The Handmaid's Tale season 4 ended on a satisfying note for fans, but questions linger about what comes next in the wake of the brutal finale. At the start of the season, June Osborne's (Elisabeth Moss) journey followed a familiar story arc with her trapped in Gilead and on the run only to be captured, tortured, and spared so she could continue to fulfill her duty as a Handmaid. However, the dystopian drama shifted the action from Gilead to Canada when June was rescued by Moira Strand in episode 6. The following episodes emphasized that even those who manage to escape Gilead are never really free because the abuse they suffered and the atrocities they witnessed have long-lasting consequences.
Although June struggled to adapt to her newfound freedom, she experienced some triumphs along the way. She was reunited with her husband, Luke Bankole, her daughter Nichole, and fellow Gilead survivors Rita Blue and Emily Malek. June faced her biggest tormentors in a riveting courtroom scene: the torment she suffered encapsulated into a few minutes ending with a plea for justice. The promise of seeing Fred and Serena Joy punished for their crimes kept her darkest impulses in check, but once Fred Waterford decided to betray Gilead and go free, June resorted to dispensing Gileadean justice.
Fans were convinced that June would kill Fred, although they couldn't have possibly predicted that she would have so much help on both sides of the border to execute her plan. Fred's grim fate is alluded to in Margaret Atwood's book, and it was the ending he deserved, but it marks a huge turning point not only for June but for the series, unlike previous season finales where the stakes were considerably smaller. Fred Waterford's fate is sealed, but what comes next?
Why Is June Leaving And Where Will She Go Next?
After Fred's Salvaging, June returns home. When Luke sees her covered in blood cuddling Nichole, she tells him, "I know. I'm sorry. Just give me five minutes, okay? Just give me five minutes with her, then I'll go." Luke knows she murdered Fred, and June understands Luke isn't going to know how to deal with what's she's done. June hasn't told Luke she killed people in Gilead, and it wasn't always because she had no other choice. Even if Luke could accept that June's actions inside Gilead's borders were a byproduct of the totalitarian regime, it's harder, if not impossible, to give her a free pass now that she's out. All signs pointed to this outcome, but it takes her retaliation against Fred for Luke to grasp June is no longer the woman he married. Showrunner Bruce Miller discussed with Variety June's decision to leave:
"I very much want it to be her choice, not consequences. Because once it’s consequences, it’s just her dealing with those consequences. And of course, there will be that [down the line], but right now, there’s no crime. Nobody has any idea what happened. Fred’s gone; he was traded."
Before June killed Fred, she told Emily that she would just let Fred go if she was a good mother. June got what she wanted, but she knew beforehand it would mean sacrificing her family, at least in the short term. She blames herself for everything that's happened to Hannah, who is now scared of June, and she doesn't want Luke and Nichole to suffer due to her actions. Assuming she does leave (and viewers don't know for certain she does), where will June go? Even in Canada, she seems destined to be forever trapped in Gilead.
What Will Happen To Serena And Her Baby?
It's been a bit of a struggle to navigate Serena's legal issues since her asylum deal went south the minute Fred revealed her crimes. Even with June in Canada, Serena's case appeared to hinge on Fred. Serena has neither been officially convicted nor exonerated of any crimes, so could she still go to prison, or is she a free woman?
Yvonne Strahovski, who plays Serena, told Harper's BAZAAR she doesn't know what the writers have in store for Serena, but an obvious path would be to have Serena become a Handmaid and explore how her journey differs from or echoes June's. The actress said it would be more "infuriating" for fans if Serena found success in Canada, "picking up where she left off pre-Gilead." This should be a terrifying prospect for viewers since Serena played such an instrumental role in the establishment of Gilead. How does Serena feel about Gilead now? She claims clean air, clean living, and God got her pregnant, but how can she extoll the virtues of Gilead after losing her voice, her finger, her husband, and her freedom?
As Miller told Variety, Serena can still reap the benefits of being Mrs. Waterford, and "it may be her best route to having any kind of influence and notoriety and having people cheer for her, which is what she loves." Will Serena defy the odds and give birth to a healthy baby? Will she get to keep her son, and will motherhood make her even more vicious or more vulnerable? What happens when she finds out about Fred and figures out June finally got her revenge? Serena doesn't deserve to get away with what she's done, and June told her in season 3 that Serena will never be free of her until both Nichole and Hannah are safe.
