CONTAINS SPOILERS
After a quiet few episodes, which left many fans waiting for something to happen, The Handmaid's Tale viewers finally got what they wanted with its latest episode 'Liars'.
With signs pointing to a resistance at the start of season three, June has faced setback after setback, but it seems after months of stalling, she has finally be spurred into action--with the ambitious plan to smuggle children out of Gilead. In an episode as satisfying as the sound of that pen piercing Commander Winslow's chest, these are the top moments.
Commander Lawrence finally switches into gear
After weeks of being, frankly, a bit of a dick to June, Commander Lawrence is rattled to the core when his wife Eleanor pulls a gun on him. The reckoning of what Lawrence did (ie. create the hellscape that is Gilead) has been brewing for weeks, and it was satisfying to see him actually confronted by what he's done. Luckily for Lawrence, June's relationship with Eleanor means she's able to talk Eleanor down (“I know you want to kill him. I want to kill him, too”), because she needs the Lawrences. After a false start, where the Lawrences seem to skip town (somehow?), they return and the Commander is ready to help June with her plan.
The Waterford's road trip
It was obvious something was awry, the minute we saw Fred wearing those Italian sunglasses.
As the Waterfords embark on a road trip towards the US-Canadian border in an effort to get baby Nichole, it all seems a little reckless for Fred, especially as Serena gets behind the wheel (is she going to get caught driving and lose another finger?). When they eventually meet Serena's Canadian contact Mark Tuello up north, he instructs them to follow his car to a safer place. Serena assures Fred she trusts Tuello, so they drive, and drive, until - whoops they're on Canadian territory. Fred gets scooped up by the military charged with war crimes, and Serena is rushed into another car. Did she just sell her husband out? Hope so!
The showdown at Jezebels
Lawrence drives June to Jezebels so she can find bartender Billy to help her with her escape plan. And, of course, she runs into Commander Winslow. After some quick thinking explaining her reason for being there, Winslow takes June to a room, where he utters the most revolting words a woman can hear "take off your panties". Just when it seems like June is going to resign herself to yet another rape in Gilead, she fends Winslow off, and after a struggle she manages to grapple a pen and stab Winslow over and over in the chest. (June still has some fight left in her!)
The Marthas!
It's a Martha that helps June escape Jezebels (a woman June actually selected for Lawrence and helped save from the colonies), and the final scene where they clean up the crime scene is nothing short of satisfying. They fluff bedding, place mints on pillows, steam clean Winslow's blood out of the carpet and ultimately burn his body in a basement furnace. Seems like June picked the right Marthas for the resistance.
The Handmaid's Tale is broadcast on SBS at 9:30pm. All episodes will be available to stream weekly on SBS On Demand. Listen to the award-winning Handmaid's Tale podcast 'Eyes on Gilead' here.
