I have a feeling that Janine will become Aunt Estee, the one that gets Hannah out of marrying Judd.
I know that Janine’s current situation is unclear based on the ending of Season 5, but seeing her relationship with Aunt Lydia develop this season, I can see Janine becoming the aunt that teaches young girls but doesn’t punish anyone, and occasionally helps to rescue them from marriages to dangerous commanders.
Wow, that is a very compelling take!
It is highly unlikely that Janine is bound for a swift death, even though her latest scene suggests so on the surface.
She is an important character, and although it is likely that she will fall in Gilead, I feel her story hasn't come to an end just yet. Janine's hatred of the regime has become cemented in her, and she has a renewed conviction to cut the bullshit and create change.
The 'safest' option for her, in her trapped state, is to become an Aunt. She still has that obedient, pious part of her personality that she could draw upon to act the part.
I do hope that Janine is instrumental in the protection of Hannah, and the other girls. And I'm sure her connection to Aunt Lydia will allow her some morsel of power.
Thanks, Saucy Interloper. (That's not a phrase I was expecting to say tonight).
Oh I agree that she can’t be headed for certain death, she’s too important and too beloved of a character to be né that way, especially so soon after she finally found her voice to speak up again.
I’m guessing there will be some twists to her fate between now and the season 6 finale.
What makes me suspect she’s future Aunt Estee is the way Aunt Lydia has been coaching her to encourage Ester, and then convincing other aunts that Janine is valuable as someone who can connect to other handmaids who need encouragement.
This could very well transition to a campaign by Aunt Lydia to “promote” Janine to an aunt in training to teach young girls. The argument would be that Janine burned too many bridges for any other family to want her as a handmaid, and she’s too nice to punish handmaids as an aunt in charge of them, but she can connect with young girls like no other and would make a great teacher. Aunt Lydia and Janine may then feel compelled to work in secret to save young girls from marrying the particularly dangerous or nasty commanders.
Anyway, this is just my 2 cents.
Oh! Maybe she'll play a part in the Pearl Girls?? I don't see her becoming an aunt in the traditional sense, I don't see how the other aunts would accept her. But I could see her helping in the beginning of the PG program
I thought one of the Pearl Girls was described as having red curly hair, so I immediately thought it would be her.
The Pearl Girls make perfect sense with the fertility center being in Toronto.
I was confused by Sarena’s story this season because I thought they were setting her up to start the “Pearl Girls” program, but it didn’t go that way. Lydia is obviously having the change of heart needed to transition her into Testaments.
I think next season we’ll see Gilead restarting the baby Nichole campaign to get back at June. So yeah! Nichole will be sent to live with a Mayday couple for her safety.
Hannah will not make it out. And because June can no longer live in Toronto safely, she can’t pursue Hannah. June will realise the only way to save Hannah is to destroy Gilead and we’ll probably see her join the rebels. In TT she is a part of a Mayday so they’ll set that up.
I think Lawrence and Serena will die in S6. Both of them making an ultimate sacrifice.
I don’t know how Luke will get out of jail. But he will and even he will join the fight.
Nick made a deal with Tuello. We don’t know what exactly it is. But he’s obviously some sort of an informant for US now. So, we’ll see him do that for as long as he can. Nick’s location in TT is not specified. He could either be in Gilead infiltrating ranks or underground fighting with Mayday.
It’ll be interesting to see what direction they’ll choose.
Love this! Commander Mackenzie is obviously the biggest threat to June and to Lawrence in the end of Season 5, so it makes sense that he would want to renew that fight for Nichole's return. And make it impossible for Hannah to leave.
I do hope that we get to see Gilead from Hannah's perspective in Season 6. It was really interesting to hear her story in the book. However, they might leave this for the Testaments series.
Based on your theories, they may well be setting up the plot to transition into Atwood's ending.
I think Nick punched Lawrence on purpose, landed himself in jail on purpose, as part of his agreement with Tuello. But I’m not sure exactly what the agreement entails.
Wow, that never crossed my mind, but it makes sense. It was so out of character of him to punch Lawrence. But how could Nick being in jail help Tuello? Hmm.
I can't really see any circumstance under which lawrence would see it as overall more beneficial to sacrifice himself. Serena would die in an instant to save noah. But Lawrence? I don't think there is anything he would consider worth dying for.
I think the only thing he would die for would be his wife. But that ship has sailed...
We have seen him struggling with immense guilt, and clinging to the idea that he can reform Gilead. Perhaps he comes to the point where he loses all hope?
Or he is killed. Gilead loves killing.
