Umbelina

I'll be happy to answer you in the Testaments or Book answers thread. Or PM me. Agree about Fred, what was up with that "Geneva" line though? I'd prefer Gilead execute him, it would be such poetic justice. I doubt he'll live that long though. June killing him, or in a conspiracy to kill him is also poetic justice. I don't think it would be quite as satisfying to me as Gilead doing it though.

Oh man, I think it's been a fantastic storyline! Honestly everything to do with Fred and Serena have been my favorite parts of several episodes. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" Everything with Rita. The trial. Fred and Serena negotiating for their mutual benefit. The visits from that odious couple bringing back all the memories of June saving Janine from that bridge, and the wife mistreating Angela/Charlotte. I've loved every scene. I can't think of a single one that didn't move the story forward, and greatly add to characters. I don't think Lydia has that power, at least not right now. She's on shaky ground herself. My guess is that both Janine and Esther will be assigned as handmaids, but she will probably try to find the kindest, most impotent Commander for Janine. Or Lawrence? Fred will be "free" to choose his own destiny. I can't see it ending well, or think of a single place he might be completely safe. I seriously doubt Serena would agree to return to Gilead again, ever. She's a monster but not a fool. They can't very well prosecute her if they don't prosecute Fred. Which is why I doubt Serena would ever return. Colonies, or handmaid, or hung on a wall are her only future in Gilead, besides she seems to be writing a book, and has actual "fans" in Canada. Fred can't tell her what to do anymore either.

Ditto, but I can't tell if it's just this show, or an issue with HULU?

Again, not "a high level" but THE highest level in that area. Anyway, obviously he wasn't in Toronto, and I was just trying to fan wank a few of several ways/reasons he was there. As I said, the satphone and Lawrence is more interesting to me. ETA Chicago area has been continuously at war since the first season, mentioned throughout the show. Florida is "in and out" of control, etc. I seriously doubt one bombing raid eliminated the Chicago area revolution. ETA again This show loves it's flashbacks, we may find out Nick got in trouble, or see the whole thing later anyway.

I don't think so. This is an active war zone, and Nick's in charge, probably of who is at the border stations as well. He answers to people, but I seriously doubt he's required to account for every minute of every day. They just want good war numbers back in Gilead proper. They don't want to know where he had lunch, or have him clock hours in and out. We don't know that this was near Toronto either, June drove a long way, had a short meeting, and returned to Luke after dark. Off the top of my head? Nick just took a day off. Or Nick said he was meeting with relief organizations to "calm things down" so off for a short trip to Canada. Or he wanted to inspect the front, but then crossed it, out of sight of anyone but Canadian or CIA people. There are just so many ways to do this, some could have been interesting, but most probably boring. Boring is usually more effective with spy crap. Maybe they met around Chatham-Kent, 3 hours for her, under 6 for him. Then again, I doubt his personal headquarters is directly in Chicago anyway, a safe distance perhaps? Then again, he might have been out inspecting border patrols, and a few minutes later, he'd be in Canada. Anyway, all possibilities. I would like to know how the stuff with Lawrence happened. Also, what side is that dude really on?

Nick reports to "higher ups" but they are far away. He's in an active war zone. His rank there is like a 2 star general. He runs the entire show. I'm trying to imagine a border guard asking for Patton's papers, or questioning why or where he was going. Either way, he's an Eye as well, so he probably has more leeway and skills than anyone in that area, along with his power. Should the show have gone into all of that? Maybe. I would have enjoyed it, but others may have been bored. I kind of like the fast pace we are hitting now though. As we've seen with Janine giving blow jobs to Warren and the crowded Jezebels facilities around the country? Not many of the commanders are law abiding. I think Nick's "be happy" to June was about him. He's doing the same. Trying to "be happy." It's also not about them checking as much as it would be about his 14 year old wife not having a breakdown, as Eden had.

If you'd like tons of details about that? You would probably enjoy Margaret Atwoods sequel book, The Testaments. I really doubt he'll make that mistake again. He was devastated about Eden.

Love all of these! I'm bad with titles too, maybe someone can fix this one into something good? "WOMEN DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!" Then in smaller print lower something like "In Gilead no woman may read" Yeah, that second line sucks, but I kind of like the caps beginning.

You don't get a handmaid when you get a wife. A handmaid only comes into your house if your wife has been proven barren over many years.

Not long. I think Janine above anyone there, knows that living is worth it, because escape IS possible. Mostly though, she didn't want Esther maimed, to lose her tongue, or an eye. Esther's acting just like Janine acted before Lydia removed her eye. Staying whole, staying alive, is something most people don't give up on. Sure, some commit suicide, but Janine knows more now than any handmaid there. There is always hope for escape, or for Gilead to fall.

True. I expect a lot of econowives are being accused of one thing or another and made into handmaids by now, their children given away.

Yup, she's our first. Not proven unfertile yet. The way Serena was talking, perhaps it's happened before as well.

Oops, you are right! Grey on the show, and with the dark lighting I was assuming blue. Sorry! He will have a wife in blue now, as a commander. I'm sure they are trying to have a baby, look what happened to his other wife when he didn't. Wives don't become handmaids if they don't reproduce, they get a handmaid, if they do reproduce, the husband gets promoted. I don't think we've seen a wife ever become a handmaid, book or show. That one wife that "sinned" was sent to the colonies, not made a handmaid, then again, she was barren.

I'm trying to think of any place in the world Fred, now penniless, could go and be safe? He'd want to take Serena as well. I can't imagine Europe wants him. He can't go the the USA, they will try him for complicity in the murder of all the USA elected and appointed murders. Assassinations really, and treason in overthrowing THEIR government. Maybe in hiding in Canada? Hell, now that they have the information they want, why would they? Where're you going to try to go Fred?

I doubt that in the cold light of day June's going to still want to kill Tuello. I bet she'll want to kill Fred though, and she has friends in that support group. Mayday has to be in Canada too, wonder if we will meet up with any?

He's a commander now. He'll be given years to reproduce with his wife before being assigned a handmaid. He was a driver on a commander track, he probably got a similar wife this time. She wore blue, not stripes, so no, not an econowife. ETA, not true, she was wearing grey, so an econowife, had they stayed married though, her outfit would become blue when Nick was promoted to commander.

I doubt they'd be any safer in Alaska or Hawaii. AT ALL. They overthrew the US government, and were complicit in conspiracy to murder them all. Charges would be fast and furious there. Yeah, at least Fred is a dead man walking. Serena, once she gives birth? Probably the same, unless she writes a hell of a book.

That's exactly what I thought of, his missing hand, and that resentment. I laughed at "thoughts and prayers" which basically means "we're not going to do a damn thing about it." That makes me wonder, did Putnam's anger prompt him to make a huge mistake? He's already disgruntled, "old war horses like us are being replaced now" and all of that. He did just screw Gilead there after all. He's offered Fred a deal from the beginning, the trial was just a way to FORCE him into dealing, since he wouldn't do it voluntarily.

Fred got his deal. He's free now.

He threw out a line to Serena, and eventually she bit. Flirting was involved. Then he upped the ante. THEN he found out Serena committed crimes too. Fred wouldn't have bit, Fred was full of himself in Canada, and any fool, let alone a spy, would know he wouldn't bite.

That's why the Gilead guy complimented Fred for keeping his mouth shut. We've seen several scenes of Tuello trying to get Fred to talk.

They did. Fred refused to cooperate, and has ever since. Until that little visit from Gilead. ETA, as soon as Serena tricked Fred into being in US custody, they offered Fred a deal.

The plan was ALWAYS to get Serena to turn over Fred.