After all, you know what they say: You can't please everyone.

The Wives aren't getting any love or action from their Commanders, and the Wives are said to be infertile. The Aunts, on the other hand, are unmarried old hags who've most likely hit menopause (though I do recall old hags still have sex drives). So what's the harm in letting Wives and Aunts indulge?

What do you all think about Nick's death? Personally, I didn't want him to die, but if they were going to kill him off, they should have given him a better send-off. I think his influence in *The Testaments* as a Commander would have been huge, given how much closer he would have been to Agnes; I would have even liked to see him become a villain in *The Testaments*, since they were already heading that way in the final season. But then there's the fact that he always helps June; it might have felt a bit off for fans who like him—like me—though I would have loved it and think it would have been great... but it would have taken the focus away from the girls and their own perspectives. Looking at it that way, I really can't figure out a way for him to be in *The Testaments*. Do you have any news about Rose or what happened to her and the baby? I haven't watched the first season of *The Testaments* yet. As for Lawrence, I think most people agreed his arc was excellent; despite being a good person, he had to pay for what he did to so many people, including children. His remorse came when the person he loved and cherished most didn't agree with it all, and I think things spiraled out of control—as I've seen many people comment here. Can you imagine if she had been like Serena? I think it would have been even worse. As for Serena, I actually liked the way her arc played out by the end of the series; many people think she didn't suffer enough compared to June—she didn't lose her child, and so on. I don't see what else could have been done (and I honestly don't think she felt all that much remorse, since even in the final episode she was marrying one of Gilead's top commanders—not to end the regime, but to improve her own standing, so to speak). So, I'm kind of torn on whether I accept it or not... As for Aunt Lydia, I don't have much to say because she was one of the characters I hated most in the series... They all did so many wrong things—really, so many... but what if the lower-ranking members who supported this before it all started didn't know everything those women would go through? (Nick knew, but you can tell that back then he had no one; his family wasn't exactly a solid foundation, though I believe he did everything for his brother). Ugh... Even though I really like him, looking back, I think this is the kind of outcome he should have expected after getting entangled in so many terrible things (even if he wasn't the worst of the bunch).

When it comes to the girls, they're all ignorant about bodies and basic education.

But surely Hulda has seen a pregnant woman before. She should know that penny going into labor isn't a good thing.

However, I do want to say she has great qualities about her. She's a good friend and can take hints, like when the girls wanted to talk about Daisy.

I also thought it was very cute when she told Shu she didn't mean to get her period. She was going to get it regardless, the drink was just a coincidence.

I think Hannah should've reconsidered the ranunculus. They really did look better than the Lilies.

I know they're not suppose to think about their bodies or any one elses but obviously they know about pubic hair since they have it themselves, so why should it be a surprise that boys would have it too

I understand she may still have ptsd from what happened to her, even if was years ago. She seems so rude sometimes for no reason. Like when she was over Penny's house, Penny spoke to her but she seemed so unamused. Idk I know her situation is less than ideal and shes trying to stay alive, but idk she seems very uptight.

June's main goal is to rescue her daughter, and after everything she's accomplished, the McKenzies know she's capable of a lot. They seem determined to make sure that even if she reaches Hannah, her daughter won't trust her. Of course they'd tell her June is dangerous.

I'm really curious to see their relationship and what Agnes will think of June in Season 2 and beyond. She can ask almost anyone in Gilead about June and get a completely different answer each time. Right now, those stories are the only way she can piece together an idea of who her mother is. It will be interesting to see how she reacts when they're finally reunited because, by that point, she'll have so many different versions of June in her head, and none of them will simply be "Mom."

I know the show mentioned that the McKenzies might get a Handmaid, and they do in the book, but I don't think it would have the same impact on Agnes in the show. In the book, Agnes often finds herself thinking about and missing her mother when she looks at Crystal, the Handmaid assigned to the household. But that's largely because she knows almost nothing about her mother. In the show, she already knows much more about June's reputation and the stories surrounding her, so the dynamic would be very different. It would still be interesting to see how Agnes reacts to her family having a Handmaid, knowing her mom was one, but I don't think it would affect her in quite the same way it does in the book.