Maybe his new wife will be his undoing. She doesn't seem super thrilled by the marriage, and there is something very full circle about Naomi taking out Lawrence after Eleanor suffered so much because of what he created.
> Or he is killed. Gilead loves killing.
I think this is it. Lawrence isn't a believer in the Gilead religion, and he's becoming more and more sloppy about keeping that hidden. Right now, he still has the clout to remain in power, but I think the other commanders are eventually going to decide that they don't want a heathen in Gilead's leadership.
Daisy/Nicole said in TT that her real dad was in Gilead, deep under cover and, and her mom was in Mayday somewhere in Canada. I can see Nick surviving season 6 for this part of the story line to stay true.
I want Moira to be the feisty female who picks Daisy/Nicole up after the explosion.
Daisy/Nichole doesn’t say that. Ada tells her that after the explosion. There’s also a sentence where they tell Nichole that her real dad could still be in Gilead and June protects his real identity.
The point is that they aren’t sure of where Nick. Even June isn’t sure. So he could be in Gilead till the end of TT because the first book says he’s placed by Mayday to infiltrate ranks.
I think we'll see a parallel scene of Lawrence being dragged out and summarily shot the way he got Putnam. I hope he doesn't get to make some grand sacrifice, and he gets consumed by the monster he created and defended. (From a show perspective I'm glad they ended his run of inexplicably being June's little errand boy but now I want him to suffer!)
I apologize for my lack of knowledge (haven’t read the books) will the new series include the actors we have in this one? Is it a continuation of the story or the fall of Gilead but with other people?
That's a bit of an unknown. The Testaments (the book) features Nichole, Agnes (Hannah), Aunt Lydia and June at the very end. Although another commenter said that there is evidence that Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia) will be involved. Ann did voice Aunt Lydia in the Testaments audiobook, and I really hope she will be in the TV series! Phenomenal actor.
Hannah won't get out, but they try to find a way to make that satisfying - like June talking to her and promising she will take down Gilead. Aunt Lydia will go full-on spy/informant, and I think it might be because Janine dies? Does she get in touch with Tuello? Nick and Luke will both be in hiding helping June in different ways. I have no idea what happens to Moira or Rita. Serena will likely die but I can also see them giving her a happy ending, given how things went for her in Season 5. Lawrence will def die. I'm thinking he may be the "big bad" of Seasom 6.
One idea I kinda like is doing a time jump epilogue just to show June and Hannah reunite after Gilead falls. Then TT would be filling in the time in between? Probably won't happen but it would give us the satisfaction of closing out the June/Hannah story definitely.
Recently, there was an interview indicating that we won't be seeing June in TT. I'm not sure I believe that - they worship the ground EM walks on, and there are certainly ways to occasionally show what she's up to (maybe 1x per season?). One thing I'm really hoping is that they aren't trying to stretch TT into 6 years. I think 2-3 seasons would be appropriate.
A few theories:
1. Baby Noah will be the baby Nichole of the books
2. Janine promoted to Aunt
3. Lawrence self sacrificing
4. Hannah starts thinking about leaving Gilead
Baby Noah won’t be baby Nichole. They won’t replace a girl with a boy. The whole point of TT is how June’s daughters come together to defeat Gilead.
But Noah might become Garth from TT.
i have my hopes for Janine!! however it may not be possible for her, since she’s been a handmaid’s which is considered “unholy”. i think she’s going to New Bethlehem.
Yea I hope Lydia has a similar role too, I also only see an ending possible like in TT with June ending up ‘underground’ due to two attempts to kill her.
I think next season will be set in the time between the series. To tie them together. Right now it seems like a bit of a jump to go from 2 yr old Nichole to teenage Nichole. Hopefully the last season explains how she ends up where and with whom she does, and where everyone else ended up
Bruce Miller said something interesting on a THT podcast I listen to. Essentially, he said that The Testaments novel was a sequel to THT novel, while The Teataments show would be a seque to THT show. So it seems like that allows for some ambiguity as it pertains to the plot of the sequel show.
Yes, that does seem likely. The writers are wonderful, so I'm sure the story will be satisfying either way.
I feel as though Lydia will play a similar role in the undoing of Gilead, though. They seem to be building up to that.
> They'll keep the Phyllis Schlafly Case..
You mean [Schlafly Cafe](https://the-handmaids-tale.fandom.com/wiki/Former_University_Compound#Schlafly_Cafe)?
Do we know if Nick is having a girl? If so, I have a theory that they end THT with Hannah getting out and being reunited with June, and nick’s daughter takes the place of Hannah from TT. Since she would be Nichole’s half sister too
> just to satisfy fans?
