'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 1 Episode 6: A Guest Puts Offred in a Tight Spot Between Rebellion and a Lie
Gilead is welcoming a very important group of visitors on the next episode of Hulu's hit dystopian series "The Handmaid's Tale." What changes, if any at all, will this visit stir up in the lives, if not the hearts, of Handmaids like Offred (Elisabeth Moss), who has already begun entertaining the notions of fighting back in their own little ways?
According to the official synopsis for the upcoming episode titled "A Woman's Place," a Mexican Ambassador comes to Gilead and takes the chance to ask Offred about her life as a Handmaid. What questions will she be asking? Will Offred be able to answer them honestly without endangering herself or putting her Commander (Joseph Fiennes) and her Mistress (Yvonne Strahovski) to shame?
The official trailer further reveals that this Ambassador is actually part of a trade delegation from Mexico, and Elites and Handmaids alike are expected to be on their best behaviors. Serena Joy especially warns Offred to make the best possible impression, since they need to be able to make significant progress in trade through this visit, otherwise their currency will fall.
One particular scene shows the Ambassador asking Offred about her "sacred position" and if she chose to be a Handmaid in the first place. How can Offred ever hope to provide an answer when the right answer may be the wrong one, and the wrong one can make matters worse? Will the rebellion she showed at the end of the previous episode, wherein she went to be intimate with the Eliter's driver Nick (Max Minghella) without her mistress' knowledge, drive her to say what's truly on her mind despite not knowing where this could take her?
Her fellow Handmaid, Ofsteven, formerly Ofglen (Alexis Bledel), has just committed the worst possible act of rebellion by driving off on a government-issued car and running over one of the guards who tried to stop her.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bledel shared that she believed she would be in season 2, but that she was still not sure what exactly has happened to her character.
"She's taken away, and you're left wondering where she has gone. You can only assume the worst at this point," Bledel said.
"The Handmaid's Tale" season 1 episode 6 will debut on Wednesday, May 17, on Hulu.