‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Recap: ‘Liars’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

While I was watching the second season of The Handmaid’s Tale, a particular question continued to pop up in my mind, one that I posed in my recaps over the course of several episodes in that, exactly how much punishment could June and the people of Gilead take? After all, we each have our respective breaking points, and when someone finally reaches it, one of two things will happen. We either shatter psychologically and regress within, or we snap and fight back at whatever is causing us harm and that question was on my mind last season, simply because so many characters were taking abuse like never before and it truly seemed as though they were barreling to their respective red lines.
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Yet, they never crossed that point. Sure, June experienced some dark moments, and pondered upon revolution, but her journey in year two continued to focus heavily on how much she could bear upon her shoulders. But all of that changed during last night’s episode. For ‘Liars’ finally saw several characters reach their breaking point, which led to a story that was filled to the brim with incredible surprises, but it sure didn’t seem like that was going to be the case at first. Because early on in this tale there was a lot of back and forth revolving around June’s plan to get the kids out of Gilead, and there was also cowardice from Commander Lawrence, since he tried to run after his wife put a gun to his head, making it seem as though once again June was going to be on her own without an ally. But Lawrence’s return home, brought about some chilling revelations, the kind that led to the surprises in question.

For Lawrence revealed that he was unable to escape Gilead, as he originally planned, due to the fact that his fellow commanders had conveniently forgotten to tell him of the new checkpoint protocols and codes, meaning that the walls were closing in on his household now, and it would only be a matter of time before they came for him for violating Gilead’s various and stupid codes. Which meant June’s plan was quickly going down the drain now that Lawrence no longer had any power to help her get those kids out, prompting her to make one last desperate gambit to save them, and that required a trip to the ever-disturbing Jezebel’s. Wherein she spoke with the Marthas’ underground contact, a man named Billy, about a holding the plane he was sneaking into Gilead, in order to get Lawrence and Eleanor and fifty-two kids out of this disgusting place. 

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But while her gambit was successful and uneventful, the fact that High Commander Winslow was at Jezebels this fine evening, complicated matters. Because he wanted to know why on earth June was there alone, and when he heard her cover story, and likely saw through it, he saw an opportunity to exercise the power that came with his title, making it seem as though we were about to be privy to another uncomfortable scene. But rather than let Winslow do as he pleased, June finally snapped and fought back in deservedly brutal fashion and for her efforts, she put an end to Winslow and likely her life in the process, that is until the good karma she put into this place earlier in the season came back to find her in the best way possible. For a Martha that she saved, one of the Chicago Five, found her shortly after she put Winslow down, and she helped June escape and she worked with other Marthas to clean the room up and dispose of the body, likely keeping her from the trouble that Lawrence believes is headed their way.
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Yet while that was stunning, June’s moment of rebellion was oddly overshadowed by Serena and Fred’s journey in this tale. Because they were headed north to talk with Mister Tuello about getting Nichole back to Gilead, and while it seemed as though this troubled couple were reigniting the flame in their relationship whilst on their little road trip, the actual meeting with Tuello likely quelled any future for the Waterfords. For the meeting ended in the most stunning way imaginable, since Canadian military forces and remnant of the United States of America showed up to arrest Fred for his crimes and as he was placed into the back of a car, in violent fashion, Serena received a little bit more of a gentle reception by these forces, strongly implying… that Serena Joy Waterford has reached her breaking point and rather than remain childless and subservient, she sold Fred out to the Canadian authorities and that… is one satisfying way to end an episode.

If anything, the chaos surrounding Winslow’s sudden disappearance and Fred’s arrest will likely keep other entities out of the Lawrence household for the time being, since others may wonder if Winslow was also captured as well, but what matters more in the here and the now, is that Gilead is in trouble. For Lawrence is clearly done with what he’s created and he’s ready to leave, and Winslow is gone and Fred is in custody and his wife is likely going to tell the authorities anything they want to know in order to bring Gilead down and well, this was just a supremely satisfying episode to watch through and through. Because the republic is suddenly crumbling, and it’s happening from within, and if June can pull off her plan, it will only further devastate this foul nation and this, this is everything I’ve been waiting for when it comes to this series. For now, the bad guys are getting their just desserts and the resistance is getting strength and well, this has me anxious and ready for more, and I’ll definitely be counting down the minutes until next week’s episode, so I can bear witness to the beginning of the end, of the Republic of Gilead.

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