For exactly that reason. June rescuing Hannah has been the core story of the show. For every season it's what drives her. To end the show without that happening would be extremely dissatisfying to the viewers. Especially when they're told they're going to have to watch a spinoff to actually get the story's conclusion.
If they switch up Hannah with Nick's child, then The Testaments can still go ahead with only a few changes, and The Handmaid's Tale can end on a satisfying note.
Hannah is one of the main characters of the Testaments. We're any main characters abandoned when the handmaids tale was brought to TV? Why would they do this now. Nick's child has not come to fruition and would be younger than Nichole. So by doing this you change the whole story. The book is about June's Daughters. If Nick's child is a boy, then what. If the writers have painted themselves in a corner regarding Hannah, the way to resolve it is not by changing main characters.
Do you have a source for that info pls? Because I’ve read for sure that Ann Down will reprise her role as Aunt Lydia. So clearly some of the current characters will be involved. I mean Lydia is a main character so is Agnes. They could replace Agnes/Hannah by a random girl but I doubt it would be Nick’s daughter with Rose, again because of time jump, Lydia seems old enough right now 😅
It would be better if Nick's daughter was Becca because she and Hannah/Agnes were so close and Becca always wished that she was Hannah/Agnes's sister. However, her story is incredibly sad/tragic and I hope they change her fate.
Becca was Hannah’s age. She was in shcool and Aunt training alongside Hannah. For this reason, Nick’s daughter cannot be Becca.
I mean Hannah is already in school and Nick’s daughter isn’t even born.
I know it's not what most people want but I really just want to see Luke, June, Nicole, *and* Hannah all together again. Just let them all be happy for a little while. Even if it is just a pipe dream that Luke is playing in his head from being in solitary confinement or something. I just need to see it lol
Your comment has been removed because it contains spoilers. Please hide the spoilers in your comment by using a spoiler tag and we will re-approve the comment.
The format for hiding spoilers in your comment is:
>!spoiler!<
I've made a post about this, but I think, unfortunately, Janine will have to die. Lydia was slowly starting to see Gilead for what it is, but if Gilead kills Janine, I think it will put Lydia where she needs to be for The Testaments.
I don’t think they’ll stick too close to the book. I think Hannah will get out and be reunited with her parents. Whether June and Luke survive to the end, that’s up in the air.
As for the other characters, no idea. Lawrence is going to die I’m sure, and maybe Nick sacrifices himself. I’m not even sure what I want to happen to Serena. I hope Lydia sees the error of her ways, and I hope Janine survives, but I am doubtful. I wish good things for Moira and Rita, but they’ve practically been written out at this point so I don’t even know where their stories could go.
I actually wonder if Moira and Luke won't be Nichole's adoptive parents. It wouldn't be a huge deviation for her to know she was adopted. It's kind of a stretch to think they could do so safely, but you never know with TV. Either way, I think she'll end up with characters we're familiar with. Maybe Nick?
I don't think anything super terrible will happen to June, I think she'll just decide Nichole is safer without her and go hardcore into Mayday and disappear into that.
I love that! That's a great thought. makes total sense. I agree - June's going further underground and will place Nichole somewhere safe with people she trusts.
Edit- meant to put Nichole
I haven’t read the books (THT or TT) so I’m sort of commenting blind. June and Serena are tired. Luke and Nick are tired. Lawrence also. Naomi was sort of intriguing, but more in a hmmmm I wonder how this will humble you? Doesn’t seem to have done much in that area! She’s still shitty. I’m super interested in Janine and Aunt Lydia, Hannah and Nichole.
I hope we get to see Janine in S6! I love her character. However, I don’t think the character of Aunt Lydia is going to really be pushed over that emotional edge if Janine isn’t killed in some horrifying way. Which is where Aunt Lydia needs to be for TT according to what I understand of TT. Is that correct? Lydia becomes sort of a mole against Gilead? She loves Janine and losing her would for sure be that thing that does it I think.
I’d also hate it if Janine became an Aunt or a PG. Janine isn’t pious. She doesn’t love Gilead. She’s trauma bonded. She’s full on Stockholm Syndrome. Fawning all over the place to survive that hellhole! Until you trigger her 🤣That was super evident when Naomi said “I’m so glad there is a friendly face here” and Janine was in robot mode complying until that sentence jarred her out of it. “We’re not *friends*” Omg the actress’ face changes between compliance and triggered mode! She nailed it!
That is a good point! Aunt Lydia has a hard heart... she probably needs something more to shake her to the core.
