It’s been a long minute since we’ve spent time in the hellscape of Gilead with The Handmaid’s Tale. Season five wrapped up in November 2022, and even fans who remained loyal viewers since that absolutely searing first season might understandably have a hard time remembering where things now stand.
With a sixth season arriving soon, and a sequel series in the works, there’s fresh interest in The Handmaid’s Tale. It feels more politically relevant than ever—and the fact that it’s the final season will surely bring more focus and catharsis to its story, and maybe some real stakes for its main characters, something the show has struggled with in the past.
The story has long since expanded beyond just Gilead; June (Elisabeth Moss) escaped to Canada in episode four, reuniting with her husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle), best friend Moira (Samira Wiley), and Nichole, the baby June had in Gilead with Nick (Max Minghella) and managed to smuggle to safety.
But even earlier than that, in season three, Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) was arrested in Canada for his many crimes—after his wife, Serena Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski), turned him in. Later, Fred returns the favor, ratting out Serena, and she’s also detained.
However, we also found out in season four that despite all these betrayals, and the fact that they’d long since given up on the possibility of having their own biological children, Fred has somehow gotten Serena pregnant.
Even with its main characters now living up north, The Handmaid’s Tale still has Gilead-set plotlines swirling around the remaining handmaids (including Madeline Brewer’s eye patch-wearing Janine) and the seemingly indestructible Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), as well as the Commanders and their wives, most of whom continue to believe they’ve forced the greatest country on Earth into existence.
There are a few Gilead dissidents in the form of Nick, who’s now a married Commander himself, and Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford)—the original “architect of Gilead” who’s long been working to subvert his own creation. The much-diminished United States also has a major presence in the story thanks to Mark Tuello (Sam Jaeger), an agent of its government-in-exile, who has ongoing dealings with Serena as well as June and Luke.
With that in mind, here are five big things you need to remember about season five (and some relevant details from earlier installments, too) in order to be ready when season six arrives April 8 on Hulu.
Fred’s dead
There’ll be no going back to being “Offred” ever again for June. In the season four finale, Fred Waterford finally got what he deserved—a spectacularly grisly death at the hands of June and other former handmaids. Later, the victorious group gathers at a diner, and in one of her signature voice-over musings, June realizes “Everything tastes better when Fred’s dead!”
Hannah’s still in Gilead
In “Offred,” the very first episode of the show’s very first season, we saw June and her husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) trying to escape Gilead with their young daughter, Hannah. It’s the inciting event of The Handmaid’s Taleas June is captured and forced into servitude and Hannah is taken to be raised by strangers.
Though we’ve seen brief glimpses of Hannah (or “Agnes,” as she’s called in Gilead) over the years, June and Luke still haven’t been able to get her back, and June’s put herself in danger countless times throughout the seasons trying to mount a rescue. In season five, the mission takes on a new urgency when they realize Hannah, despite still being a child, is being fast-tracked into a Gilead marriage.
By the end of season five, Hannah’s still not safe, so expect her rescue to be a theme again in season six.
Emily’s gone
Sorry, Alexis Bledel fans—in season five, we learned that fan-favorite character Emily left her wife and son and headed back to Gilead, apparently with vengeance on her mind, and she hasn’t been seen since.
Could she pop up on the show’s last season, especially since the trailers suggest June is heading back to Gilead herself? It seems unlikely, since Bledel herself said in 2022 she was leaving the show ahead of season five, but anything’s possible.
Serena’s a mom
Serena finally realized her greatest dream in life when her son Noah was born, but of course the process wasn’t without drama: giving birth in No Man’s Land with the help of her sworn enemy, June, then becoming so ill she enters Canada illegally to get medical care, then being tossed into immigration detention and seeing her newborn handed over to the Gilead-affiliated Toronto family that’d been hosting her. She’s eventually able to snatch him back and escape at the end of season five.
June’s life is still in chaos
With anti-refugee sentiment rising and the pro-Gilead movement gaining a toehold, Canada’s no longer the safe haven it once was. June, Luke, and Nichole plan to flee to Hawaii, one of the few remaining U.S. states, via boat—after a train ride from Toronto to Vancouver. However, Luke ducks out at the last minute and sends June and Nichole along alone after an emotional farewell. He knows they’re safer without him, and he’s right: moments later, he’s arrested for having killed a Gilead supporter after the man tried to murder June.
Also detained at the end of season five, in Gilead: Nick, after punching Commander Lawrence at the latter’s wedding because he blames him for the attack on June; while he’s in lock-up, his pregnant wife leaves him, correctly articulating that he’s still not over June. Meanwhile, Janine is hauled away by the Eyes for her latest episode of “talking out of turn”—to the despair of Aunt Lydia, who has come to view Janine as sort of her troublemaking daughter.
So it’s June and Nichole alone, riding a train to their new life… until we suddenly realize Serena and baby Noah are on the same train. Both women smile, sort of, in a wry moment of surreal camaraderie. “You got a diaper?” Serena asks.
The Handmaid’s Tale returns to Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ April 8 with the first three season six episodes; then there’ll be a weekly rollout until the series finale May 27. A sequel series, The Testamentsis actively in the works at Hulu, though a release date has not yet been set.
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