EW breaks down the season 4 premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale, episodes 1-3.
June is a rebellious handmaid who disrupts the status quo.
June was shot during the mission but saved by fellow handmaids.
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Once there, while June recovers, the handmaids settle into life on the farm, disguised as Marthas.
The farm belongs to the frail Commander Keyes and his strange 14-year-old bride, Mrs. Esther Keyes.
The young Mrs. Keyes is ecstatic to meet June but disturbingly mentions having dreamt of killing people alongside her.
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Heartbroken, June comforts her, beginning a tenuous mother-daughter-punch in bond.
They need to decide what to do; he could identify them and turn them in.
When it’s over, Mrs. Keyes curls up next to June in bed.
Elisabeth Moss in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’.hulu
Gilead guardians soon come looking for the man, and the handmaids realize they need a new safe house.
Soon after, June asks why there are so many commanders at the house.
The woman says they’re partying before a pending military move in Chicago.
June becomes fixated on liberating the Jezebel women; she just can’t figure out how to do it.
Mrs. Keyes only doses him enough to incapacitate him, but it can be lethal.
June leaves triumphantly, but when she returns to the farm, there are no handmaids around.
David is shot dead as they approach the house.
Out of the shadows to coax June’s surrender steps Nick (Max Minghella).
Mark, the Canadian diplomat dealing with the Waterfords, says Gilead destroyed the children’s homes long ago.
Then Mark reveals June spearheaded the rescue but is still at large in Gilead.
The Waterfords seem almost concerned for June, though it might just be shock, or even shame.
Later, Serena gets a routine medical exam.
But Serena rejects that strategy; she doesn’t consider Fred abusive.
Fred is initially tender toward Serena.
Will this make her soften again to Fred, or will it further harden her against him?
Later, Moira visits a rescued boy, Asher, who misses his Gilead home and “parents.”
Gilead must have separated them long ago.
Emily notes June probably didn’t consider that, and Moira says June never thinks of consequences.
Emily feels similarly, much like Rita.
Everyone is haunted by Gilead and June.
Moira then brings Rita to Asher/James.
Lydia’s insulted but maintains her composure.
She says justice will be served once June is hanging on the wall.
Lydia takes a dig at Gilead for not capturing June and takes her leave.
Nick arrives at his cell to thank him for his service to Gilead.
Lawrence thinks he’s been sentenced to death, but Nick doesn’t say anything else.
He gets a shave and a new home… the man with almost as many lives as June.
Then word reaches Canada about June’s capture.
He thinks maybe she doesn’t want to be saved.
He does, however, eventually bury a persimmon in the yard for her.
He’s clearly still desperately hoping she’ll survive.
June’s torture
Meanwhile, upon her capture, June is taken to a dark cell.
There, Aunt Lydia smacks her and berates her for taking those children from their “parents.”
After a while, Lydia rejoins June.
Angered, Lydia lashes out before calling the guards back.
Soon, June pretends to break, claiming the handmaids are at a library in Vermont.
She doesn’t and watches them get pushed off the building to their deaths.
Devastated, she’s then returned to her cell and put in a small box.
Soon after, June is forced to dine with Lawrence.
From him, she learns her Jezebel efforts hospitalized nine commanders and killed six.
Then, Lawrence says if she doesn’t give up the handmaids, Gilead will hurt her daughter.
Hannah is, however, afraid of June when she sees her.
Defeated and fearing for Hannah’s safety, June gives up the handmaids' location.
He says Hannah is home safe and apologizes for his part in everything.
She breaks down about Hannah being afraid of her and allows Nick to comfort her.
They then share a passionate kiss goodbye that Nick does not deserve.
Soon June is in the truck with the other handmaids heading to the colony.
When they are forced to stop at a railroad crossing, the driver conveniently takes a bathroom break.
June and the handmaids collectively telepath a decision; June jumps Lydia while the others fire up the door.
But June lingers, tempted to strike Lydia.
Alma snaps her out of it, June jumps, and they take off running.
But the guard returns to the scene and starts shooting.
He hits a couple of girls but June and Janine make it across the tracks.
June forces Janine to keep running.
Then comes a voiceover and an apparent flashback to when the handmaids were together before their first commander assignments.
She recites the names of the handmaids: Sarah.
From seven to two.
(Personally, I’ll begrudge June for Alma’s death, forever).
Regardless, June lives to fight another day.
