The episode begins in Gilead, four years after the climactic finale of *The Handmaid's Tale*. For those who may be unaware, Gilead, along with most of the United States, is under the strict control of a tyrannical regime. Despite a dedicated resistance movement, Gilead maintains a tight grip on its population—especially the women.
We catch up with Agnes, June's daughter, in the present. June is still desperately trying to regain custody of her daughter, but it's not an easy task, considering she's deep within the heart of Gilead. Agnes isn't even sure what year it is; women are forbidden from possessing calendars, and merely looking at one could result in losing a finger.
Agnes is currently classified as a "plum," marked by the fact that she hasn't had her period yet. As the daughter of the powerful Commander Mackenzie, Agnes heads off to school, noting how her "father" keeps them safe from the Mayday terrorists. Paula is her stepmother, and Agnes holds no affection for her. She dreams of locking Paula in the attic and vents her anger through her dolls.
On a field trip, Aunt Vidala shows the group a group of hung men with a white bag over their heads, marked with a red X as a scarlet letter. They arrived at night and took one of the girls for their own lustful desires. The men included the girl's own Guardians too. Agnes realizes that as women, they're far from safe and can't let their guards down.
Agnes and the other girls arrive at the Aunt Lydia School, where we learn about the different colors and what they represent. Pink is for the little girls, plum is for teenagers, and once the girls have their period and are eligible to marry High Commanders, their outfits are changed to Green, along with a pin too.
Now, white-hued outfits are reserved for the fresh recruits outside Gilead. Aunt Lydia and her missionaries have gathered them from far and wide, but due to their eagerness to conform, the Pearl Girls are not to be trusted. Many at the school display disdain towards them. Agnes isn't alone here; she's friends with Becka, the first person she met after relocating from Colorado. Becka has already turned Green and is on the brink of moving on without her.
Agnes doesn't have to wait long before she's summoned to Aunt Lydia's office. Lydia confesses that she's been observing her for some time (which we know is due to her connection with June) and tasks Agnes with looking after Daisy, a new Pearl. She might even turn into a Plum, but Agnes is to be her shepherdess and show her the ropes.
Agnes ensures that she keeps her cards close to her chest, being cautious not to reveal too much to the girl. With Aunt Vidala in command here, they run a tight ship across school.
At lunch, the girls try to engage Daisy in conversation, but she sticks to the usual soundbites about God. In the end, Hulda takes her away for one of God's miracles - ice cream - while Agnes and the others continue their talk. Shunammite is shocked that Lydia has left Agnes with this responsibility, especially on the eve of Becka's dress fitting and marriage.
When Becka leaves for her dress fitting, Shu suggests that Agnes rat out Daisy and make up some lie to get her punished and away from her. Agnes is reluctant to do that, and they eventually arrive at school the next day for a "difficult task."
Aunt Estee brings in a man who has been found touching himself on school grounds. The girls, watching on, all point and cast judgment on him, wanting the guy punished for his actions. Daisy is shocked as she watches as a handsaw cuts off the guy's arm. She's the only one who can't stomach watching this. As she leaves, vomiting in the hallway, Agnes follows. Daisy breaks protocol completely, cursing and shocked. Agnes doesn't tell the Aunts and even suggests they keep the secret between them.
That night, while the girls are sleeping, Aunt Lydia wanders up the dorms, blessing each girl. When she leaves, Daisy grabs her radio and listens to Mayday broadcasts and even turns the frequency over to listen to music too.
In a flashback, we see that Daisy is in Canada and it doesn't take long for her to catch June's attention. As we cut back to the present, Agnes discovers she's just started her period.