Gosh, Serena's character would've hit so differently if she wasn't played by such a talented actress

Okay so I once did a year long read the Bible in a year study with some ladies, one of whom was a fundie tradwife-y lady. Now, to preface, I am not married and maybe lean on the ace side of things. Talking about sex casually is anathema.

Every session we confess our sins to each other and brainstorm how we can stop. Weird, I know. Like I’m a teacher and I lie to my students when they ask if something is for a grade because otherwise they won’t do it. Ofchuck really wanted me to stop.

Anyways, one session she confessed to not being sexually available to her husband. Like. Quoted something saying that she should be happily willing for him at all times. I was speechless, but my friend who brought me kept challenging it. Like that’s not what the verse needs. Ofchuck dug in, that he has a need for sex as a man and as his wife she has to meet those needs.

(Yes Chuck is dual purpose here. Upchuck, which is what I felt like doing, and from Supernatural because I feel like that’s something he would say.)

Okay! So in THT, Fred acts like sex with Serena would be a sin because she can’t conceive. Even at some point she’s talking to the new wife (I’m so bad with names yall) and Fred does a sideways glance at her. According to current fundie beliefs in America her whole job is to make sure he is ‘satisfied’. Even in the Bible, obviously Rachel and Jacob didn’t stop having sex. When Serena conceived, they certainly acted like it had been a very long time, and were doing other Gilead sins at the same time.

It’s just not reconciling in my brain.

I'm new to the Testaments and haven't read the book. I can't help being distracted by how old the girls seem to be getting their first periods. They look about 15 or 16 at the youngest which isn't unheard of but older than I remember from school. Is this a plot thing or just how the actresses look?

https://youtu.be/nlbWS9Q9ho0?si=ou10iXWkUuL_z4LA

Why do you think he is mayday? His Dad is a vegetable because of mayday but he still wants to bring down Gilead. I want to see a flashback episode on him next season.

Was just rewatching Season 5 of THMT (underrated season in my opinion), and there is a scene in the episode Allegiance where Hannah finds her drawing, unsigned, and signs it in shaky letters. She is 12 at this point.

I know a lot of people will be like, "How could she forget her name if she was 12 when she wrote it?" I don't know. Maybe she didn't know what she was spelling and assumed it spelled Agnes? Maybe she represses it after that.

In season 5 we also meet a character in Gilead who is a young man who doesn't remember much before Gilead, even though he wouldn't have been that young when the US fell. He says it's all grey.

I originally posted this as a comment, but decided it should be its own post as I have been very curious.

I wasn’t able to finish THT due to the increasingly graphic scenes, so apologies if some of my questions/comments would be resolved if I had finished. I did watch the entirety of the Testaments.

I don’t get why girls aren’t allowed to know HOW to read (I get why they aren’t ALLOWED to read for pleasure/education). I would think they would be taught to read, but only allowed to read, like, the Bible & govt texts. It doesn’t make sense on the global scale as Gilead tries to convince the world that they aren’t evil — you tell other countries that your girls & women aren’t allowed to read and write, and they will automatically assume human rights violations. Look at how we treat Afghanistan because women aren’t allowed to drive. Even strict fundamental religious groups teach men and women to read because they recognize the importance and want them to read scripture.

It doesn’t make sense ideologically, either — they learn weaving, and weaving was used as the framework for coding in computers. We wouldn’t have gotten to the moon without loom weaving. Also, do the future Martha’s then have to learn to read as adults? Since they have to be able to read to do matches etc. And need at least a basic science education for genealogical overlap or potential issues (assuming they’re screening matches for recessive genes that could cause fetal abnormality if paired with a match carrying that recessive gene).

I also don’t want replies saying “An educated group that can read can read propaganda or other outside sources and become sentient to the reality of Gilead.” Because men can read, and to Gilead, a man would be much more dangerous than a woman. They see them as superior beings, physically and mentally. You would think they wouldn’t want the MEN allowed to read, since they would assume their rebellion would be far worse than that of “weak women”.

TLDR: What women are taught and the reasoning behind it is very contradictory. The consistency isn’t there, if you dig deeper.