it was a real tearjerker, the whole scene between them I hope that it'll give Hannah strength and she won't forget again how much her real mother loves her

what'll happen to June now, alone in the middle of nowhere, and she might even go into labour oh my gosh
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Old 06-21-2018, 12:31 PM
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I thought about that too I think that widows don't have any kind of right in this society, since the wives don't really do either. they can have as much as their husbands allow but if there's something about them the men don't like, I think they can go, maybe become Marthas since they're usually infertile.if they're lucky, since we've seen the wife of a commander sent to the colonies who was played by Marisa Tomei. but what would happen to the baby probably given to someone like June's daughter was...
In the book, it's mentioned that widows are rarely seen. Best case scenario is probably that they have a male relative whose household they could join, as a companion of sorts to his Wife. I don't know if the Aunts would welcome a former Wife into their number. Martha is a possibility. It's highly unlikely that a widow would be allowed to be head of her own household.

I'll have to double-check, but I think that the widow was present for the false labour, and wearing a wife's blue dress.

As for the baby, I'd say that there'd be no shortage of Wives lining up if they see a sign for "Newborn, Free to Good Home".

Last edited by Regan; 06-21-2018 at 12:38 PM
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Old 06-21-2018, 02:29 PM
  #150
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Someone on tumblr said maybe it was Eden's boyfriend that set up Nick too to keep him quiet from his affair with Eden. I guess it could be any of those three. Or even Serena, if she was that mad at June for her current behavior.

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Would they let his widow have custody of the child when she has no husband to support her or to be a father to the child?
No, definitely not. The child has to go to a mother and father for sure. In fact, the widow might be revoked from her wife status now that her husband has died.

What would be more questionable is if a wife died. Would they let the husband keep the child, and then would he be expected to find a new wife immediately? Who is viable as a wife?

Lots of questions in this world.

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