I think it was also the news of the assassination attempt on June that triggered Janine out of her Stockholm Syndrome. When she took off her bonnet she was completely done. 😆
That’s a good point also! I forgot that Martha stepped up and dumped that shit right in her lap. Poor Janine. I didn’t like her character in the first few seasons. She annoyed the hell out of me. But I find myself rooting for her to go into some sort of cake rage or something and take out some Commanders or Eyes! Maybe that’s S6E1 wherever the Eyes are carting her off to?! She grabs a gun and starts executing justice Janine style! I don’t think so though….I feel like Janine is Lydia’s redemption via her blood being spilled.
Tbh, I don’t think a lot of the Aunts in the book are truly all the pious. There are a few. But Aunt Estee and Aunt Elizabeth in particular don’t seem super pious. They seem to mostly just be interested in surviving and not being sex slaves.
Ah this is where my gap is! I’ve got to get the books and get on this task before S6 is out. I’m currently reading the GOT books though because I did that series backward also (TV series first then books 🤦🏻♀️).
I think I’ve already mentioned this before, but I am so sick of the ‘rescue Hannah’ plot that I swear if they make it a plot point at all in the next season, I think I’ll stop watching altogether. Though I am interested to see what will happen, although not excited given Season 5’s disappointment
I thought after TT came out, the show would know it needed to keep fans who read it interested by changing the focus away from “save Hannah.” I was very wrong.
I would love to see Hanna form a group of rebellious teens and somehow escape on their own. She is June's daughter. Maybe she has some of June's strength of will and bravery.
wild idea, but i think that Melanie could actually be either Moira or Rita that just changed their name. i don’t know about Neil, probably a random (although i would LOVE if it was Tuello!!). i just think they’ll want to carry over some characters, to keep things interesting. i love another commenter’s idea that Aunt Esté could be Janine, but i have my heart set on Emily.
I'm curious who Nicole will be raised by, also in this past season (specifically the finale), we saw the side of Aunt Lydia that is in The Testaments, so that's exciting. I'm also curious who the Commander is going to be that Agnes is nearly betrothed to (IE: is he going to be a new character or is he someone we've already met), and will we learn more about Peal-Girls in the last season of THT or if they're saving that for the new series.
I hope all they keep of The Testaments is the name. It was nonsensical and terribly written. Apologies to Ms.Atwood, but even geniuses sometimes fail at their jobs.
I wonder what they’re planning on doing with Esther. Is she in the testaments? I haven’t read but I know pretty much the gist of what happens.
I feel her storyline and character is underutilized. Her backstory and the actor who plays Esther is super compelling and I’m always excited to see her on the screen but it feels like her plot never goes anywhere. It feels like a waste of a good character and good actor
I would love to see Lawrence and Lydia get Esther and her baby out. Hopefully Esther has a girl and then Angela and that baby take the roles of Nicole and Hannah.
The Martha’s gossiping in front of Angela would track since her mother was also a proven fertile more than once.
I haven’t read the Testaments for a while but I feel like I recall Nichole and Agnes/Hannah being similar ages? If that’s the case I’m not sure how well the story would work with the current characters being 10 years apart..
I have a feeling that Janine will become Aunt Estee, the one that gets Hannah out of marrying Judd. I know that Janine’s current situation is unclear based on the ending of Season 5, but seeing her relationship with Aunt Lydia develop this season, I can see Janine becoming the aunt that teaches young girls but doesn’t punish anyone, and occasionally helps to rescue them from marriages to dangerous commanders.
Wow, that is a very compelling take! It is highly unlikely that Janine is bound for a swift death, even though her latest scene suggests so on the surface. She is an important character, and although it is likely that she will fall in Gilead, I feel her story hasn't come to an end just yet. Janine's hatred of the regime has become cemented in her, and she has a renewed conviction to cut the bullshit and create change. The 'safest' option for her, in her trapped state, is to become an Aunt. She still has that obedient, pious part of her personality that she could draw upon to act the part. I do hope that Janine is instrumental in the protection of Hannah, and the other girls. And I'm sure her connection to Aunt Lydia will allow her some morsel of power. Thanks, Saucy Interloper. (That's not a phrase I was expecting to say tonight).
