The series finale of The Handmaid’s Tale included more character deaths and some surprising returns — but did the show end on a satisfying note?
During the Tuesday, May 27, finale, June (Elisabeth Moss) and the rest of the survivors of the resistance picked up the pieces after Gilead was defeated in several states. The entire episode is meant to mirror the pilot, where viewers were originally introduced to June’s journey.
As June reflected on how far she has come, those around her encouraged her not to bury the past but to, instead, embrace it. She was reminded that she had a story to tell, so by the end of the finale June had arrived at her old house.
June walked around and started to set the scene, which sounded familiar to those who read Margaret Atwood’s novel.
“It isn’t running away they’re afraid of. We wouldn’t get far,” she said in a voiceover. “It’s those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge.”
June’s on screen narration brought the series full circle, as it was the setup for Atwood’s book of the same name, which followed a dystopian future where a second American Civil War resulted in a totalitarian society that subjected fertile women — a.k.a Handmaids — to forced childbirth so that wealthy couples could raise children.
Before the series came to an end, coshowrunners Yahlin Chang and Eric Tuchman teased the vision for the finale.
“I think we can expect an honest conclusion to the story. We keep using the word honest because we try our best to be realistic,” Tuchman noted exclusively to Us Weekly. “What would happen in real life — and what we hope people take away — is this feeling of hopefulness and resilience that June and many of the other characters have demonstrated and will demonstrate in the last couple of episodes.”
He continued: “When you’re up against an oppressive regime and when your rights are stripped away, you just never stop fighting. You keep going. Hopefully people will draw some optimism and feel empowered by what plays out.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of where every character’s story ended:
June
The aftermath of the explosion left June figuring out her next steps. She remained focused on reconnecting with her daughter Hannah, which based on flash forwards may actually happen. June also wanted to keep helping the resistance despite the risks.
After speaking to several of her loved ones about her experience, June returned to her first home in Gilead where she recalled the events in the series premiere. She started to write a book about her experience, which brought the story full circle.
Serena
After helping June, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) was personally left out of options. No place would allow her on their soil and she had no passport. With help from Mark — after a chemistry-filled conversation — Serena headed for a refugee camp. She apologized to June before she left, which June accepted. The last scene with Serena showed her struggling to find her new home but ultimately living happily with her son by her side.
Emily
June reunited with Emily (Alexis Bledel) as a parallel to the show’s first season. June and Emily walked along the water, but instead of seeing bodies hanging in the area they saw effigies of dead commanders and freedom graffiti.
Emily offered an update on her life, which revolved around her going undercover to aid the resistance. It took a toll on Emily’s marriage and relationship with her son, but she seemed certain things would improve with time.
Janine
When the final episode picked up, Janine (Madeline Brewer) was missing after being taken amid the rebellion. She was returned — to June — but their reunion was short-lived because Janine’s focus turned to her daughter. With help from Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), Naomi (Ever Carradine) returned Charlotte to Janine.
Aunt Lydia
There was a brief glimpse of Aunt Lydia when she reunited Janine with her daughter. She also asked June to look out for Janine as they shared a moment of respect for one another. Fans can look forward to checking in with Aunt Lydia when The Testaments premieres on Hulu.
Luke
Following the rebellion in Boston, Luke (O-T Fagbenle) found his calling while helping people in the area rebuild their lives. He was determined to keep working for Mayday, which separated him from June. They agreed that even though they are different people, they would focus on helping others before reuniting — hopefully with their daughter, Hannah.
Mark
Through his conversations with June, it was obvious that Mark (Sam Jaeger) wouldn’t stop fighting until everyone was free. There was also that interesting interaction between Serena and Mark that hinted at a possible reunion — and maybe romance — in the future.
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