3x10 "Witness"

[DawnFae]

The Handmaid's Tale 3x10 Promo

[DawnFae]

Spoiler:

Episode 3x10 was a heartbreaking episode for June, more heartbreaking than the usual stuff she had to deal with up to this point.

Fred is such a despicable character! He persuaded commander Winslow to have a "witness ritual" and force commander Lawrence to perform the "Ceremony" with June! They actually raided commander Lawrence's home and forced him to go through with the "Ceremony" with June. They brought a doctor to check afterwards whether the Ceremony had been performed or not. This was a huge humiliation to both June, commander Lawrence and a painful trial for his wife.
The Waterfords came with the commander Winslow as did Aunt Lydia. What a horrible ordeal! The "Witness Ritual" was Gilead's drastic measure to break any resistance against the "Ceremony" in the beginning.

June was very realistic about it and guided commander Lawrence through the heartbreaking moment. Afterwards Fred asked June if she was alright and she responded that at least "it wasn't him" (see video clip below).

June to Waterford " at least it wasn't you" | The Handmaid's Tale S3E10


This episode felt like a setback to June's "progress" towards some freedom through commander Lawrence. Yeah, trust Fred to ruin it all. Serena is playing her cards shrewdly and she is going along with all the cruel bullshit Fred and Winslow come up with. What a roller coaster this season has been so far!
Whenever I think, this can't get any worse, it does! There are things that are worse than being sentenced to death! What a cruel, depraved regime this Gilead has become! And for what?
This society is a lot more corrupt than anything they pretended to cleanse the previous society from. They rape women on a regular basis: as Handmaids and as Jezebels. They torture, maim and kill for ridiculous reasons and commanders in high enough ranks get to accumulate Handmaids in their household and own as many children as they please.
It is beyond horrible! Hopefully we will start seeing Gilead's sick structure crumble and fall down but it will probably take a lot of sacrifice and failed rebellions to get there.

[Dee]

Another very powerful episode, they have certainly upped their game again.

Great to find your thoughts here already, Mz. K. I agree with your assessments all things Giliad, the horrors just keep mounting the deeper we get to dig. But I have come away with a different feeling from the episode.

I felt this whole situation was a huge victory for June, because she has made it that way. She removed all elements of rape from her own mind and of Commander Lawrence's, and treated the procedure as just another thing she needs to do to get a step closer to what she wants to achieve. Her calm, grounded manner guiding through Eleanor and Lawrence this ordeal was courageous, she had so much dignity, and by telling Waterford "at least it wasn't you" she has shown him she had the upper hand even in a Handmaid's robes, without a doubt. I hope Serena heard it too. She must know, she surely must, how Waterford did this out of jealousy for the most part, and to get back at June, in which he completely failed as she burnt him with her words. He also successfully revealed himself as a disgusting pervert and snake to all participants. In case any of them still had not fully realised till now.

And I took Serena's scene at the end as she gave Fred an ultimatum. She basically told him, you put yourself first for so long now and I've been patient, but you've failed me again in your one promise, and now it's my way. I absolutely loved this, because it will finally bring this ridiculous story of reconciliation between Fred and Serena to an end, I hope. She's given him one final chance for Nichole and she will realise how much he has betrayed her again, and hopefully this will be the end of it. I wonder if Serena will end up leaving now.

And for June, this was more than a victory over Sleezeford. She has Commander Lawrence as putty in her hand now. Operation Free The Handmaids' Children is well on its way, with massive support, judging from the number of muffins at the end. Such a powerful, hopeful ending of the episode. Loved it.

Best line ever: "You've helped to create this world. How long did you think it would be before it came for you?"

And I loved that gentle loving lie June told Janine about her son. I really hope Janine will end up having her little girl with her one day, at least.

[DawnFae]

Yes, seeing it from this angle, June controlled the horrible situation of the ceremony and was full of dignity about it.
The Freedom June enjoyed by being Ofjoseph is now limited because Fred is gnawing at commander Lawrence's power and is trying to put an end to or at least limit what Lawrence can do. So Fred corrupted something that was positive for June.

Serena is playing her cards better than she used to. She learned this from June. The "honest" confrontations with Fred did not bring about the fruits Serena hoped for so now she is manipulating him in the right way: going along with everything he does, putting on the face / mask of the obedient, supportive wife and Gilead devotee...
I am not sure whether Serena has got her own spies somehow?
She seems in the know about a lot of things. Maybe she just reads the "secret" documents in secret?
We may come to know more about the spy system all the fractions are using some time in the future but the important thing is that she is doing something with her position as the wife of a relatively powerful commander.
Next episode is even more shocking, hmmm! The cliffhanger to season 3 will be huge, no doubt!

[Dee]

DF, I don’t think Serena is pretending with Fred at all! I think she’s playing her cards quite openly with him!

[DawnFae]

DF, I don’t think Serena is pretending with Fred at all! I think she’s playing her cards quite openly with him!

I meant she is pretending to be in love with him so that she can have his trust and make him do what she wants.

Do you think Serena is still in love with Fred or at least in love with what she thought they had prior Gilead's BS and his betrayal?

[Dee]

I've moved my answer to this question (and following posts) into Ep3x11 discussion.

What a complicated question!

[Lori]

Heading now to 3x11. June's suggestion to 'treat this as a job' was telling. She will view most any harm as one more step to facilitate freedom for kiddos. That is a healthy approach to a horribly twisted situation and will balm her in the future when she is suffering from all she's been through. At least this way there is a reason to suffer all of this indignity - there is a higher purpose.