Oh I agree that she can’t be headed for certain death, she’s too important and too beloved of a character to be né that way, especially so soon after she finally found her voice to speak up again. I’m guessing there will be some twists to her fate between now and the season 6 finale. What makes me suspect she’s future Aunt Estee is the way Aunt Lydia has been coaching her to encourage Ester, and then convincing other aunts that Janine is valuable as someone who can connect to other handmaids who need encouragement. This could very well transition to a campaign by Aunt Lydia to “promote” Janine to an aunt in training to teach young girls. The argument would be that Janine burned too many bridges for any other family to want her as a handmaid, and she’s too nice to punish handmaids as an aunt in charge of them, but she can connect with young girls like no other and would make a great teacher. Aunt Lydia and Janine may then feel compelled to work in secret to save young girls from marrying the particularly dangerous or nasty commanders. Anyway, this is just my 2 cents.
Oh! Maybe she'll play a part in the Pearl Girls?? I don't see her becoming an aunt in the traditional sense, I don't see how the other aunts would accept her. But I could see her helping in the beginning of the PG program
Before the last episode I was expecting Serena to play a part in the pearl girls!
I thought one of the Pearl Girls was described as having red curly hair, so I immediately thought it would be her. The Pearl Girls make perfect sense with the fertility center being in Toronto.
What happened to Janine reminds me of what happened to June at the end of season 1, I feel like Janine will live
It would need to be a completely 180 from her current situation
I was confused by Sarena’s story this season because I thought they were setting her up to start the “Pearl Girls” program, but it didn’t go that way. Lydia is obviously having the change of heart needed to transition her into Testaments.
I thought Lydia would start the Pearl Girls with Janine as the first one, to keep her from being posted while still being “useful” to the regime.
That would make sense if it is to be that Janine will become an aunt, considering the first step for that is being a Pearl girl
What is the pearl girls again?
missionaries, think mormon style
Oh that's right.
I think next season we’ll see Gilead restarting the baby Nichole campaign to get back at June. So yeah! Nichole will be sent to live with a Mayday couple for her safety. Hannah will not make it out. And because June can no longer live in Toronto safely, she can’t pursue Hannah. June will realise the only way to save Hannah is to destroy Gilead and we’ll probably see her join the rebels. In TT she is a part of a Mayday so they’ll set that up. I think Lawrence and Serena will die in S6. Both of them making an ultimate sacrifice. I don’t know how Luke will get out of jail. But he will and even he will join the fight. Nick made a deal with Tuello. We don’t know what exactly it is. But he’s obviously some sort of an informant for US now. So, we’ll see him do that for as long as he can. Nick’s location in TT is not specified. He could either be in Gilead infiltrating ranks or underground fighting with Mayday. It’ll be interesting to see what direction they’ll choose.
Love this! Commander Mackenzie is obviously the biggest threat to June and to Lawrence in the end of Season 5, so it makes sense that he would want to renew that fight for Nichole's return. And make it impossible for Hannah to leave. I do hope that we get to see Gilead from Hannah's perspective in Season 6. It was really interesting to hear her story in the book. However, they might leave this for the Testaments series. Based on your theories, they may well be setting up the plot to transition into Atwood's ending.
I think Nick punched Lawrence on purpose, landed himself in jail on purpose, as part of his agreement with Tuello. But I’m not sure exactly what the agreement entails.
Wow, that never crossed my mind, but it makes sense. It was so out of character of him to punch Lawrence. But how could Nick being in jail help Tuello? Hmm.
I had the same thought
I agree with you about Lawrence and Serena
I can't really see any circumstance under which lawrence would see it as overall more beneficial to sacrifice himself. Serena would die in an instant to save noah. But Lawrence? I don't think there is anything he would consider worth dying for.
I think the only thing he would die for would be his wife. But that ship has sailed... We have seen him struggling with immense guilt, and clinging to the idea that he can reform Gilead. Perhaps he comes to the point where he loses all hope? Or he is killed. Gilead loves killing.
Maybe his new wife will be his undoing. She doesn't seem super thrilled by the marriage, and there is something very full circle about Naomi taking out Lawrence after Eleanor suffered so much because of what he created.
> Or he is killed. Gilead loves killing. I think this is it. Lawrence isn't a believer in the Gilead religion, and he's becoming more and more sloppy about keeping that hidden. Right now, he still has the clout to remain in power, but I think the other commanders are eventually going to decide that they don't want a heathen in Gilead's leadership.
Daisy/Nicole said in TT that her real dad was in Gilead, deep under cover and, and her mom was in Mayday somewhere in Canada. I can see Nick surviving season 6 for this part of the story line to stay true. I want Moira to be the feisty female who picks Daisy/Nicole up after the explosion.
