The Handmaid’s Tale S04E09 is the penultimate instalment of the fourth season of a dystopian alternate reality drama TV series based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name. In this alternate history, the USA has been taken over by hardcore fundamental religious fanatics and renamed as Gilead. In Gilead, women have become the property of men once more as the nation is ruled by theocratic patriarchy.
Entitled “Progress”, The Handmaid’s Tale S04E09 continues June Osborn’s seemingly coming to terms with her new-found freedom in Canada. However, underneath the peachy keen atmosphere of June reuniting with her husband Luke and working together to recover their daughter from the clutches of Gilead, there is a dark undercurrent of June’s rage that she still has not dealt with sufficiently.
READ OUR REVIEWS OF THE HANDMAID’S TALE SEASON 4.
This was illustrated in the previous episode where June engineered a situation that resulted in the suicide of a former Gilead Aunt, that had tortured and mutilated Emily. While Moira attempts to preach healing to the former victims of Gilead, June is screaming revenge. Already, June’s rage was palpable when she visited Serena Joy and dressed her down viciously and also confronting Fred at the court hearing.
While most of The Handmaid’s Tale S04E09 focuses on June’s continued re-bonding with Luke, there is also a tender albeit bizarre moment when June is reunited with Nick at the behest of Luke. Nick in fact brings along new hope of finding and recovering Hannah, which seems to bring June a rare moment of joy.
READ OUR REVIEW OF THE HANDMAID’S TALE SEASON 1.
However, of course, the joy is short-lived and the end of The Handmaid’s Tale S04E09, we see June seething again at the injustices of the world that continues to disappoint her at every turn. Which of course sets up Season 4 perfectly for the season finale.
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