The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 returned Wednesday with a two-episode season premiere, and the body count may already be rising. By the end of Season 5, Episode 2, the fate of two beloved characters was left hanging in limbo, leaving fans wondering if they will survive. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2.
While much of the first two episodes of the season centered in Canada and focused on the aftermath of Commander Fred Waterford’s murder at the hands of June and other former handmaids, the storyline in the totalitarian patriarchal theocracy Gilead continued. Despite the rising rebellion and amid arrangements for Fred’s funeral, life in Gilead continued as normal, an existence that ultimately left both Janine (Madeline Brewer) and Esther (McKenna Grace) fighting for their lives.
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After being arrested in Season 4 for harboring escaped handmaids and assisting in the poisoning of Commanders at a nearby Jezebel’s with nightshade, which she also used to poison her husband, Esther begins Season 5 by preparing for her first official posting as a handmaid. Deemed ready to take on the duty by Aunt Lydia after receiving guidance from Janine, who has since taken on more of a leadership role among her fellow handmaids, Esther is assigned to be Commander Warren Putnam and his wife Naomi Putnam’s handmaid, a role Janine previously fulfilled before giving birth to her daughter Angela. Despite her unwillingness to be subjected to the cruel ways of Gilead, Esther has no choice but to go along with it, and she is officially introduced to the Putnam’s as arrangements for Fred’s funeral begin and just a day before her posting officially begins.
But the end of the episode, however, it becomes clear that Esther isn’t willing to comply with Gilead’s ways. After returning to the Red Center at the end of the episode, Esther and Janine enjoy a moment together, with Esther offering Janine chocolates as they discuss her upcoming posting. Although Janine encourages Esther to get pregnant faster because it makes things easier, Esther has other plans, and they don’t involve being a handmaid. As Esther tells Janine how ashamed June would be of her and how she is no different from Aunt Lydia, she promises that they will make June proud. It is soon revealed that Esther poisoned the chocolates, and the episode ends with both Esther and Janine collapsing and coughing up blood.
Anyone who has watched The Handmaid’s Tale knows that Janine is no stranger to tragic and near-fatal experiences. Her rebellious nature early on in the show led to her being punished by having her eye removed. In later episodes, and after giving birth to her daughter, she attempted suicide, only to be saved by June. In Season 4, she was left behind by June following the bombing in Chicago. According to previous statements from Brewer, Janine may not be so lucky this time around.
“As per usual, Janine is a cat with nine lives. And if you’ve been watching the show, you know she used up several of them already. And I’m going to just say this season is no exception to that,” Brewer told Entertainment Weekly in May, adding that Season 5 is “wild. It’s a little wild. I truly don’t know how to describe it… I mean, we’re so much out of Gilead. And everyone is experiencing things that they have not yet experienced. Everyone’s going through a transformative period.”
Fans will ultimately have to wait to see if Janine and Esther survive. New episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale drop on Hulu on Wednesdays. Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for the latest streaming news!
