NOTE: This post contains major spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 finale, "Safe." Read our previous The Handmaid's Tale season 5 episode 9 recap right here.
June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) has faced many threats throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, and the season 5 finale adds a new entry to the long list.
The mood has turned sour in Toronto against those seeking refuge from Gilead, with things reaching a boiling point with the shooting at the vigil in episode 9. Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) refuses to confirm whether he gave this order. Regardless, it's a massive wake-up call, setting a chain reaction in motion with significant consequences.
Early in "Safe," tension builds with several moments of stillness. Moss directs her third episode of the season, elevating the material with visually arresting shots. One such moment underscores how many characters in the finale make irrational choices.
June walks down the middle of the road by her house, which leaves her vulnerable and open to attack. A car hits her and then drives over her arm, shown in excruciating detail. When the driver goes to finish the job, Luke (O-T Fagbenle) pulls him from the driver’s seat and beats him with the barrel of the attacker's shotgun. Moss doesn't shy away from showing how much pain June is in, making the sequence is tough to watch.
In Gilead, even before this second assault, Nick (Max Minghella) has already confronted Lawrence about his potential role in the near-miss shooting. "She's not a target," he tells his mentor several times, but Lawrence rather coldly tells him that June had a thousand choices, and in a war, "everyone gets bloody."
So when Nick hears about the second attack on the woman he loves, he heads to the border to agree to Tuello’s (Sam Jaeger) terms. You have to wonder if Tuello had orchestrated the whole thing to get Nick’s help, but there's nothing to indicate his involvement, as he appears pretty broken up about these acts of violence.
Nick goes to see June in the hospital. Luke is at the police station as the driver he beat up to save his wife is in the ICU — the fact that Luke has to justify what he did reveals how much the odds are stacked against the Gilead refugees. Nick doesn’t want June to know he was there or what he has done regarding this agreement to help. Not that the audience is privy to what Nick has said he will do.
There is a rare moment where Nick speaks from the heart to someone who isn’t June. "She doesn’t need me. I'm nothing," is how he justifies not running away with her back in the earlier season. This comment to Tuello underscores his self-loathing and reveals how little he values himself. Tuello reminds Nick that he means something to June. However, despite this reassurance, he still decides to make the baffling decisions to lash out at Commander Lawrence’s wedding celebration.
Of all the illogical choices in the finale, Nick punching Lawrence in front of his guests, yelling, "You could’ve f***ing killed her,”"is number one. After all these years of keeping it together, Nick falls apart. It seems unlikely that getting arrested was part of his plan with Tuello.
Nick's wife Rose (Carey Cox) effectively breaks things off with him when she visits the detention center; it's hard to be married to someone who admits they can't get over an ex. Would have been nice to spend more time with Rose, because she seemingly tolerated Nick’s relationship with June to a point.
It isn't only Nick who finally snaps at Lawrence’s wedding to Mrs. Putnam (Ever Carradine), as Janine (Madeline Brewer) also speaks her mind. As far as handmaid postings go, this one is preferable as Lawrence doesn’t adhere to the monthly ceremony to get his handmaid pregnant. It also means she will be close to her biological daughter Angela, although the soon-to-be Mrs. Lawrence lays down some strict guidelines for Janine. It is a short-lived posting, though. When one of the Marthas tells Janine about what has happened to June in Canada, it reignites her rebellious fire.
When the new Mrs. Lawrence refers to Janine as Ofjoseph, Janine snaps, "That’s not my name. And we’re not friends." She tells her mistress she is "one of the worst people I’ve ever known." It's satisfying, but the consequences are swift. The Eyes take Janine to a location unknown and when Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) demands an answer, they beat her to the ground. Is this the moment Lydia becomes radicalized against Gilead? In the armored van, Janine comforts another prisoner who is openly weeping. Hopefully Janine gets to take her power back in season 6.
Lawrence’s plans for New Bethlehem seem to be up in smoke. While the commander will bend his principles to fit his scheme, he has discovered that people, like Nick, have their limits.
Back in Canada, June realizes the time to run is now as the person Luke hit has died. If they stay, he will be arrested. Their only option is getting a train to Anchorage. The station is full of refugees leaving, and with Luke a wanted man, the situation is more fraught. Luke buys June and Nichole enough time to get on board, which includes a tearful goodbye over the phone before he gives himself up to the authorities.
Later, June hears a baby crying, she instinctively heads toward the sound. Of course, the person holding this child is Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), who has escaped the Wheelers. Serena is genuinely happy to see June; her former handmaid is less thrilled. As Billie Eilish’s "Bury a Friend" kicks in, it becomes clear the two will have to stick together.
Overall, these 10 episodes have effectively moved the story forward, even though characters like Moira (Samira Wiley) and Rite (Amanda Brugel) have been left without much to do. Season 5 ends with everyone scattered, whether on the run, in custody, or trying to hold onto what little power they have. With only one more season, June’s fight for survival and her daughters go on.
The Handmaid's Tale season 5 is available to stream on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
