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The song seems more like the sort of thing that would accompany a poignant character death, but it instead punctuates a rebirth for June – out of ruthlessness, and into solidarity.
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Into Dust by Mazzy Star plays as the handmaids carry June to safety, risking themselves in the process. Seeing Serena confronted with hers and realising the truth of it was, frankly, glorious. But when you’re immersed in the world of Gilead, as we have been for three seasons now, it’s easy to forget that these crimes have names out in the real world. Hearing Serena’s crime termed “sexual slavery” is shocking and, of course, completely accurate. Photograph: Jasper Savage/HuluĮlsewhere, in a move that will surprise precisely no one, the Waterfords’ separation has gone nasty, with Fred turning in Serena for arranging June’s rape by forcing Nick to impregnate her. Season three has now truly turned June into a freedom fighter, and it’ll be fascinating to see just how far she will be go in the fight against Gilead.
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The Martha network has done their bit – season four is surely time for the handmaid network to rise, as June vows to lead ‘her people’ to the land of milk and honey (or, well, Canada). Better still was June’s handmaid friends searching the woods for her after she is shot and carrying her to safety, walking in their customary two-by-two formation, with a gravely injured insurrectionist held between them. But we’ll let the show get away with it, for the image of women standing together in the face of oppression is a powerful one. This leads to a rather contrived scene where Janine and a group of Marthas join June in her heroic last stand and throw a bunch of rocks at the Eye, when June could surely have just shot him. She wants to bring the whole thing down, and she will give her life to do so – which, for as long as she is alive at least, makes her unstoppable. Her drive to hurt Gilead may have begun as revenge, but here we see her realise a greater purpose: she wants to save anyone in danger in Gilead. That’s when June realises it won’t be her ruthlessness that saves the day – it will be her selflessness. This time, she is determined not to be helpless, and no one will stop these children from reaching safety, especially not one solitary Eye guarding the airport. Their route to the airport intentionally mirrors the woods in which June had Hannah torn from her arms. June is going to rescue those kids if it kills her and everyone else – including Rita and Janine. She’s going to rescue those kids if it kills her and everyone else involved in the plan – including Rita and Janine. She still believes all her suffering and all her crimes must amount to something, even if Lawrence insists that “the universe doesn’t have a balance sheet”. These days June’s heart is hard enough to threaten a frightened child with a gun, and stand firm against Lawrence’s final spasms of fragile masculinity (“You’re still in my house, young lady!”). She’s convinced that ruthlessness is how the men of Gilead won, and that victory goes not to who is right, but to whoever has the hardest heart. Within moments, June has resorted to keeping her plan to rescue 52 children on track with the gun that’s been waiting patiently to become a plot point since episode 11. June has become Mayday – and suddenly the show’s decision to name ‘Offred’ June feels a wee bit on the nose. Right now, Mayday is a handmaid and two Marthas in Commander Lawrence’s kitchen. But in this season three finale, we learn that Mayday isn’t some grand plan or a hierarchy of rebels – it’s anyone who wants to damage Gilead. We glimpsed only the skinniest branches of the organisation and assumed that there was some central hub somewhere, a powerful figure running the show.
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When Mayday was introduced in season one, it was a shady resistance June wanted to turn to for help. Do not read on unless you have watched the season three finale. Spoiler alert: this recap is for people watching The Handmaid’s Tale on Channel 4 in the UK.