Ok. Let me start off by saying, this episode was bullshit. That said, there is tremendous promise here.
Aunt Lydia's backstory lacked delivery, but there was much said between the lines. Her story suggested that she is self hating, small, and incredibly selfish; her self hatred is reinforced as well as covered by not only her religion, but her background in law. Her view of the world and others is exactly the same as her view of herself, absolutely black or white, and nothing inbetween. Her self hatred, and her inability to accept genuine love is exactly what makes her the perfect Aunt. This is what her backstory meant to portray. We were never meant to sympathize with her.
Then there's June. I'll admit that her actions made her seem like the bitch head cheerleader making hell for a loser teen. However I think this was supposed to demonstrate that the other handmaids have absolute respect for June, like she were a big bad mob boss, but all they had access to in their arsenal was passive aggression and exclusion. It came off awkward, but I think it was supposed to.
What worries me, though, is June's psychotic decent. This is where all of her erratic, questionable, insane decision making up to this point has the potential to mean nothing. Her conversation with Lawrence was empty, the joy that she got watching ofmatthew's torment was toxic, and her demeanor in that last scene seemed almost intoxicated. This is the first time that Ive ever been disgusted with June, but I can't help but feel that it was intentional. Is she devolving into corruption, or is she escalating into her hubris? Is Gilead's toxicity turning her into exactly what she hates? Or is her pride just blinding her until life knocks her on her ass and she is humbled. I think this episode is just one small piece of a bigger puzzle to come. June is shocking us like she always does. But I am nervous, because this could make or break the show.
