Elisabeth Moss returns as June, appearing alongside Cherry Jones, who plays her mother Holly, in the first episode of The Handmaid’s Tale season six. (Photo credit: Disney)
The sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale begins with a big question: What happens to June and Serena after they board the train? The answer comes fast in the premiere’s first three episodes, as both women head down very different roads once again.
Serena, played by Yvonne Strahovski, jumps off the train with her baby. She tries to escape a furious group of Gilead refugee women who want revenge. She eventually finds her way back to Gilead through New Bethlehem, a new community led by Commander Lawrence. He wants her help in bringing back more refugees. In New Bethlehem, Serena puts on a new purple outfit and finds a new ally—Commander Wharton. He’s powerful and interested in both her ideas and her influence. Serena, always drawn to power, starts to settle into this new role with confidence.
June, played by Elisabeth Moss, makes it safely to Alaska. There, she reunites with her mother, Holly, played by Cherry Jones. Their reunion brings a moment of relief. It reminds viewers what June is fighting for—especially her daughter Hannah, who’s still stuck in Gilead. But June doesn’t rest for long. She quickly joins a mission to rescue her husband Luke and best friend Moira, who are trapped in No Man’s Land, a dangerous area between Gilead and Canada.
June asks Nick, now a High Commander, for help. He agrees. June leaves her baby, now called Holly, with her mother and joins the rescue. The mission succeeds. Luke, Moira, and June reunite with Nick, which leads to an emotional moment. Nick and June say goodbye again, but this time, they agree—it’s not forever.
Janine, a fan-favorite character, also appears in the third episode. Now forced to live as a Jezebel, she confronts Aunt Lydia. Lydia clearly cares for Janine and is shaken by what she sees. This moment begins to change Lydia’s thinking. It makes her question what Gilead truly stands for. It’s one more step in her slow journey toward seeing the system’s cruelty for what it is.
Behind the scenes, Elisabeth Moss directed the first two episodes while balancing her real-life role as a mother. She even had her child on set during the emotional mother-daughter scenes. The creators say this season will show each character’s true self, including Serena’s unshakable belief that her role in Gilead was just and necessary. Even though she had a chance to ask for forgiveness, she still believes her actions were right.
June’s relationship with Nick also takes center stage. The two share a deep connection built in Gilead during times of pain. But June also loves Luke, who stood by her for years. The creators admit that June might be blind to the truth about Nick—he’s still a commander in a brutal regime. That fact complicates their bond.
As the season unfolds, each character faces new challenges. Old choices return to test them, and everyone must decide who they truly are in a world still shaped by fear, control, and hope for freedom.
