Vows is the 6th episode of the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale.
Synopsis[]
June is reunited with Moira who is in Chigago as part of a foreign aid mission organised by CERA. The temporary ceasefire is broken by Gilead's forces leaving June injured: they must leave the beseiged city.
Plot[]
In a flashback, June and Moira drink mimosas in their apartment on a snowy day. In present day, Moira can’t quite believe she just happened to stumble into her old friend. June doesn’t believe it’s actually Moira and pushes past her to find Janine. But Moira manages to talk June into getting checked out by the medical team of the aid group.
As June sits in the truck, the shock recedes a little, and for the first time June seems to notice who’s sitting next to her. “You shouldn’t be here,” she says. Moira shouts that she’s thrilled she actually found June. As the truck arrives at the destination the aid camp is being hastily disassembled and CERA is hastily withdrawing due to threats of additional bombings. Moira intends to evacuate June to Canada on a CERA ship even though it's against the terms under which Gilead permits the organization to operate in disputed territory. Moira argues with Oona who insists it's not worth risking the NGO's ability to help the many other victims of the war just to smuggle June out of the country.
With the crowd is pushing at the wire fence, trying to get on the boat. Moira decides to completely disregard what Oona said and tells June they’ve got to run for the boat if they’re going to get out of there. “June, boat, now!” she yells, but June fights her, saying that she won’t leave without Hannah. Moira points out that June’s older daughter is safer without her and promises that they will fight from Canada. “Everyone who loves you is there,” Moira pleads. “Nichole is there.” That seems to break through, because June says she will leave Gilead for her younger daughter. Then they run and make it to the ship before it pulls away from the dock. Moira stashes June in her cabin.
In a flashback, Moira asks June “Do you really think this is a good idea?” In regards to her marrying Luke. “Because he cheats on his wives and he leaves them when they can’t reproduce.” June says that her marriage with Luke will be different from his with Annie. Later, in a conversation with Luke, June brings up Moira’s points. He says they’ll be OK, but she reminds him that he really wants children, and she has no idea if she can have them. “What if I’m not who you think I am?” she asks. “Then I’ll just love whoever you turn out to be,” he responds. Later on, Luke is overjoyed when June tells him that she’s pregnant with Hannah.
In the present, Oona comments on how they’ll just have to pass the port inspection before leaving Gilead’s waters, and Moira is surprised. She didn’t realize that Gilead officials would board the ship and inspect the staff and cargo, and she’s realizing how really bad all of this might get in the next hour or so. She confesses that she smuggled June aboard; when that information is shared with the crew, a couple of them want to turn her in to avoid trouble.
Moira begs her girlfriend to break the rules. Oona quietly tells one of her staffers to print June an ID and give her a vest to make her look like a volunteer. The Gilead officials come and leave. They don’t suspect June.
Moira and Oona have an argument about Moira's actions. The latter tells her about the difficult choices she had to make as a refugee aider and how hard is to live with them. They decide to end their relationship and, to Moira's visible dismay, Oona tells her it's the end of them working together.
Moira sees June's empty bed and finds June trying to get in a lifeboat and go back to Gilead. “You tricked me into leaving my daughter,” June says. She starts crying and tells Moira about the last time she saw Hannah. “She didn’t recognize me, she didn’t know who I was. She was scared of me,” June says. “I was supposed to save her, because I’m her mommy… It is my job to protect her, and I failed.” She admits she’s scared to face Luke without Hannah with her. Moira tells her to find out and have some faith in the people who love her.
The boat reaches Canada. June takes a moment alone before getting off the boat but Luke runs on board. “I’m sorry I don’t have her.” she says. Luke gives her a big hug, tearing up. They step out onto the deck, and Luke leads June off the vessel.
Cast[]
Starring
Guest Starring
- Zawe Ashton as Oona
- Nadeem Phillip as Pierre
- Michael Ayres as Chris
- Elieen Li as Elena
Additional Cast
- Sean Rey as Man
- Alia Jackman as Woman
- Malube Uhindu-Gingala as Mother
- Kat Khan as Hysterical Woman
- Kenny Wong as Lead Soldier
- Jailin Daley as Teen Soldier
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
Music[]
References[]
- ↑ Courtesy of What-Song.com
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 |