The Handmaid’s Tale: Can June And Serena Ever Escape Gilead?

Will Gilead ever be stopped? The Handmaid’s Tale returned with its fifth season, continuing to tell the devastating story of the oppressed women fighting to end the country. However, in The Handmaid’s Tale’s first few episodes of season 5, they have brought a specific relationship to the forefront: the antagonistic and brutally complicated dynamic between June Osborne and Serena Waterford.

June and Serena have been through a lot together since The Handmaid’s Tale began, and most of their story exists within the borders of Gilead and the horrors that occurred with Serena as a wife and June as a handmaid. But, season 4 showed glimpses of growing the trauma between them, and season 5 is delivering.

Season 5 avoids repeating storylines, at least in its first few episodes. June, already no longer within Gilead, is free in Canada and no longer must worry about constantly being captured and escaping. But emotionally? She may never be free of what occurred there, and part of the horrors that transpired in her life happened due to Serena, even if the real monster in June’s life was Fred, who met his rightful and cruel end at the conclusion of the fourth season.

However, even with how many awful things Fred did, Serena still finds herself mourning and struggling in the aftermath of his demise, knowing their child is on the way and wishing to get revenge on June, knowing she was the cause of Fred’s death.

Making a point without speaking a word, when Fred’s funeral is televised for the world to see, Serena brings June’s daughter, Hannah, in front of the camera with her, a silent threat toward June if there ever was one.

Although June and Serena have left Gilead, they still find themselves caught in a game facing off against each other in a seemingly never-ending war. Their oppositional relationship continues to be one of the most significant forces in the show. Still, it seems to be on the cusp of reaching a breaking point as they are no longer confined by Gilead’s laws but given free rein within Canada.

Even though some storylines still heavily exist within Gilead’s borders, spreading the series out to Canada gives the series a fresher set of storylines and perspectives without removing the elements that portray just how awful the world is.

It is never a question that Gilead is a horrible place. However, as struggles continue to rise between June and Serena, and with The Handmaid’s Tale already confirmed to end with season 6, there is only so much time left for Gilead to reach its demise and for June and Serena to finally have a confrontation to deal with all of their shared problems.