The Handmaid's Tale

Previously on The Handmaid's Tale...

Being in here is a privilege.

Time to go.

I'm sorry.

Can I stay here with you?

Please?

You want to stay?

Kiss me.

Like you mean it.

I can't be here. I can't be here.

If they find us here.

If they find us together, I'm gonna get sent to The Colonies.

You're an Eye.

You're untouchable.

Offred. Don't call me that!

My name. It's June.

Luke.

Do you know a woman named June Osborn?

Yes, my wife.

This is for you.

I love you

so much.

Luke is alive.

I stretch out my arms to him, but he slips away.

Like a ghost at daybreak.

And I am left here.

I wish this story were different.

I wish it showed me in a better light.

In a different story,

So I've gone back to Nick.

Time after time, on my own.

I want to know him,

memorize him,

so I can live on the image later.

I should have done that with Luke

because he's fading.

Day by day and night by night he recedes.

And I become more faithless.

I could say these are acts of rebellion,

a "fuck you" to the patriarchy,

but those are excuses.

I'm here because it feels good

and because I don't want to be alone.

June.

You were at the dealership for...

A month? Five weeks.

I called in a favor to get you that.

Yeah, it wasn't a good fit.

Lot of bad fits.

Two months at Walmart, three weeks' construction.

You know how this looks?

Like I can't hold a job.

Okay.

Honestly, I don't know what else I could do for you.

The economy, you know.

Come on, man. We're waiting here.

I'll take anything. What about retail?

Ann Arbor?

Hey, loser.

You heard the man, time to give up.

Fuck you!

Hey!

Hey, guys, come on! Guys! That's enough!

You! Get out!

Jesus Christ.

Shit.

Easy, easy.

You okay?

You gonna sue me or something?

No.

Let me buy you a cup of coffee.

So, what happened when the steelworks closed?

I tried to find something else.

Joshua just gave up.

He's my brother, Joshua.

What'd he do?

Uh, he scammed a few months' disability,

Idle hands are the devil's workshop,

as the Good Book says.

Yeah...

You know it's not actually in the Bible, right?

No, it's not.

But there is a verse about idleness making the house fall apart.

Sounds about right.

He takes off a lot.

Disappears. Weeks, sometimes.

It's hard.

You're a good soul, Nick, helping him.

Taking time out for family,

it makes it hard to work a schedule.

Bosses don't like that.

Mmm.

I mean, we all have our stuff, right?

So, what are you going to do now?

I'll find something.

It's hard making it in a society

that only cares about profit and pleasure.

No wonder God has turned His back on us.

No wonder there are no children.

He doesn't want them to grow up in this

Who can blame Him?

There's nothing you can do about it.

Now, there you're wrong.

There's this group

that wants to set things right,

clean up this country.

We have chapters in 30 states.

I head up one of them.

We're called the Sons of Jacob.

Come with me to a meeting.

I think you'll like what you hear.

Who knows, maybe there's a job in it for you.

You're not alone, Nick.

Hi.

How's my fair little one this evening?

Fine, thank you.

Up for some excitement?

I thought maybe we could do something different tonight.

Monopoly?

No guessing.

Now, first,

we're gonna have to do something about those legs.

Once a month, Rita waits outside while I shave my legs in the tub.

We're not to be trusted with razors,

not for longer than necessary,

for obvious reasons.

This must be a special occasion.

Hold still.

Doesn't that feel nice?

Yes.

He's good at this.

He's done it before.

You'll need this, too.

You remember how?

I guess we'll find out.

Beautiful.

What is that?

I hope it all fits.

I had to guess the size.

You

look

stunning.

But just one thing.

What is this all for?

Tonight, I'm taking you out.

Shall we?

You have her pass, too?

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Waterford went to visit her mother.

She won't be back until tomorrow.

Where are we going?

You don't want me to spoil the surprise, do you?

All along there, you can see the improvements we've made.

We took down the tenements, put up a park.

The whole grid's solar now.

It's amazing.

Coming to the checkpoint, sir.

Pull up your hood, Mrs. Waterford.

It's okay, you're with me.

Hold.

ID?

Evening. Evening.

How are you? Commander Waterford.

Mrs. Waterford.

Have a good night, sir.

Clear. Let 'em go.

Let 'em through.

You're very quiet.

Aren't you enjoying yourself?

I was just... It's so beautiful at night.

I don't usually get to see it like this.

Ah, but tonight you aren't you.

Sir, we're almost at the river.

I'm gonna have to ask you to get down.

Past the gateway, wives aren't even allowed.

Women aren't allowed.

We must be crossing the Charles into Boston.

Or what used to be Boston.

All clear, sir.

Under His eye. Under His eye.

I've never been out this far.

Not since before the Red Center.

It's all clear.

There now, was that scary?

A little exciting though, too, right?

There is much more excitement to come.

Can't wait.

We must treat these girls respectfully, in a Godly fashion,

despite the moral stain from their lives before.

Pryce, ease up.

We can't afford all that window dressing.

The human race is at risk.

What is important is efficiency.

So, what do you propose?

It's not rocket science.

All remaining fertile women

should be collected and impregnated.

By those of superior status, of course.

You're talking about concubines.

I don't care what you want to call it.