We are almost approaching the end of 'The Handmaid's Tale' season two and we can say with much certainty that we have no idea what could happen next. We definitely wouldn't have predicted that June would somehow find herself giving birth alone in a house in the wilderness with a wolf keeping watch. But then, of course this would be how it happened because EVERYTHING IS AWFUL IN GILEAD.
Bar flashbacks, this episode featured no actual dialogue from June other than the voice-over and thanks to some very impressive cinematography and Elizabeth Moss's likely Emmy-winning performance, the true isolation of June's situation was portrayed.
At least there was nobody there to torture her, so there was that. She just about escaped the clutches of the Waterfords and even almost went Jason Bourne on them when she discovered the gun. June would have had every reason to pull that trigger but let's face it, she's no murderer... yet. That could be a decision she regrets down the line though.
'The Handmaid's Tale' hasn't been too flashback heavy in a while, which is a good thing really, no show should be too heavily reliant on it. This episode however, it served a purpose in how it juxtaposed June becoming a mother for the first time with her situation now. This season has taken a lot of time to focus on the theme of motherhood and used June's pregnancy to address her tricky relationship with her own mother as well as June's own feelings of guilt and heartache from being apart from Hannah.
And now, June is a mother for the second time, although if the final scene is anything to go by, that baby will be in Serena's arms in no time. Or dare we hope it's not a soldier of Gilead and perhaps some kindly pro-America neighbour in that car that arrives? Yeah, unlikely.
As grim as it may seem at times, the whole message behind the episode, and indeed the entire season of 'The Handmaid's Tale' is endurance and survival, peaking with that incredible birth scene. After the horrors of episode ten, June still finds a way to keep fighting, to keep hoping, aided by the voice of one Oprah Winfrey no less, Yes, that was her in that patriotic radio message June heard.
Wait...
Maybe it's Oprah in the car! Let's just keep telling ourselves that until next week.
Episode 8 Review - 'Women's Work'
Episode 9 review - 'Smart Power'
Episode 10 review - 'The Last Ceremony'
