The Handmaid's Tale Wiki
The Handmaid's Tale Wiki
The Handmaid's Tale Wiki: This is not normal
620
pages
in: Phrases, Episodes, Season 5

Motherland

Sign in to edit

Motherland is the eighth episode of the fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale. It aired on October 26, 2022.

Synopsis[]

June receives a tempting offer from a surprise visitor. Serena hits rock bottom and searches for allies.

Plot[]

June repeatedly refuses to receive Serena's phone calls from the Immigration Detention Center. Meanwhile, protestors loudly march the street, calling to stop accommodating Gilead refugees pouring into their country.

Commander Lawrence unveils his "New Bethlehem" initiative to Gilead's other leaders, describing it as a "modernized, strategically liberalized island." He wants a beautiful coastal community to welcome back refugees, offering them amnesty and a place to reunite with long-lost family and friends. Some of the Commanders are skeptical, but Lawrence and Blaine convince them it's a good political move for Gilead.

In Toronto's immigration detention center, we see Serena pumping breast milk. Mrs. Wheeler, now fostering Noah, comes by to collect the milk and inform Serena she's uneasy to care for a crying baby.

Lawrence heads to Toronto, where he tries to convince June to move to Gilead's New Bethlehem zone, with "no Handmaids or hangings." He ensures her family will be safe on the island and offers the opportunity to reunite with Hannah, though he can't stop her from becoming a child bride. June is tempted by the proposition, but Luke doesn't trust Lawrence, nor does he think moving his family to Gilead is a good idea.

Lawrence informs Serena he has arranged for her to return to the Wheelers' home, where she would be with Noah and help care for him. She declines the offer.

Tuello shows up in June's household to try and convince her to stay in Canada. He claims the U.S. is working on "something big," some sort of military action against Gilead, but he's unable to share the top secret details of the operation. He still has no leads on the location of Hannah's school. June turns to Rita for advice, who says she wouldn't want to return to Gilead, but would also do anything to be reunited with her child.

June eventually visits Serena to clarify she won't help her since they're not friends and she hasn't forgiven her for the hell she put her through. As Serena doesn’t know how she’s supposed to live with the Wheelers, June advises her to act like a handmaid but plot her revenge the entire time. When June leaves, Serena asks what June would do. June says she would go back because that’s the only way to help the baby.

June meets Lawrence, who wants to know how he can get Luke on board. June mentions they don’t have any solid proof of life on Hannah. She also wants Lawrence to stop Hannah from becoming a child bride. But he can’t promise that. June gets angry and reminds him about the pain he’s caused. He knows and would take it back if he could; he just wanted to save humanity. He adds that New Bethlehem is his way to fix things and in 5-10 years, Gilead could be better. He just needs June’s help to do it.

June receives an anonymous delivery. The mysterious package contains a disc with footage of Hannah at her school. Seeing her kidnapped daughter resurfaces June's enormous guilt for leaving her behind, cementing her decision to go back to Gilead and save her. Luke refuses to move Nichole there but, after an emotional debate, accepts that his wife needs to go.

Back in Gilead, Lawrence is touring New Bethlehem with Nick, whom he offers to move into the new settlement, saying he'd be living there with all the people he loves – June, his new wife Rose and their coming baby, and Nichole. Lawrence optimistically believes June plans to return, bringing her entire family with her.

In Toronto, Luke and Moira study the brief video of Hannah that was sent to June. Moira believes the disc could contain some encrypted "metadata," and so they turn it over to Tuello for further investigation. Tuello promises to dig deep into the potential intel.

Serena goes back to the Wheelers. She apologizes for what happened and thanks the Wheelers for allowing her to nurse Noah. Mrs. Wheeler emphasizes that’s all Serena will be doing while the rest of the motherhood duties will fall on Mrs. Wheeler. Serena is dismissed. When she hears Noah crying, she rushes upstairs to see him and feed him.

Days later, Tuello is seen shaking the hands of his colleagues in a conference room. Meanwhile, June, Luke and Moira are still waiting for news, only for Luke to get a call from Rita. June decides to take a walk to the store to get apples for Nichole. While she’s shopping, Tuello calls her and says they found Hannah and have a plan to rescue her. June excitedly runs home to tell Luke and Moira, revealing that a raid is being planned, and the three embrace in celebration. As the episode ends, we see Hannah look up at the sky, followed by the sound of planes.

Quotes[]

“Do you have an irony deficiency ?”  — Commander Lawrence to Serena

Trivia[]

Notes[]

Cast[]

Gallery[]


Music[]

  • "I'll be your mirror" - Clem Snide. June sings along to the song on her mobile with Nichole and Hannah alternately.

References[]

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.