What's Next For Janine And Esther?
Fans wonder what is next for Esther Keyes (Mckenna Grace) and Janine, who Lawrence handed back over to Aunt Lydia. Is Esther destined to become the new June? Will Janine go back into service after making it clear to Aunt Lydia that she'd rather die? Aunt Lydia has always had a soft spot for Janine, and she's been reluctant to assign her to a new post. Fans think Janine has a future as an Aunt, given how she democratically brokered peace between Esther and Aunt Lydia. Janine also shows no interest in attempting to try and escape Gilead, resigning herself to the idea that things will get better eventually. Grace will reprise her role in season 5, and Miller told Variety, " ... we’re going to definitely follow her through next season in Gilead with Janine and Lawrence and Lydia. There’s a dynamic going on there that June is very interested in, having left those people behind."
Are Nick And Lawrence Working Together To Dismantle Gilead?
If there were any doubts that Commander Joseph Lawrence was fully back in control in Gilead, they were laid to rest during the finale. Not only did he orchestrate Gilead trading Fred Waterford for 22 women who were part of the resistance movement, but he also worked with Nick to make sure that Fred Waterford effectively disappeared. Gilead did something right for once, so is this indicative of more changes to come, and are Nick and Commander Lawrence working together to bring down Gilead?
It's been obvious that Lawrence has been trying to instigate change in Gilead since the season 4 premiere, but what remains uncertain is his ultimate goal. Is he more interested in dismantling Gilead altogether or just toning down human rights violations to strengthen Gilead's economy, improve its image, and garner allies? What is his plan for Lydia? Are he and Nick only interested in helping June when their goals align, or will viewers see them team up again? Both men are trapped in many ways, and Fred is proof that not only will Gilead betray their own, but when one bad guy falls, there are plenty in line waiting to take his place.
Will June Choose Luke Or Nick?
Although it feels like June made her choice in the finale, huge obstacles are standing in the way of June being with Nick. Moss told THR, "I’m a romantic, so of course I want them to find a future. I want them to find happiness. I want them to be together. At the same time, I wish June was the kind of person she used to be before Gilead who could live happily with Luke." Nick didn't tell June he was married, and while he's in love with June, the audience has no idea how he feels about his wife or anything about her and the nature of their relationship. Is Mrs. Blaine another Eden, an Esther Keyes, a Serena, or a new breed of Gilead Wife? Will viewers meet her? Will June meet her? It's unlikely that The Handmaid's Tale give Nick a wife if she weren't going to factor into his story arc in any significant way.
June and Luke's marriage appears to be over, but will Luke really give up on June after waiting for her for seven years? Miller had this to say to EW about Luke and June and that last scene:
"I think in the moment, it feels very final, but it's a very dramatic moment, a very dramatic episode. She's been up all night, and this horrible thing happened. He wakes up in the morning. I mean, it could not be a more fraught moment. So does she feel like she has irreparably broken her marriage and her role as a mother? Sure. Will she feel that way tomorrow? I don't know."
Luke did promise to love June no matter what, although he didn't think he'd be dealing with a murderer. June should be with Luke, but as she continues to deal with her trauma in such a destructive way, it's going to be tough for them to stay together. However, they have a family and a daughter who is still in Gilead and shared history, so steamy pre-Salvaging kiss with Nick aside, Luke is still a contender for June's heart.
Will June Return To Gilead?
The Handmaid's Tale season 4 finale disproved the popular fan theory that Nick was going to die saving Hannah from Gilead. As long as June has people she cares about still trapped in the country, she has a reason to go back. In fact, it seems to be easier for her to get in than to get out. June's crusade extends beyond saving Hannah: she wants to liberate Gilead, and she's been building an army in Canada to help her do it. There are a lot of story arcs in play and characters to explore on both sides of the border, but ultimately, the show is about June, and it's unclear if fans will embrace June returning to Gilead for another seven years, especially when she's been so productive in Canada.