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Morning

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Morning is the first episode of the fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale. It first aired on September 14, 2022.

Synopsis[]

June confronts the consequences of killing Fred. A scared Serena makes an unexpected decision.

Plot[]

June stands in the bathroom with the shower running, having flashbacks to the night before. Luke knocks at the door, breaking June out of her trance. Shutting off the water, she hugs Nichole and goes to leave; despite protest from Luke and Moira. They finally stop June outside, where she confesses to the Salvaging of Fred Waterford overnight. June then pushes past them and leaves.

Nick returns home to his new Wife, Rose, waiting for him at the kitchen table. Getting him coffee, she asks if he has seen June and if she was able to do what she needed to. Nick confirms that June had, and Rose responds that she will pray for June to find peace.

In her cell, Serena is doing yoga when several armed guards arrive, demanding she come with them to a more secure location. As she demands to see Mark Tuello, she is cuffed and taken to the elevator. Waiting for her is Senior Director Marcia McPhadden of the ICC's Prisoner Liaison Office, who informs her that Fred's body has been found by Canadian border agents. Serena breaks down in the elevator, having flashbacks to their dance at the gala in DC. [1]

June arrives at a diner where the other women from the Salvaging are waiting for her. They eat breakfast, and Danielle says she wants to kill her old mistress, Mrs. Radcliffe. Saying she has something for June, the women go to Danielle's car where Danielle reveals firearms, stating she can get more. June and Vicky each take a handgun, and Danielle asks if Nick can get Mrs. Radcliffe to the border. June replies no, so Danielle asks if they could go to Gilead themselves. At this point, June realizes Emily is absent, and asks where she went. The others ignore her and say if they were willing to help June with Fred, June should help them with their monsters. June asks if they are really willing to go back and likely be executed as spies, and Vicky calls her a coward, shooting her gun in the air. Everyone runs away as other diners exit to see what was happening.

Deep in the woods, Mark Tuello arrives at a secure safe house where Serena is being kept. Serena demands to see Fred's body and to know what happened. Tuello admits that a change in plans was made and that Fred was given to Gilead officials in exchange for 22 female political prisoners, but he does not know what happened to Fred after the exchange. He tells a despondent Serena two things had arrived for her that morning - Fred's wedding ring, which he hands her, and Fred's left ring finger. Tuello also shows her a photo of the graffiti under the body, and Serena immediately realizes June was behind the murder.

June arrives at Emily's home only to learn from Sylvia that Emily left for Gilead, possibly to hunt down Aunt Lydia. June wants to go find her, but Sylvia tells her not to bother and they probably would never see Emily again. June says this is her fault, and Sylvia says it doesn't matter who's fault it is, and that she would not be calling June if Emily made contact again. June leaves, and has a breakdown when she finally realizes she's covered in Fred's blood still. She scrubs it off in a public bathroom and drives to the lake, where she is discovered by the police.

Luke arrives at the police station and finds June in the lobby. June tells him about Emily's departure and apologizes for screwing up his life. She wants to turn herself in for Fred's murder, and Luke asks her why she would as he feels she didn't do anything wrong. Despite Luke's protests, June tells the police that she killed Fred Waterford and that she would swear to it.

In an interview room, June tells a prosecutor that she alone went to the woods and beat Fred to death for holding her captive and raping her in Gilead. The prosecutor informs her that while what she did was wrong, the Crown cannot prosecute her as the murder was committed in No Man's Land. Officer Margeaux informs June the only thing she will be charged with is Transportation of an Unsecured Biological Sample, for which the punishment is a fine of $88 CAD to be paid in person or online. June is then released from police custody and Luke is still waiting for her outside.

Serena arrives at the morgue, staring at Fred's sheet-covered body. Mark Tuello arrives, and Serena asks if she can petition the Canadian government to reinstate the death penalty just for June. Tuello informs her that because the murder took place in No Man's Land, Canada will not be investigating and June will not be prosecuted. Serena rips the sheet off Fred, asking Tuello how she can be safe when this is what June is capable of. A crying Serena storms out as Tuello looks at Fred's mutilated body. As they leave the morgue, a line of supporters with candles leads to Serena's waiting car. They offer support and condolences as Serena walks to the car. Serena informs Tuello that she wishes to take Fred's body back to Gilead so that he can be buried in the nation he helped to found.

Luke and June arrive home, and Luke asks Moira to take June a glass of wine. June asks about Emily, and Moira says that while she has informed refugee services and the Red Cross, it's unlikely Emily will be seen as nobody is looking for people leaving Canada for Gilead and that people go into Gilead far more than people think. Moira also informs June that she is uncomfortable with June caring for Nichole because June's behavior is scaring her. June expresses her understanding and that she's afraid of herself. Mark Tuello arrives and June goes out to see him. She asks if he's here to arrest her, and Tuello informs her no charges would be brought against her for what she did. June apologizes for misleading him and asks what Serena's response was. Tuello says that Serena afraid was afraid that June could be dangerous. He also states that Gilead is also likely afraid. As he leaves, Tuello tells her that she did something terrible, but it had to be done and she did it well.

June returns inside and goes to the bathroom where Moira and Luke are giving Nichole a bath. She picks up Nichole, who immediately stops crying.

Quotes[]

“May he rot in Hell”  — Mark Tuello, about Fred Waterford

Trivia[]

  • First appearance of Sylvia since “Under His Eye” (S3E7). Clea DuVall was supposed to return for Season Four but was unable to due to the COVID pandemic.
  • The police station June is taken to is shown to be Lakeshore of Toronto Police's 15 Division, a fictional location.
  • June is shown to still have her red Handmaid ear tag in this episode.

Cast[]

Starring

Guest Starring

Additional Cast

  • Bernadette Couture as Unit Leader
  • Afton Rentz as Female TAC
  • Nadine Whiteman Roden as Marcia McPhadden
  • Sharon Heldt as Waitress
  • Oshini Wanigasekera as Officer Margeaux
  • Sanjay Talwar as Desk Constable
  • Konima Parkinson-Jones as Prosecutor
  • Taylor Trowbridge as Acolyte #1
  • Lauren Brotman as Acolyte #2
  • Tom Henry as Acolyte #3
  • Karen Parker as Acolyte #4

Gallery[]

Music[]

  • "All I Have to do is Dream" - The Everly Brothers
  • "Gettin' Happy" - Dolly Parton

Soundtrack notes[]

References[]

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