If there was one left-field TV hit of 2017, it was Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale. The dystopian drama, based off the Margaret Atwood novel of the same name, instantly became a hit when its first three episodes debuted on the streaming service. Anticipation for Season 2 has been at an all time high after its myriad Emmy wins, and it's just a few short weeks away from finally arriving. Fans of The Handmaid's Tale will be thrilled know this, as the show's first season left a ton of questions up in the air. Here are the 8 biggest questions (in no particular order) that have got to be answered during Season 2.
What Happened To Offred?
First and foremost, The Handmaid's Tale is going to need to answer the major cliffhanger that its Season 1 finale left us on. The final moments of the season saw Offred/June (Elisabeth Moss) taken into a black van toward an unknown destination. While one would assume that the protagonist's various indiscretions and Gilead rule breaking would result in death or violence, Nick assured her that everything would be fine. This was particularly puzzling, especially as the show's Season 2 trailer shows Offred covered in blood, and seemingly on trial. Whatever happens to her, it's clear that Season 2 is about to expand the world of the series quite a bit. Although since June is seemingly pregnant, she may also have some good fortune and protection coming her way.
How Will Aunt Lydia Get Revenge?
The Handmaid's Tale Season 1 finale was emotional and harrowing, but there were brief moments of hope. When the Handmaids were summoned for a Salvaging ceremony, things took a turn when it was revealed that they were required to stone Janine to death. After Ofglen #2 gets beaten for refusing, Offred and the rest of the girls drop their stones and apologize to Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). Lydia ultimately saved their lives from the guards, but she makes it clear they will be punished for disobeying her wishes. The question is: how? We're shown brief clips of a gallows and new black robes for the Handmaids in the trailer, so it's anyone's guess.
What's The Deal With Nick?
While The Handmaid's Tale is a show full of untrustworthy characters, no series regular is quite as mysterious as Nick (Max Minghella). Nick is an Eye, sent to work for The Waterfords and therefore spy on The Commander and his household. Nick has been privy to Fred's various missteps, and also obliged when Serena Joy secretly planned for Offred to get pregnant by him. This should put the powerful couple in danger, but they haven't seen any repercussions yet. With Nick having his own secret relationship with June and their baby, it's unclear where his loyalties lie. Is he actually a member of Mayday? Hopefully these answers come sooner rather than later.
What's Ofglen's Fate?
Aside from the show's protagonist, the fan favorite of The Handmaid's Tale Season 1 was Ofglen/Ofsteven/Emily. Played by Gilmore Girls alum Alexis Bledel, Ofglen was one of the strongest Handmaids, and introduced Offred to Mayday and the underground system of passing information by the Handmaids. Season 1 saw Ofglen's lover killed before her eyes, while also suffering mutilation as punishment for being a lesbian. She ultimately fought back by hijacking a car and killing a guard, but she was never seen from again. The first clips from Season 2 reveal that she's been sent to the Colonies, but The Handmaid's Tale definitely needs to fill in the blanks for the audience.
Are The Waterfords Screwed?
Much of The Handmaid's Tale is set within the Waterford's home, as Offred attempts to navigate the Gilead way of life. Fred and Serena Joy both break rules throughout the first season, although The Commander is far more guilty than his wife. Since Nick is an Eye, one has to assume that he'll eventually report them. But he's certainly took his sweet time doing this, and both Serena Joy and Fred are featured in the Season 2 trailer. Regardless, the fake idyllic little family they established has likely been demolished, as the truth about Offred's relationship with The Commander is sure to come to the light. Once the secrets are out, peace within the home likely won't be reestablished.
WTF Is Mayday?
While The Handmaid's Tale is a fascinating TV series and novel, it's not exactly forthcoming with information. One of the more mysterious aspects of the series is the rebellion group known as Mayday. Both Ofglen and Alma seem to be members, but we still don't know much about how information and goods are passed, as well as how powerful they actually are. But since June now knows that both her husband and child are alive, she'll likely do whatever she can in order to fight back and eventually be reunited with her family. She's going to need all the help she can get, so hopefully Offred will get her official introduction into Mayday soon.
Can Ofglen and Janine Survive The Colonies?
One of the new settings of The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 is The Colonies. This place was mentioned quite a bit in Season 1, and is described as a toxic wasteland where Gilead sends its most undesirable members. The new trailer revealed that both Ofglen and Janine have been sent there due to their crimes in Season 1, which isn't a good sign for the fan favorites. Everything we've heard is that people die after a few months of exposure to the radiation, so they're going to have to think of something quick in order to survive their current predicament. Suddenly ceremony day doesn't seem quite as bad.
Can Rita Be Trusted With The Letters?
Offred's first mission for Mayday involved getting a package from Moira at Jezebels. Ultimately her best friend delivers before escaping, and Offred opened the package to reveal letters from those being enslaved in Gilead. Before she was taken into the Black Van in the finale, she told the house's Martha Lydia where to find them in her room. Lydia's true loyalty is another mystery of the show, as she's been shown being both kind and cold to Offred throughout the show's first season. Did she hide them for Mayday, or give them up when the authorities came knocking? We're just going to have to wait and see, but it's clear that Rita is going to become a much larger role in the show' second season.
The Handmaid's Tale will return to Hulu on Wednesday, April 25th, at 12:01 a.m. PT. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list and our summer premiere schedule to plan your next binge watch.
