THE HANDMAID’S TALE (S3E13) “Mayday”: The Finale Fans Deserve

Season three has concluded, and much like the seasons previously, we’re left with a sense of incompletion, a cliff-hanging element. However, unlike others, this gave us a decidedly strong resolution and at least one answer to the many questions we have.

Would June’s (Elisabeth Moss) plan work?

“You are not in charge, I am.”

At first Mr. Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) says they are going to have to back out, things are too risky. When one of the Martha’s shows up in the middle of the day, they’re seen and soldiers are alerted, with roadblocks then set up. They’re moving from house to house, and times running out.

But June has the gun, and she’s calling the shots. This is going to happen. Eventually he comes around, even if he’s no longer interested in leaving (He says he wife would have wanted him to stay and clean up his mess).

Things are definitely not over for June, and while we didn’t see the kind of finality for her character that we would hope for (at least in the sense of some semblance of a happy ending), we did get to see the woman we’ve grown to admire, fully becoming that person. She was able to do something meaningful with her newfound opportunities. This wasn’t selfish, careless, or impulsive. June was committed to making a difference, and she did. There isn’t much in the way of control for a Handmaid in Gilead. A lot of the decisions of hers and others have been in the process of stealing those moments for themselves.

All for a taste of freedom, the ability to choose; especially when the decisions have a lasting impact. June has made some unfortunate and erratic decisions this season, with her storyline somewhat spotty. This finale redeems that.

While she may have not found her daughter, and she may have not gotten out, she secured the lives of many children (more than the initial 52) at great risk and cost to herself. Also, there was a real sense of camaraderie within this large group of Handmaids and Marthas as they stood together to do something significant.

When there’s a problem at the gates of the airport June says she’ll distract the guard and for the others to get the children on the plane. At first the Handmaids come back and together they throw stones at him, drawing his eye. When he begins shooting Handmaids, she decides something more drastic needs to happen.

She gets his attention and he chases her into the woods. From there he shoots her, and she eventually… shoots him back, killing him. As she lays on the ground, it is obvious that her wounds are dire, but as the plane flies overhead, she knows it’s a trade worth making.

Comeuppance

Meanwhile, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) who thought she had safely made it to Canada for a new life is arrested herself when a vengeful Fred (Joseph Fiennes) gives details about her part in the raping of June. The fact that she had her sleep with Nick, regardless of their eventual relationship, is also part of it. I don’t know what that means for her, but there’s some satisfaction in her consequences.

It’s a very emotional episode, for a multitude of reasons. Mostly, it’s an episode that captures the fight and perseverance of these brave women, and it makes you want to stand up and cheer at times. When the plane lands in Canada, with Moira (Samira Wiley), Luke (O. T. Fagbenle) and Emily (Alexis Bledel) helping out, we see the magnitude of what June has done. Their faces as the plane opens to show the scope of lives saved is truly heart-wrenching. One of the girls sees her father and rushes into his arms. To say this is an easy scene, would be wholly inaccurate, but it’s beautiful in its reverence. When Luke looks for his daughter, but finds she isn’t there, and Ruth (Amanda Brugel) says that June is responsible for this, it’s also, equally, tear-jerking.

There’s also a very real and palpable tension throughout as we watch these women and children make their way through the night woods. There is also a moment reminiscent to the premiere when June was rushing through the woods, clutching onto her daughter.

June may end up sacrificing herself and dying in this show, but I don’t see this happening until she gets Hannah back. So, in the final moments we see the Handmaid’s carry June out, a bullet wound to the stomach. We have no idea how they’re going to get out of there safely or explain how she got her injury. We just know her story isn’t over yet, and these women are stronger than ever.

Conclusion: Mayday

The impact of this episode isn’t reliant on its visual decadence (though, as always, shot with perfection) or even hindering on the success of June’s plan. It’s the emotional journey and the performances that ground it, making it a fitting end to an occasionally uncertain season.

I have an idea that the fourth season may be the last (though this isn’t confirmed) and of course, some shows stay long after they should. I guess it’s hopeful thinking, but where the story is poised currently, a big finish could really be just what this show needs. After this provoking and satisfying finale, a well-written and earned ending could be what The Handmaid’s Tale deserves.

We will have to wait and see!

What did you think of the finale? Let us know in the comments below!

The full season can currently be streamed on Hulu.