WARNING: Contains spoilers for The Handmaid's Tale season 5, episode 2 and The Testaments by Margaret Atwood.Serena begins her revenge against June in The Handmaid's Tale season 5, episode 2, parading Hannah live on television during Fred's funeral - and this time, June's daughter is wearing a purple dress instead of the pink she normally dons. The driving force behind most, if not all, of June's actions in The Handmaid's Tale is her love for her children. Season 2 saw June finally get her daughter, Nichole, out of Gilead and into Canada, where Moira and Luke have taken care of her ever since. Hannah, June's first daughter with Luke, is still in Gilead under the tutelage of Commander MacKenzie and his wife, who have renamed her Agnes.
Throughout the show, June and Hannah have reunited in fleeting moments that have highlighted the impact Gilead has on both mother and daughter. In their most recent interaction, Hannah is visibly scared of June, hinting at the terrifying ways Gilead has indoctrinated children. Still, June's relentless pursuit of freedom for her daughter continues and with this knowledge, Serena knows just how to make her adversary tick. Serena returns to Gilead to oversee Fred's funeral, the gears begin to turn, and she convinces Gilead's Commanders to hold a proper state funeral for Fred. Citing her status as an international symbol of sympathy for the nation as something that could be advantageous in the future, she purports that broadcasting Fred's funeral is just one way to garner more sympathy for herself and for Gilead, showing not only that the nation can appear dignified, but also that it treats those who are loyal to it almost like royalty.
During the funeral, as revenge for killing Fred (and sending Serena his severed finger), Serena pulls off the one thing she knows will anger June even more. Hannah stands beside Serena at the funeral, with the latter planting a kiss on the forehead of June's daughter. Most peculiar, though, is Hannah's outfit - a purple dress that is a departure from the pink garb she has been seen in throughout the show previously. Purple is most commonly associated with royalty, nobility, and power. As the daughter of a high-ranking commander, it makes sense that, as Hannah matures, so too does her status in Gilead. This could be more worrying than it appears, though. Considering the introduction of Esther in season 4, the youngest wife shown so far in The Handmaid's Tale, it seems possible that Gilead could be preparing Hannah to be a wife herself despite her young age.
Will Hannah Escape Gilead & Reunite With June In Handmaid's Tale Season 5?
It's become clear that Hannah will not escape Gilead of her own volition, at least for quite some time. Because she has grown up in Gilead and has become accustomed to their ways, she likely sees no reason to escape at this point. June would likely have to find a way to get Hannah out herself, either by reentering Gilead and fighting her way to her daughter or by pulling political strings with Nick and Commander Lawrence. There's one major caveat, though - if The Handmaid's Tale sticks faithfully to the books, including Margaret Atwood's 2019 sequel The Testaments, then it may be a long time before Hannah and June are reunited.
Hannah does eventually escape from Gilead and is instrumental in bringing about its downfall, but not before she goes through many more hardships in The Testaments. With Hulu having the rights to Atwood's second novel, this story will likely continue after The Handmaid's Tale concludes with season 6. Plans are already in motion for The Testaments and Hannah will presumably play a major part in that show's Gilead storyline before potentially reuniting with June in the future.