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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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