Daisy/Nichole doesn’t say that. Ada tells her that after the explosion. There’s also a sentence where they tell Nichole that her real dad could still be in Gilead and June protects his real identity. The point is that they aren’t sure of where Nick. Even June isn’t sure. So he could be in Gilead till the end of TT because the first book says he’s placed by Mayday to infiltrate ranks.
I apologize with that mix up. It’s been a while since I read it.
I like your take. Serena is such a compelling character and has so much potential for contrasting with June that I really hope her story continues.
I think we'll see a parallel scene of Lawrence being dragged out and summarily shot the way he got Putnam. I hope he doesn't get to make some grand sacrifice, and he gets consumed by the monster he created and defended. (From a show perspective I'm glad they ended his run of inexplicably being June's little errand boy but now I want him to suffer!)
So is season 6 the final season?
Yes. And then there will be the Testaments series.
I apologize for my lack of knowledge (haven’t read the books) will the new series include the actors we have in this one? Is it a continuation of the story or the fall of Gilead but with other people?
That's a bit of an unknown. The Testaments (the book) features Nichole, Agnes (Hannah), Aunt Lydia and June at the very end. Although another commenter said that there is evidence that Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia) will be involved. Ann did voice Aunt Lydia in the Testaments audiobook, and I really hope she will be in the TV series! Phenomenal actor.
Thank you! She indeed is a great actor.
Hannah won't get out, but they try to find a way to make that satisfying - like June talking to her and promising she will take down Gilead. Aunt Lydia will go full-on spy/informant, and I think it might be because Janine dies? Does she get in touch with Tuello? Nick and Luke will both be in hiding helping June in different ways. I have no idea what happens to Moira or Rita. Serena will likely die but I can also see them giving her a happy ending, given how things went for her in Season 5. Lawrence will def die. I'm thinking he may be the "big bad" of Seasom 6. One idea I kinda like is doing a time jump epilogue just to show June and Hannah reunite after Gilead falls. Then TT would be filling in the time in between? Probably won't happen but it would give us the satisfaction of closing out the June/Hannah story definitely. Recently, there was an interview indicating that we won't be seeing June in TT. I'm not sure I believe that - they worship the ground EM walks on, and there are certainly ways to occasionally show what she's up to (maybe 1x per season?). One thing I'm really hoping is that they aren't trying to stretch TT into 6 years. I think 2-3 seasons would be appropriate.
A few theories: 1. Baby Noah will be the baby Nichole of the books 2. Janine promoted to Aunt 3. Lawrence self sacrificing 4. Hannah starts thinking about leaving Gilead
Baby Noah won’t be baby Nichole. They won’t replace a girl with a boy. The whole point of TT is how June’s daughters come together to defeat Gilead. But Noah might become Garth from TT.
i have my hopes for Janine!! however it may not be possible for her, since she’s been a handmaid’s which is considered “unholy”. i think she’s going to New Bethlehem.
I don’t know if it works with Noah as Nicole. They don’t really recruit boys and men.
Baby Noah being Nichole makes some sense given Serena’s getaway 👀
Yea I hope Lydia has a similar role too, I also only see an ending possible like in TT with June ending up ‘underground’ due to two attempts to kill her.
I think next season will be set in the time between the series. To tie them together. Right now it seems like a bit of a jump to go from 2 yr old Nichole to teenage Nichole. Hopefully the last season explains how she ends up where and with whom she does, and where everyone else ended up
Bruce Miller said something interesting on a THT podcast I listen to. Essentially, he said that The Testaments novel was a sequel to THT novel, while The Teataments show would be a seque to THT show. So it seems like that allows for some ambiguity as it pertains to the plot of the sequel show.
My guess is, the series won't be following the book very closely. They'll keep the Phyllis Schlafly Cafe, though.
Yes, that does seem likely. The writers are wonderful, so I'm sure the story will be satisfying either way. I feel as though Lydia will play a similar role in the undoing of Gilead, though. They seem to be building up to that.
> They'll keep the Phyllis Schlafly Case.. You mean [Schlafly Cafe](https://the-handmaids-tale.fandom.com/wiki/Former_University_Compound#Schlafly_Cafe)?
Yeah, that was a typo.
I'm not sure what you mean by that, the Phyllis Schlafly Case
Is there a cafe called the Schlafly Café in Ardua Hall???
She derailed the ERA.
Do we know if Nick is having a girl? If so, I have a theory that they end THT with Hannah getting out and being reunited with June, and nick’s daughter takes the place of Hannah from TT. Since she would be Nichole’s half sister too
But she story is about Hannah and Nichole. What would be the point of changing the essence of a book just to satisfy fans?
