“It’s a shame if we get cheated once, but if we get cheated again and again, then it’s probably our fault.” With this thought, I again jumped into the new season of The Handmaid’s Tale. The first episode raised hopes that maybe this time June and Serena’s characters will get some new form. But by the end of the second episode, both the characters again seemed to return to the same place from where they had never come out.
The same old cycle of Serena and June
Serena Joy’s journey is the same every time – fighting against patriarchy, then becoming a part of it. How many more times will Serena have to cut her fingers to understand that there is no place for women in this system? Maybe ten times. And June? Every time the same angry gaze, the same painful smile and finally approaching death – when will this cycle stop?
Exile: An emotional but repetitive episode
“Exile” is technically brilliant – glimpses of old seasons, effective parallels – but still we return to the same worn-out ground. On one side is June Osborn, who has repeatedly fled Gilead, and on the other is Serena, who once designed the system that is now swallowing her up.
Serena’s new face in Canaan, but the same ideas
When Serena arrives in “Canaan,” a female-dominated community and calls herself “Rachel,” she thinks she can change. But when the leader Abigail shows her her true colors, Serena is once again lost in dreams of Gilead Lite – the same patriarchal system, just with a softer mask.
June’s return: Even the peace is uneasy
June, now with her mother in Alaska, finds peace for a moment. But that peace doesn’t last long. When she learns that Luke is now with Mayday, she decides to return to the movement. She leaves her daughter Nicole behind – once again.
Nick and Luke’s love triangle
Now a love triangle has been added to the story – both Nick and Luke are close to June, but who will stay with her in the end? Or maybe no one? With both characters heading towards a ‘heroic death’, it seems one of them will have to exit the story.
Motherhood vs Mission: Confused between right and wrong
Both June and Serena want to be “mothers” in their own way. But the question is, are they really fighting for motherhood or do they no longer remember any other way to live? Alaska could have been a safe place for June, but she jumps into the fight again.
Conclusion: Wanting change, but back in the same direction
“Exile” pulls back the new beginning seen in the first episode. June and Serena once again jump into the same war they have tried to get out of time and again. They are brave, fierce, but afraid of change.
Is this a story of true motherhood or the habit of not giving up?
When June tells her mother that she will not remove her ear tag until all the maids are free, she feels it is a resolution. But the question is, is this struggle now a fight for truth or just a habit?
Surendra Bareth is a versatile actor and assistant director with a Bachelor’s degree from Guru Ghasidas University. He has made remarkable contributions to Hindi and Chhattisgarhi cinema, as well as television, excelling in both acting and direction.
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