‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Recap: ‘Allegiance’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 509 of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particularly difficult lesson that we come to learn in life in adulthood… is the sheer fact that people are sometimes the greatest roadblocks to our dreams and our goals. And what makes this lesson so difficult to learn and deal with, is the sheer fact that we have to deal with people in just about everything we do. After all, to get our dream job, someone has to sign off on it. To start our own business someone has to approve the loan, and someone has to supply materials and sometimes… they won’t sign off on that job or that loan, and the supplier in question can be difficult to deal with or outright incompetent, putting our future at jeopardy.
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Which makes it seem as though, the lesson is to never try and never bother and just take the opportunities as they come and that’s simply not the case either. Instead, the true lessons inherent, are that we have to find the right people to help us in this life, ones that align with our dream and support us along the way and really research who we need to talk to achieve our goals. To make sure they align with us as well, and above all else, rely upon the person we look at in the mirror every morning, to truly make things happen. Because in the end, we are the ones in charge of our destiny and while people may get in the way as we make our own bold push, being in control as best we can, ensures we can pivot and react accordingly.

If anything, those particular lessons are top of mind today, simply because Serena and June were forced to learn them during this week’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. For ‘Allegiance’ is a story that saw people… interfere with their plans and goals. Serena for instance, just wanted to be near her son and live in peace, but Mrs. Wheeler wasn’t having that. She had more rules and control she wanted to exert over Serena, in order to take her child from her and leave her out in the cold. In fact, Serena was so despised by everyone in that household that even being docile as June suggested, did her no good, so she took matters into her own hands. Wherein she used the opening of the fertility center and a chance to feed Noah to escape into the world and into someone’s car and away from that nightmare. Giving her some control over her plans and goals, and life, at last.  

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As for June… well she suffered the harshest version of this lesson. For she truly believed that the American plan to assault the old Air Force Academy to rescue Hannah, since that was where she was being kept, was going to be a rousing success. Only to watch her goal of being reunited with her family… quite literally go up in flames. Simply because Gilead knew the American military’s playbook inside and out and were fully prepared for something so textbook. So, defenses were moved, and bloodshed came into play, forcing failure and the struggles of relying on people and the unknown didn’t end there. Since Commander Lawrence tried to use this opportunity to once more recruit her to join Hannah in New Bethlehem, provided she renounce America.
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Making it clear to June that Lawrence wasn’t reliable either, since he was so hellbent on fixing his mistakes, and expressing his disdain for America that such matters would supersede the right thing. The kind of acts that would ironically… make Gilead appear to be a worthy nation. Which of course, left June beside herself and ready to fight… to a certain extent. For she is so broken and so without hope that truly accepting what must be done isn’t quite top of mind for her yet. But the foundation was built here. Since Tuello did mention, that the acts she’s performed would give her great power in this life, simply because she was the only individual that actually put some bruises on this seemingly invincible titan and perhaps the closing moments of this tale, where the hate for America boiled over… might be enough to push her over the edge since it put her and a child at risk.

Which granted, isn’t the standard storytelling way to teach such lessons, since we don’t know if June heard the universe’s teachings, but that’s fine. Because this is the realistic way to teach someone the lessons inherent. Simply because everything we do requires stages and baby steps, but one way or another… these failures, that sorrowful moment with Nick, all of it… gave her some understanding she’s on her own and can accomplish wonders when she chooses to, and hopefully she chooses just that. For America doesn’t have the might it once did, Lawrence is only focused on his goals and Nick’s course has changed and the only way a difference can be made, is through her… and it will be fascinating to see if June finally commits to being a leader and a voice, when season five comes to a close next week. Until then.  

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