The seventh installment of The Handmaid's Tale's fifth season unfolds with June and Serena embarking on a perilous journey down an unforgiving road. As the narrative progresses, it becomes evident that Serena's labor, which had silently commenced some time ago, has reached its critical phase, with her waters breaking amidst their trek. In a stroke of fortune, June spots an abandoned barn in the vicinity and, driven by a sense of duty despite their mutual loathing, decides to make a beeline for it. The thought of abandoning Serena and potentially seizing her newborn baby does cross June's mind, casting an intriguing shadow over the impending events.
However, fate deals a harsh hand; the car, their only means of escape, refuses to budge, rendering departure an impossibility. Resigned to her circumstances, June ventures back into the rustic confines of the barn, where she finds herself reluctantly aiding Serena in bringing a new life into the world. Amidst the exhaustion and the mess of childbirth, an unexpected camaraderie blossoms between the two, their faces lighting up with smiles and laughter as they reminisce about their earlier, simpler days together.
The episode is cleverly interspersed with poignant flashbacks, transporting us to a time when a naive and innocent June first entered the Waterford household as a handmaid. Little did she realize then that she was stepping into a realm of unspeakable horrors, a stark contrast to the fragile moments of unity she now shares with Serena in the desolate barn.
Returning to the present moment, Serena chose the name Noah for her child, cradling him close as she breastfed and engaged in heartfelt conversation. June, with a palpable complexity in her heart, confessed that her intentions had never truly been to end Serena's life, despite a harrowing incident earlier in the season where she held a gun, inches away from pulling the trigger. Yet, such revelations are but side notes in this unfolding saga.
Serena faced the stark reality that her path was fraught with closures; she could neither reclaim her former life in Canada nor return to the oppressive confines of Gilead, having voluntarily relinquished her ties to both. In a moment of profound surrender, she decided to entrust Noah's upbringing to June, believing that through her, Noah could grow into a man far superior to his biological father, Fred. This act of selflessness was framed in Serena's mind as divine intervention, June being the angelic figure sent to redeem her.
June accepted this solemn gift, her mind drifting back to the ways she had been merely a conduit for Serena's desires and manipulations. Yet, as she prepared to leave, June found mercy in her heart, driven by the desire to protect Noah's future. She resolved to spare Serena's life, for the sake of her child.
Throughout this harrowing ordeal, June remained silent about Hannah and Luke, the very reason that had propelled her on this perilous journey. With a heavy heart, she conveyed Serena to safety in a Canadian hospital, informing Moira of their arrival with a quick phone call. As Serena expressed gratitude, their hands intertwined, marking a tentative truce between former adversaries.
Luke, unexpectedly present in the hospital's waiting room, revealed that he had reclaimed the USB and was edging closer to uncovering Hannah's whereabouts. His shock at June's reconciliation with Serena was palpable. Without hesitation, he summoned immigration officials, who swiftly took Serena into custody. June followed, witnessing her detention from afar. Luke had phoned the authorities, ensuring Serena's journey to a detention center was set in stone. Ironically, she too was denied the solace of Noah's company.
From a distance, Luke watched, a glimmer of schadenfreude flickering in his eyes as he whispered the word "justice," savoring the moment where Serena tasted the bittersweet agony of being torn from her child, just as he and countless others had suffered.
