Pigs is the first episode of the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale.
Synopsis[]
On the run after the end of Season 3, an injured June and the fugitive Handmaids find refuge at a farm, where the 14-year-old Wife nurses June back to health. June restores her role as the women's leader. In Gilead, an imprisoned Lawrence tries to avoid a death sentence, and Aunt Lydia reels from the loss of 86 children on Angels' Flight. The combative Waterfords, in custody in Toronto, learn of June's feat.
Plot[]
The handmaids harbor in a closed cosmetics store where they cauterize June's gunshot. Later they hide under the benches of a truck when it gets inspected.
Serena is in a boardroom, smoking and looking awful. Fred and Tuello enter. Tuello informs them about the escaped children and argues with Fred about their rightful "homes".
The handmaids are shown trekking through the forest in search of a farmhouse. A guardian meets June with a lantern (the signal) and welcomes the handmaids inside where June crumples and vomits. Esther Keyes gives her comfort.
Aunt Lydia is seen answering charges to the Council, the Commanders ultimately allow her to continue as an Aunt. She defends the handmaids and blames the whole affair on June.
June is treated with moldy fruit as an antibiotic for her wounds and appears to recover. Janine is playing with a farm pig named Mr. Darcy. We learn that Commander Keyes is very old and apparently senile. June and Esther speak. She sees June as a celebrity but also reminds her who is "the mistress of this house.".
Nick visits Lawrence in prison. Lawrence adjures him to not let Gilead invade Canada over the kids, calling it a "diplomatic opportunity."
At the farmhouse, Mr. Darcy (the pig) is about to be killed for food. Janine says a prayer for him. At the dinner. Janine can't eat the pork, but Esther bullies her to make her eat it.
Esther and June have a confrontation about the pork with June screaming at Esther about all the trauma Janine has experienced. Esther breaks down and tells June that she was passed around from man to man by her husband to get her pregnant. June tells her that "God is just" and the men who raped her will be punished. Alma and June briefly argue about how to control Esther.
Alma and Janine dance at a party in the barn. Two male guardians from the farm are seen kissing each other.
A drunk trespasser, revealed to be a Guardian named Pogue, enters the property. The handmaids start beating him. June initially tries to call it off. Esther identifies him as one of the men who raped her when her husband was passing her around. They bring him into the barn and hang him up by his wrists. June approves of Esther killing him and hands her a knife.
June goes to her room to recover, and then lies down on the bed. An exhausted Esther comes in covered in blood after killing the drunk rapist. She lies down beside June and asks her if she's okay with that. Esther tells June she loves her. June replies calling her by her daughter Hannah's nickname, Banana.
Cast[]
Starring
- Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne
- Joseph Fiennes as Fred Waterford
- Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Waterford
- Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo
- Ann Dowd as Lydia Clements
- Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello
- Max Minghella as Nick Blaine
- Bradley Whitford as Joseph Lawrence
Guest Starring
- Mckenna Grace as Esther Keyes
- Stephen Kunken as Warren Putnam
- Nina Kiri as Alma
- Bahia Watson as Brianna
- Jonathan Watton as Matthew Calhoun
Additional Cast
- Melissa Kelly as Handmaid Fugitive 1
- Victoria Goodman as Handmaid Fugitive 2
- Masa Lizdek as Handmaid Fugitive 3
- Samer Salem as David
- Bill MacDonald as Commander Keyes
- Roderick McNeil as Farmhand 1
- Tejay McDonald as Farmhand 2
- Luke Aquilina as Guardian 1
- Craig Burnatowski as Barber
- David Thompson as Captured Guardian
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
Music[]
- "I Say A Little Prayer" — Aretha Franklin, intro: June's rescue.
- "Ripple" — Grateful Dead, barn dance.
- "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" — Carole King, end credits.
References[]
| Season 1 | Offred | Birth Day | Late | Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum | Faithful | A Woman's Place The Other Side | Jezebels | The Bridge | Night |
| June | Unwomen | Baggage | Other Women | Seeds | First Blood | After | Women's Work Smart Power | The Last Ceremony | Holly | Postpartum | The Word | |
| Night | Mary and Martha | Useful | God Bless the Child | Unknown Caller Household | Under His Eye | Unfit | Heroic | Witness | Liars | Sacrifice | Mayday | |
| Pigs | Nightshade | The Crossing | Milk | Chicago | Vows | Home | Testimony Progress | The Wilderness | |
| Morning | Ballet | Border | Dear Offred | Fairytale | Together | No Man's Land | Motherland | Allegiance | Safe | |