Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Handmaid's Tale season 6, episode 10!

The Handmaid's Tale season 6, episode 10 is finally here, putting an end to Hulu's hit dystopian show after eight years. I was a huge fan of The Handmaid's Tale in its earlier seasons, and while I was eager to see where the show would go, I slowly began to lose interest as it entered its later seasons. There wasn't enough forward progress being made, and it was the same issue with season 6. Luckily, The Handmaid's Tale managed to stick the landing, concluding the story while setting up the future.

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 started out as more of the same, with June once again reentering Gilead in order to pull off a new scheme with Mayday. While this had been seen plenty of times before, season 6 began to pick up in episode 7, with June planning an attack on Serena Joy and Commander Wharton's wedding. I thought that episodes 7, 8, and 9 were some of the best the show had to offer, and luckily, the series finale is just as good.

The Handmaid's Tale Series Finale Is More Of An Epilogue Than A Climax

After Episode 9's Explosive Ending

For viewers expecting an epic final battle against Gilead, The Handmaid's Tale season 6, episode 10 does not deliver. However, I didn't need it to. June's attack on Serena's wedding and the subsequent killing of the Commanders was clearly the climax of the show, with The Handmaid's Tale season 6, episode 9 not leaving much left for the finale. June obviously wasn't going to take down the rest of Gilead in one episode after working on Boston for six seasons. So, I expected the finale to focus more on the emotions than the plot.

It won't be surprising if the finale brings many to tears, as it is a great send-off to many of these characters.

When it comes to emotions, the episode delivers. The series finale may not wrap up the plot of each of The Handmaid's Tale's characters, but it concludes their arcs in incredibly effective ways. Serena Joy, Luke, Tuello, and Aunt Lydia all get a sense of finality, while also being used to transform June in the show's final hour. On top of that, the episode also sees the return of Emily, which is one of the most powerful moments in the finale. It won't be surprising if the finale brings many to tears, as it is a great send-off to many of these characters.

Hannah Is Finally Put Back In The Spotlight In The Handmaid's Tale Finale

Fixing Her Sidelining In The Rest Of The Season

One of my big issues with The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is how it has sidelined Hannah. June's desire to rescue her daughter has been her main motivation throughout the entire series, but it was seemingly forgotten in the final season. Before the finale, Hannah didn't appear in season 6 at all, and June barely mentioned her. Luckily, Hannah is given a lot of screen time, with her being at the core of June's final arc from the finale's beginning to its end.

June doesn't rescue Hannah in the finale, as fans of The Testaments already know. However, June's realization that continuing to fight is the best way for her to protect Hannah is the perfect way to transform her one last time. June has grown a lot throughout The Handmaid's Tale, and it has mostly been thanks to Hannah. While it would have made the finale stronger if Hannah had been brought up more frequently throughout the final season, it is nice to see her finally return in the series finale.

June's Ending Is The Best & Most Believable Way To Conclude The Handmaid's Tale

Since She Couldn't Defeat Gilead

Another big concern I had going into the finale was how the show would end. Since Hulu is making The Testaments, The Handmaid's Tale couldn't end with Gilead being defeated, June rescuing Hannah, or June dying. Luckily, the finale didn't try to do any of these stories. June and Mayday taking Boston back felt like enough of a win to carry the finale, and her reunion with her friends allowed her to reach a satisfying goal, even if she didn't rescue Hannah.

Her reunion with her friends allowed her to reach a satisfying goal, even if she didn't rescue Hannah.

My favorite part of the finale was easily the conversation between June and Luke. The love triangle between June, Luke, and Nick has been going on since season 1, with many fans wondering how it was going to end. When Nick died in episode 9, it was clear June and Luke would end up together. However, the finale sees June and Luke it they have grown apart, with them now prioritizing fighting Gilead over their relationship with each other. This is an incredibly mature and thematically complex end for these characters, and I couldn't think of a more interesting conclusion.

The Finale Does Set Up The Testaments, But It Does So Subtly

It Doesn't Distract From The Main Story

With most of the main villains dying in episode 9, I was worried The Handmaid's Tale would be nothing more than a backdoor pilot for The Testaments. I'm excited about Hulu's sequel series, but the knowledge of its existence has hurt the show in some big ways, making it more predictable and lowering the stakes. Luckily, my fears weren't realized.

The finale reveals Aunt Lydia is now working as a Gileadean mole for Mayday, which is a direct setup of The Testaments. Besides that, however, most of the episode was focused on wrapping up the main series rather than setting up the sequel. Thanks to this approach, the conclusion of The Handmaid's Tale was incredibly satisfying because it didn't lean into the open future tease I was worried about.