The Handmaid’s Tale Recap: Here’s your hat, Serena, what are you in a hurry for?

The idea is planted during this week’s episode, in which the scarred Architect of Gilead at one point touches Widow Waterford’s stomach and laughs with what appears to be genuine glee. While this particular exchange isn’t the most important in a lesson that also includes June and Serena’s first post-death Fred faceoff AND a June/Nick call, it certainly made me stop and think about what kind by Mrs. Lawrence Serena could be make.

Read on for the highlights of Border.

“YOU WERE MAYDAY TOO” | At home, June and Luke are still reeling from seeing Hannah during Fred’s funeral procession. They notice that she wore purple, but they’re not sure of the meaning. “Not pink, though,” says Moira, who saw it on TV. “She’s not a little girl anymore.” June wants to talk to Nick, but it looks unlikely without Tuello. Despite this, Moira knows of an unofficial group on the border who have been lucky enough to get messages to people in Gilead. Though she doesn’t think it’s a good idea for June to hang out with the group, who are “fundamentally suicidal,” she requests that she and June meet up. “Men aren’t allowed,” she tells Luke.

And just like that, Moira and June meet a woman named Lily outside a barbecue joint. She is one of the women June traded for Fred. “Sorry I didn’t do it sooner,” June says, a little uncomfortable at the woman’s awe. They travel to Lily’s compound on the edge of no man’s land, run exclusively by women and heavily guarded. That’s when June realizes that Lily’s group is Mayday, and now it’s her turn to be impressed. “We thought we invented it,” June says of the resistance movement. “We thought it wasn’t real. We thought we made it because we had to.” Lily looks at her. “Well then you were Mayday too,” she says.

It takes some time for the call to go through, but when it does, June asks Nick what the meaning behind the purple Hannah was on was. “She’s ready,” he says softly. “New school. Daughters of the Supreme Commanders. Training for future wives.” She is 12.

June desperately begs him to go to Hannah’s precinct to babysit her, but he gently tells her he has a new wife (“You know how things are around here”) and he asks about Nichole. He then warns them that Commander MacKenzie – Hannah’s Gilead “father” – is powerful and that they will not be able to speak to each other for a while. “Hey Nick, try to be happy, okay?” she says, remembering their last kiss. It’s bittersweet for both of them, and he hangs up.

SERENA HOLDS A PLAN… | What we know and June doesn’t: MacKenzie is suspicious of Nick, who he saw talking to Mark Tuello while Serena was in Gilead. We also learn that Rose, Nick’s apparently June-likeable wife, is the daughter of a well-connected commander-in-chief – is that why Nick married her in the first place?

Let’s go back a moment. Serena is still in Gilead celebrating the pomp she pulled off for Fred’s funeral. Mark Tuello is still with her, although he has to wait outside while she, Nick, Rose and the MacKenzies dine at Commander Lawrence’s house. “We have a strict no-espionage policy,” Joseph tells the American upon arrival.

The dinner conversation includes a discussion of how the MacKenzies also hate June (mainly because they’re raising Hannah, whom they call “Agnes” and June has long been a thorn in their side), how they know she’s in Freds Death was involved and how they feel that Joseph will soon have to remarry because a single man has no place in the leadership of Gilead.

Commander Lawrence makes it clear that he has no plans to take another wife. However, Serena later suggests that he reconsider his position. “Marrying for the power, Serena, doesn’t always go well,” he says. “Depends on the marriage,” she replies. (Text from my notes: WAIT WHAT?) She places his hand on her stomach to feel the child kick, and it affects him more than most things we’ve seen. “We will protect you, Serena. You and your child,” he says softly. Then the brood move and Joseph grins and says, “Praise be.”

Do I want Serena and Lawrence to get married? nope Do I want to see Yvonne Strahovski and Bradley Whitford routinely have scenes of domestic intimacy together? Absolutely. That’s the way I am. TORN.

Back in her room that night, Tuello tells Serena that staying in Gilead will be a mistake. “You have to know that it’s not safe for women here, especially unmarried women,” he says. “I don’t think that’s going to be my situation for much longer,” she coos. Shortly thereafter, a messenger arrives to tell her that she will be called to the Commanders’ Council the next day.

…AND THE COMMANDERS LAUGH |Whatever she thinks is going to happen at this Council meeting… it doesn’t. After a strange exchange with Commander Lawrence, she is brought before the leaders of Gilead to find out that she will be a global ambassador for Gilead, “unofficially, of course.” They’re sending her back to Toronto “to best represent our holy republic,” and she’s mighty pissed to hear it. But she’s recovering quickly enough, demanding a staff, a sizable budget “and protection from those who would hurt me and my baby.” They agree. She thanks you briefly. She leaves. Tuello, advised to stop the plane, flies her back.

Before leaving the premises, June and Moira learn that the Americans are escorting Serena back to Canada. Indeed, as Serena gets in the car from the airport, she sees some “ministers of God” holding up candles in support of her. But then another car gets in their way, Serena’s car has to stop and June jumps out of the blocked car to slam the window near Serena’s face. “Don’t ever touch my daughter again!” She yells repeatedly as Serena freaks out and orders her driver to get her out of there.

JANINE LIVES! | Let’s check on Esther and Janine. The former is still unconscious, but that’s not stopping an angry Aunt Lydia – who looks like she’s been crying for days – from beating her in her hospital bed. The older woman then makes her way to Janine’s room and falls to her knees next to the redhead’s bed.

“Dear God, she didn’t deserve this! You know she didn’t deserve this!” Lydia cries and promises God that Lydia will change things if he revives Janine. “I’ll do things differently,” she sobs.

Apparently he’s listening. After Mrs. Putnam stops by to let little Angela be close to her birth mother—as Janine did for the little girl when she was ailing after childbirth—Aunt Lydia wakes from dozing in a chair and finds Janine’s bed empty…because she’s sitting outside, awake, in the sun. Will Aunt Lydia keep this promise?

Now it’s your turn. What do you think of the episode? Mute the comments!