‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Recap: ‘Unfit’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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If there’s one thing television audiences always enjoy, it’s the origin story of any particular villain and there is good reason for that. Because the evil that men and women do to one another, is not something instilled in humans from birth, it is taught, it develops over time and sometimes a singular moment or event in that person’s life changes them and allows for their soul to slip into the darkness, and that…outright fascinates us. We simply have to know what drives a person to that particular point in their lives and it just so happens that last night’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale took the time to explore that unfortunate turning point for one the show’s greatest villains, Aunt Lydia.
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For ‘Unfit’ transported us once again to the days before Gilead to spend a little time with a Lydia Clements, who as it turns out, used to be a person that genuinely cared about other human beings. In fact, her faith is what drove her compassion, and as a fourth grade teacher, Lydia tried desperately to make a positive impact on her student’s lives, even going so far as to reach out and offer help to a family in need, all in the hopes of fulfilling her duties as a good Christian woman. But, while it was jarring to see a kinder and gentler Lydia in this tale, one can never forget that she is a leader in her own right in Gilead, and like those she helps and serves now, she is weak and felt marginalized in a world that didn’t embrace her beliefs and all it takes for someone like that to find strength, is the perfect moment that proves their way is the right way and that opportunity is what transformed Lydia into the woman we know today.

Because when she was encouraged to get back out into the world and date and enjoy a taste of life by the young mother that she took the time to help, Lydia found herself in a compromised position with her potential beau. One where her physical and emotional needs took hold and when those were not reciprocated, for reasons that didn’t involve spite, she regressed out of embarrassment and felt as though, her humiliation arrived out of giving into sin and that’s when Aunt Lydia was born. Because she immediately transformed herself into a ‘pure’ woman and made her temptress pay, since she called child services and filed the kind of report that removed a young child from the young mother’s home, and this particular brand of cruelty was something only Aunt Lydia could accomplish and the brilliant physical transformation on display here signaled that the pure Christian version of Lydia had come to the surface and this newfound dedication to her love of ‘God’ definitely explains why she has risen to prominence in Gilead.

Yet, while it was fascinating to learn all of this about Aunt Lydia, her backstory served a purpose. Because some of Lydia Clements survived the transition to Gilead, since she believes in giving her girls a chance, until they show themselves to be unworthy of redemption and it would seem reflecting upon her past was a necessity to help guide her with the constant power struggle, she’s taking part in with June. For our heroine found new ways to punish Ofmatthew in this tale, to the point where she outright snapped and attempted to put down Aunt Lydia in a fit of panicked rage, an act that resulted in her taking a bullet instead and well, when all is said and done this was a heavy and powerful episode, one that set the stage for an incredible showdown between Aunt Lydia and June.

Because June is truly wielding some serious power right now and asserting herself as a leader of a different kind of resistance, one that is seemingly beginning to chip away at Gilead’s precious foundations, and it should be interesting to see where that is headed in the coming weeks. But in the here and the now, this was a fascinating look at Aunt Lydia’s life before the storm, and all I can feel for her now is pity, now that we know what a weak and angry creature she is. But she does have power, since her fellow cowards have granted it to her, and now that she’s come to the point where she believes mercy is no longer in play for June, things may get worse before they get better and it may be time to brace ourselves once again because I get the funny feeling, some ugly days are ahead. Until next time.   

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