Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of The Handmaid's Tale, "Promotion."
It's hard to believe it, but we're almost done with The Handmaid's Tale's run on television. The Emmy-winning drama (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) is in its sixth and final season, and the tension is really building. But after the most recent episode featuring New Bethlehem I'm seriously worried about Rita's fate on the show.
While folks figure out how to watch The Handmaid's Tale Season 6, hardcore fans like myself are looking forward to the series finale. This season has put a focus on New Bethlehem, which is presented as a more forgiving Gilead and a safe place for refugees. In Episode 4, Amanda Brugel's character confirmed she was staying until she got her family out of Gilead, and I immediately got a pit in my stomach.
The public is very emotionally invested in The Handmaid's Tale, and Rita is one of the most beloved figures from the dystopian drama. Fans were thrilled when she escaped Gilead during Angel's Flight, and were satisfied when she finally stood up to Serena Joy and Fred Waterford. But now that she's back in the fictional country, I'm very concerned about her safety.
When Rita reunited with Nick in New Bethlehem, she revealed she was staying until she got her family back... even if took years. It looks like she'll be in that location for most of the final season, but what's going to happen to the community if/when the citizens of Gilead begin rising up? I doubt that the full cast of principal characters is going to survive Season 6, so this character's particular location within the story is likely giving other fans reason to pause as well.
As precarious as Rita's fate appears to be from my end, it was really satisfying to see her finally reunited with her sister. She mentions her sibling early into the run of The Handmaid's Tale, as well as having a nephew. When the former Martha is safe in Canada during Season 4, she mentions that she's been searching for her sister, hoping she was also a refugee.
Ultimately it looks like her sister was made into an Econowife in Gilead, and has remained in the country in the years that have passed since Rita's escape. She asks Nick for helping finding the rest of her family and bringing them to New Bethlehem, which he says has the potential to take years.
I remain worried about Rita, but I am excited about the narrative possibilities of putting her and Serena Joy in the same location. The dynamics of their relationship are fascinating, and maybe they'll end up on the same side of history together. Only time will tell.
New episodes of The Handmaid's Tale airs Tuesdays on Hulu as part of the 2025 TV schedule. Luckily for those who don't want to say goodbye, a spinoff The Testaments is also in development.
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