Warning: This story contains spoilers for Season 4 of The Handmaids Tale.
The Handmaids Tale season 4 finale aired last night and it certainly didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking to unpack the sheer insanity that occurred, or get the inside scoop on season 5, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s everything you need to know about the shock finale.
How does The Handmaids Tale Season 4 end?
Season 4 saw June Osborne (played by Elisabeth Moss) finally escape Gilead. She landed on Canadian soil, and the fierce rebel leader became an even bigger threat to her enemies. Consumed by her desire for revenge, we saw her take countless risks this season. She’s willing to kill and she’ll stop at nothing.
Season 4 ended after the 10th episode titled ‘The Wilderness.’ It was written by the series creator Bruce Miller and directed by Liz Garbus. Here, we see a total transformation in June, as she ruthlessly murders the show’s villain Fred Waterford (played by Joe Fiennes). After years of inflicting his horrible torture on women, his death was long-awaited. June didn’t act alone, either. His murder was carried out by a crew of fellow Handmaids as well, which served a huge helping of poetic justice.
The last image sees June with Fred’s blood all over her face, holding her baby girl, Nichole. Luke finds her, and while he doesn’t know exactly what she’s done, he knows it can’t be good.
“I know. I’m sorry,” she whispers to him. “Just give me five minutes, okay? Just give me five minutes with her, then I’ll go,” June says.
But where is she going to go, exactly? Unfortunately, we don’t know. This entire scene leaves the audience wondering what will become of her, and if her thirst for blood will ever be satiated. Despite the lingering questions, there’s no denying the world went wild for the death of Fred. If you need convincing, look no further than the Twitter reactions we’re loving.
What does the ending of The Handmaids Tale Season 4 mean?
As great as it was to see Fred receive the punishment he so greatly deserves, we’re still left with a lot of questions.
In a recent interview with Forbes, Elisabeth Moss said (about her character June):
“She will never be able to forget what she has seen or done. A prison can be anywhere and I think she’s in an emotional prison no matter where she is. Gilead never leaves you.”
Moss went on to say that season 4 is representative of how Gilead really changes people. Despite June’s attempts to assimilate into a different world, it’s incredibly difficult. It’s unclear whether or not June will end up in jail for the murder, or if she’ll ever be able to move on.
Will there be a Handmaids Tale Season 5?
We know that The Handmaids Tale has already been renewed for season 5, so hopefully we’ll get answers to the many, many questions already swirling.
Currently, there is no timeline for when the series will begin airing, but the usual wait time is around one year. Of course, given the ramifications of the global pandemic, it could absolutely be longer.
As for the cast members, there’s no denying that season 4 left the door wide open to the possibility of new characters. With Fred out of the picture, he won’t be returning (but we could definitely see him in a few flashback scenes). If June is driven underground for her crime, she’ll need a host of allies alongside her, so there’s a chance we could see some fresh new faces here.
