The Handmaid’s Tale: 9 Key Moments from the First Three Episodes

The Handmaid’s Tale — “Late” Episode 103 — Offred visits Janine’s baby with Serena Joy and remembers the early days of the revolution before Gilead. Ofglen faces a difficult challenge. Ofglen (Alexis Bledel), shown. (Photo by: George Kraychyk/Hulu)

Ofglen’s Fate

“Late” adds in scenes that focus not on Offred’s continuing struggles, but rather on the former Ofglen. By the end of the episode, we learn that her real name is Emily. Instead of focusing on one moment, though, let’s pull together all of the scenes that she features in.

First, she’s literally silenced until the very last scene, since she’s muzzled while in court custody. We suppose we don’t have to go into that much, but we will note that she cannot even say the rote phrases of a handmaid anymore. When she does have the power of speech restored to her, it’s only for a pained scream as she processes what’s been done to her.

Second, we learn that the crime she has been taken in for is being a “gender traitor,” that is, a lesbian. For reference, Romans 1:26 reads as follows in the New International Version:

"“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.”"

So, she didn’t betray the resistance. She just fell for a Martha — presumably the one in her commander’s house. Speaking of, the government executes her, but only performs some sort of surgery on Emily.

The implication is that it has to do with some sort of genital mutilation, possibly clitoral removal based on Aunt Lydia’s lines about no longer wanting but still being able to have children. That’s how far the Republic is willing to go to have more children.