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Nightshade is the second episode of the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale.

Synopsis[]

June plots revenge at the local Jezebel's, before she and the Handmaids plan to leave the farm for the next safe house. In Toronto, Moira deals with the fallout of June's choices, and Serena and Fred are bound together by a miracle.

Plot[]

Two guardians come looking for the man Esther killed. They leave without finding anything, and Esther wonders what their visit means. “It means I have to leave,” June says resignedly. The friendly guardian brings her to a Mayday contact at a nearby estate, which June realizes has been turned into a Jezebel's. In the greenhouse, June finds a woman, Daisy, smoking among the plants. “I thought you’d be taller, the handmaid that killed Commander Winslow,” she says.

Daisy tells June that “word’s gotten out” about the children’s flight, and rebel groups are engaging in small acts of defiance: slashing tires, cutting lines, blowing up a checkpoint. June asks about a safehouse and Daisy says yes but explains that she can’t send the word until tomorrow, so they’ve got to wait one more night to leave. Daisy mentions that there are several military commanders at the house for one final party before a big Chicago army move.

Back at the Keyes’ farm, Esther is upset that the handmaids are leaving, and she begs them not to leave her there alone. June says she can come with them. June figures out that Commander Keyes’ mental state isn’t from dementia, but because she’s been poisoning him. “You learn things on a farm,” Esther says simply. June asks her to teach her how to make more, thinking she can give them to the commanders at the Jezebel's club.

Before returning to Jezebel's, June tells Janine to get everyone ready for their departure upon her return. She goes to the Jezebel's and finds Daisy, who is scared about their plan to poison the party guests, but she agrees to help and pass around the poisoned alcohol bottles.

When June and the nice guardian arrive back at the Keyes’ farm, June instantly realizes something is wrong. All the lights are on in the house, and the front door is open. She urges the guardian to go, but he says he won’t leave her. As they walk, June steps on something, looks down, and realizes it’s a bunch of shell casings. The guardian reaches from his gun but is fatally shot from out of nowhere before he can even grab it; his blood spatters all over June. She reaches for his dropped weapon but realizes she’s done for when the red dots of at least four laser sites converge on her torso. Nick then comes out of the darkness toward her and asks where the handmaids are. She doesn’t answer. He crouches down, softly saying, “I’m trying to keep you alive”. Then his men grab her and take her away.

In Canada, a charity has grown around Angel’s Flight, the mission to save the children. Luke, Moira, Emily, and Rita are very involved. Rita addresses a group of potential donors to help raise money. Moira helps the children from the plane try to adjust to new life. One boy, James (known in Gilead as Asher), has only known Gilead and really misses his old life. Moira brings Rita to hang out with him, which seems to bring him some comfort.

At the detention center, Serena is examined, stripped of her clothes, and photographed. She tells her questioners that Fred didn’t abuse her but he did sleep with other women. Her lawyer advises her to establish a pattern of abuse, which will help her regain her legal immunity. She has a plan that she’s going to get Fred to drop his claim against her.

Tuello arranges for the Waterfords to meet in the chapel. She tells Fred that everything she’s saying is “just a legal strategy,” and that they won’t have to air their private lives in court if he drops his claim about her. “You’ve gotten rusty,” he says. “You used to be so good at getting me to do what you want. But my eyes are open now.” Serena presses on, saying that she just wants Nichole back. “Nichole is not your daughter, any more than she is mine,” he replies.

Tuello informs Serena that the results from the doctor came back and that she’s pregnant.

Cast[]

Additional Cast

  • Steve Boyle as MP Guardian
  • Bill MacDonald as Commander Keyes
  • Samer Salem as David
  • Marlon Palmer as Security Guardian
  • Jamillah Moss as Jezebel's Martha
  • Jane Hailes as Doctor
  • Samantha Espie as Jean
  • Luxton Handspiker as James/Asher
  • Janelle Hutchison as Aunt Wendy

Gallery[]

Behind the scenes[]

Music[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Courtesy of What-Song.com.
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