The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Ep 5 is the fifth instalment of the fifth 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.
S P O I L E R S
Plot
Entitled “Fairytale”, The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Ep 5 marks the mid-point of Season 5 and according to the art of storytelling is the so-called low point for our protagonists, where they have failed at what they need to achieve. Two main plots here involve Jun (and Luke) taking a big risk to meet an informant in the No-Man’s Land between Gilead and Canada as well as Serena Joy discovering the reality of her situation in the Wheeler household.
But initially everything seems to be peachy-keen for both Jun and Serena Joy. The former (with Luke) seem to have a profitable meeting with the informant, and they even have time for a little R&R in the informant’s hideout. The latter is feted and treated like royalty by Mrs Wheeler and her coterie of friends as they take turns to rub Serena Joy’s pregnant, hoping perhaps that her blessing will “rub off” them as well.
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However, things go wrong quickly for Jun and Luke as they are captured by Gilead forces by the end of the episode. We hoped that things would not go that way as that would appear to be an insurmountable obstacle for Jun to overcome, if she were to return to Gilead. Most likely she would be tried and summarily executed, together with Luke. End of story. So WTF. As for Serena Joy, she quickly realises that she is a prisoner in the Wheeler household and despite her ambitions will be reduced to the role of giving birth. But what did she truly expect?
Characters
Luke is finally given back his balls after seasons of emasculation. With Serena Joy’s taunts still ringing in his ears probably, he chooses to take a big risk for Jun and Hannah. But was it all a big mistake? Guess we shall see in the next episode. In addition, we are given tantalising glimpses of what is happening in Serena Joy’s mind as she flashbacks to her initial reaction to the entire handmaid concept – revulsion of course. Is something stirring in her?
The Final Analysis
The main strength of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Ep 5 lies in the big stakes relying on the outcomes of massive risks taken by our protagonists. Engagement was off the charts here. How the series resolve Jun’s dilemma should be interesting though. Highly recommended.
Now streaming on Hulu.
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