The Handmaid’s Story’s Most Conflicted Commander Is One among Its Finest Characters

There are some terrible girls on The Handmaid’s Tale, however males make up the majority of its villainous characters. That goes for particular person males just like the thankfully departed Commander Fred Waterford, but in addition “males of Gilead” as a collective, oppressive, violent, misogynistic entire. The present tends to deal in heavy-handed themes, however it’s additionally invested in creating advanced characters. Probably the most fascinating examples are Gilead insiders who notice too late they’re trapped in prisons of their very own making.

We’ve previously explored how this makes Serena Pleasure Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski) one among The Handmaid’s Story‘s most constantly infuriating but attention-grabbing characters, nonetheless true within the present’s present sixth season. Over time, we’ve seen Serena captured by Canada for warfare crimes, then launched, then awkwardly advised there was no place for her in Gilead as a result of its inflexible tradition wasn’t outfitted to cope with a widowed single mom. Then, after Gilead tucked her out of sight as its consultant in Canada, she needed to flee Toronto when a kerfluffle over her immigration standing meant she may lose custody of her son.

Serena has achieved a variety of soul-searching since we first met her as pious Commander’s spouse, all in favor of ritualized rape if it meant she may get her mitts on a child. As we realized in flashbacks to her life “earlier than,” she was as soon as a robust writer and speaker pushing the far-right Christian motion that introduced Gilead into existence… Gilead, a spot the place girls are usually not allowed to learn or write and anybody who dares to talk out is swiftly executed.

Fortuitously for Serena, her husband Fred doesn’t order her killed when she steps out of line; he simply chops off a finger as punishment. However her conflicted emotions about Gilead have crystallized fairly a bit as season six will get underway. She understands now the hurt she’s induced, each to the individuals who’ve been personally broken by her actions, in addition to her culpability in serving to construct a horrendous regime.

After realizing too late she’s too well-known to slink round unnoticed, Serena barely escapes an indignant mob that’s all too ready to tear her to shreds. She’s really a lady with out a nation till Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) instantly reappears in her life, as seen in “Exile,” season six’s second episode. It’s becoming that Serena and Lawrence grow to be allies on behalf of New Bethlehem, his “reformed” model of Gilead, as a result of like her he’s always grappling with the responsible unease of getting had a hand in bringing the nightmare that’s Gilead to life.

This week’s episode, “Promotion,” refers to Lawrence’s elevation from Commander to Excessive Commander, a rating that helps lend legitimacy to the fledgling New Bethlehem. It’s nonetheless part of Gilead, however in New Bethlehem girls are handled way more respectfully; they will learn and write, and there are not any Handmaids. (Additionally, no public executions!) Serena doesn’t even must see its elegant beachside houses in individual earlier than she agrees to maneuver there; the promise of having the ability to use her mind once more is irresistible, as is the sensation that the God who as soon as steered her so unsuitable is now guiding her on a path to make amends.

Lawrence would be the least non secular man in Gilead—don’t ask him to recite a prayer—however he can definitely establish with Serena’s quest for redemption. Lawrence joined The Handmaid’s Story in season two, after we’d lengthy grow to be accustomed to assuming that anybody strolling round calling himself a “Commander” was a woman-hating monster. However Lawrence, regardless of being referred to as “the architect of Gilead,” isn’t a monster. Dedicated to his spouse all through her lengthy wrestle with psychological sickness, he treats the ladies pressured to serve in his house with benevolence—he has Handmaids, as a result of all Commanders should, however he avoids the rape “ceremony” and is seemingly the one Commander who sees it for what it truly is.

He additionally proves to be an ally for June (Elisabeth Moss) and the rising resistance motion; whereas he’s not precisely an lively participant, he ceaselessly makes use of his Commander standing to misdirect Gilead’s nosy troopers. He passes on info, gives shelter, and facilitates clandestine transportation, generally groaning about it, however at all times saving lives within the course of. Outwardly, at the very least, he’s a part of Gilead’s elite, maintaining appearances and going by means of the motions. However particularly after his beloved spouse dies, and he’s nudged into marrying the shrill widow of an executed Commander (the useless man’s crime: raping a Handmaid that wasn’t his Handmaid), Lawrence strikes full pace forward on New Bethlehem.

Lawrence is aware of he can’t undo the appreciable injury he’s induced, however he believes he’s discovered a manner ahead with New Bethlehem. The remainder of the world has understandably rejected Gilead’s draconian lifestyle—however stays curious in regards to the constructive environmental adjustments it’s enacted, and particularly all of the profitable pregnancies that’ve been taking place inside its borders. New Bethlehem additionally offers a extra palatable return level for Canada and different international locations who’ve grow to be overrun with determined Gilead refugees. They don’t wish to ship individuals again to a spot identified for rampant human rights violations, however New Bethlehem is completely different, proper?

With Serena Pleasure absolutely on board, and Lawrence assured that “energy will come from reform,” there’s a twinkle of hope that New Bethlehem can steer Gilead to a extra progressive future. There’s nonetheless a variety of season six left to go, although, and it appears seemingly that the “males of Gilead” that The Handmaid’s Story viewers have grown to despise gained’t simply half with their merciless dystopian paradise.

No less than we have now Lawrence—sarcastic, depressed, however wryly humorous and, albeit misguided at occasions, undeniably good as hell—to remind us that not each Commander is loathsome to the core. The present itself appeared to underline that time this week, when as a substitute of taking part in a track over the tip credit of “Devotion,” it as a substitute used voice-over of Lawrence studying The Little Princess to Angela, his toddler-age step daughter. Earlier within the episode, he’d launched the story by saying it was his first spouse’s “favourite ebook when she was somewhat woman,” and promising Angela—a baby born right into a society the place girls aren’t allowed to be literate—that when she’s sufficiently old, she’ll be capable to learn all of it by herself too.

New episodes of The Handmaid’s Story season six arrive Tuesdays at 12 a.m. ET on Hulu.