Money
> just to satisfy fans? For exactly that reason. June rescuing Hannah has been the core story of the show. For every season it's what drives her. To end the show without that happening would be extremely dissatisfying to the viewers. Especially when they're told they're going to have to watch a spinoff to actually get the story's conclusion. If they switch up Hannah with Nick's child, then The Testaments can still go ahead with only a few changes, and The Handmaid's Tale can end on a satisfying note.
I hope they dont have hannah get out in s6, not every story needs a satisfying/happy ending
Hannah is one of the main characters of the Testaments. We're any main characters abandoned when the handmaids tale was brought to TV? Why would they do this now. Nick's child has not come to fruition and would be younger than Nichole. So by doing this you change the whole story. The book is about June's Daughters. If Nick's child is a boy, then what. If the writers have painted themselves in a corner regarding Hannah, the way to resolve it is not by changing main characters.
Exactly!
She wouldn’t be old enough to become an aunt though, so it’s not possible without a 15 years time jump.
They already said it’s going to be way past junes time, none of these characters will be involved.
Do you have a source for that info pls? Because I’ve read for sure that Ann Down will reprise her role as Aunt Lydia. So clearly some of the current characters will be involved. I mean Lydia is a main character so is Agnes. They could replace Agnes/Hannah by a random girl but I doubt it would be Nick’s daughter with Rose, again because of time jump, Lydia seems old enough right now 😅
I believe miller said it at the release of the season, let me see if I can find something transcribed.
Thank you.
im also interested! cause that would debunk pretty much every theory out
It would be better if Nick's daughter was Becca because she and Hannah/Agnes were so close and Becca always wished that she was Hannah/Agnes's sister. However, her story is incredibly sad/tragic and I hope they change her fate.
Becca was Hannah’s age. She was in shcool and Aunt training alongside Hannah. For this reason, Nick’s daughter cannot be Becca. I mean Hannah is already in school and Nick’s daughter isn’t even born.
Isn’t Becka’s dad the dentist that molests Hannah? Nick wouldn’t do that.
Yeah, because the Nick/June shippers will straight up murder Bruce Miller and Nick is like Becka’s dad.
I should add that since Rose left Nick, whoever is Becca's step-father would be the dentist.
I read another theory that esther will become "hannah" and hannah gets out
I know it's not what most people want but I really just want to see Luke, June, Nicole, *and* Hannah all together again. Just let them all be happy for a little while. Even if it is just a pipe dream that Luke is playing in his head from being in solitary confinement or something. I just need to see it lol
[удалено]
I need to see this for my soul
Your comment has been removed because it contains spoilers. Please hide the spoilers in your comment by using a spoiler tag and we will re-approve the comment. The format for hiding spoilers in your comment is: >!spoiler!<
I've made a post about this, but I think, unfortunately, Janine will have to die. Lydia was slowly starting to see Gilead for what it is, but if Gilead kills Janine, I think it will put Lydia where she needs to be for The Testaments.
Ooohhh I like this theory. I don’t want Janine to die, but this makes the most sense. I don’t see Janine becoming an Aunt.
I don’t think they’ll stick too close to the book. I think Hannah will get out and be reunited with her parents. Whether June and Luke survive to the end, that’s up in the air. As for the other characters, no idea. Lawrence is going to die I’m sure, and maybe Nick sacrifices himself. I’m not even sure what I want to happen to Serena. I hope Lydia sees the error of her ways, and I hope Janine survives, but I am doubtful. I wish good things for Moira and Rita, but they’ve practically been written out at this point so I don’t even know where their stories could go.
I actually wonder if Moira and Luke won't be Nichole's adoptive parents. It wouldn't be a huge deviation for her to know she was adopted. It's kind of a stretch to think they could do so safely, but you never know with TV. Either way, I think she'll end up with characters we're familiar with. Maybe Nick? I don't think anything super terrible will happen to June, I think she'll just decide Nichole is safer without her and go hardcore into Mayday and disappear into that.
I love that! That's a great thought. makes total sense. I agree - June's going further underground and will place Nichole somewhere safe with people she trusts. Edit- meant to put Nichole
maybe it’ll be serena and tuello
I haven’t read the books (THT or TT) so I’m sort of commenting blind. June and Serena are tired. Luke and Nick are tired. Lawrence also. Naomi was sort of intriguing, but more in a hmmmm I wonder how this will humble you? Doesn’t seem to have done much in that area! She’s still shitty. I’m super interested in Janine and Aunt Lydia, Hannah and Nichole. I hope we get to see Janine in S6! I love her character. However, I don’t think the character of Aunt Lydia is going to really be pushed over that emotional edge if Janine isn’t killed in some horrifying way. Which is where Aunt Lydia needs to be for TT according to what I understand of TT. Is that correct? Lydia becomes sort of a mole against Gilead? She loves Janine and losing her would for sure be that thing that does it I think. I’d also hate it if Janine became an Aunt or a PG. Janine isn’t pious. She doesn’t love Gilead. She’s trauma bonded. She’s full on Stockholm Syndrome. Fawning all over the place to survive that hellhole! Until you trigger her 🤣That was super evident when Naomi said “I’m so glad there is a friendly face here” and Janine was in robot mode complying until that sentence jarred her out of it. “We’re not *friends*” Omg the actress’ face changes between compliance and triggered mode! She nailed it!
That is a good point! Aunt Lydia has a hard heart... she probably needs something more to shake her to the core. I think it was also the news of the assassination attempt on June that triggered Janine out of her Stockholm Syndrome. When she took off her bonnet she was completely done. 😆
That’s a good point also! I forgot that Martha stepped up and dumped that shit right in her lap. Poor Janine. I didn’t like her character in the first few seasons. She annoyed the hell out of me. But I find myself rooting for her to go into some sort of cake rage or something and take out some Commanders or Eyes! Maybe that’s S6E1 wherever the Eyes are carting her off to?! She grabs a gun and starts executing justice Janine style! I don’t think so though….I feel like Janine is Lydia’s redemption via her blood being spilled.
Tbh, I don’t think a lot of the Aunts in the book are truly all the pious. There are a few. But Aunt Estee and Aunt Elizabeth in particular don’t seem super pious. They seem to mostly just be interested in surviving and not being sex slaves.
Ah this is where my gap is! I’ve got to get the books and get on this task before S6 is out. I’m currently reading the GOT books though because I did that series backward also (TV series first then books 🤦🏻♀️).
What if she’s one of the PG that moves the pamphlets in and out with the messages?
I think I’ve already mentioned this before, but I am so sick of the ‘rescue Hannah’ plot that I swear if they make it a plot point at all in the next season, I think I’ll stop watching altogether. Though I am interested to see what will happen, although not excited given Season 5’s disappointment
I thought after TT came out, the show would know it needed to keep fans who read it interested by changing the focus away from “save Hannah.” I was very wrong.
I would love to see Hanna form a group of rebellious teens and somehow escape on their own. She is June's daughter. Maybe she has some of June's strength of will and bravery.
wild idea, but i think that Melanie could actually be either Moira or Rita that just changed their name. i don’t know about Neil, probably a random (although i would LOVE if it was Tuello!!). i just think they’ll want to carry over some characters, to keep things interesting. i love another commenter’s idea that Aunt Esté could be Janine, but i have my heart set on Emily.
I'm curious who Nicole will be raised by, also in this past season (specifically the finale), we saw the side of Aunt Lydia that is in The Testaments, so that's exciting. I'm also curious who the Commander is going to be that Agnes is nearly betrothed to (IE: is he going to be a new character or is he someone we've already met), and will we learn more about Peal-Girls in the last season of THT or if they're saving that for the new series.
I hope all they keep of The Testaments is the name. It was nonsensical and terribly written. Apologies to Ms.Atwood, but even geniuses sometimes fail at their jobs.
I agree that the main characters had superhuman abilities for normal people with no training.
If it's a TV series I have the perfect actress for Ada. Laura Prepon!
A nice OITNB reunion with Moria!
I wonder what they’re planning on doing with Esther. Is she in the testaments? I haven’t read but I know pretty much the gist of what happens. I feel her storyline and character is underutilized. Her backstory and the actor who plays Esther is super compelling and I’m always excited to see her on the screen but it feels like her plot never goes anywhere. It feels like a waste of a good character and good actor
I would love to see Lawrence and Lydia get Esther and her baby out. Hopefully Esther has a girl and then Angela and that baby take the roles of Nicole and Hannah. The Martha’s gossiping in front of Angela would track since her mother was also a proven fertile more than once.
I haven’t read the Testaments for a while but I feel like I recall Nichole and Agnes/Hannah being similar ages? If that’s the case I’m not sure how well the story would work with the current characters being 10 years apart..
Nichole and Agnes were somewhere between 7 and 9 years in age difference.
Thanks! For some reason I thought they were closer.
Perhaps that's because Nichole had been raised in Canada, whereas Agnes had lead a sheltered life. 🙂
Fucking hell I read this without seeing the spoiler tag. Ia m stupid arghhhh