The Handmaid's Tale (2017–…): Season 5, Episode 8 - Motherland - full transcript

Previously, on
"The Handmaid's Tale"...

Everything we want
to know about Hannah...

- Dump 'im.
- ...it's just there.

- No, no, no. No, we stay toge...
- What?

No, no!
Where are you taking him? Luke!

June! June, no!

I pray that my daughters
live a life of peace.

To think such a impulsive act

could have such huge
political implications.

You of course understand

that your plans for
New Bethlehem are dead.



It's what's best for Gilead.

Are you in fucking labor?

You can do this.

The family
that I've been staying with?

I can't let them
get their hands on my baby.

You're his mother.
And he belongs with you.

Thank you.

Serena Waterford?
We are Canadian Immigration.

You are being detained.

You called them?

She gave up her diplomatic visa

when she left
that little Visitors Center.

What about my baby?

The detention facility
has no infant care.



No, please! Please, wait, wait!

- Justice. Right?
- June, help me!

Right.

Please don't let them
take him from me! Please!

Please help me, June!

June, please!

- I wanna get it.
- Okay, you do it.

This is
gonna be my pancake.

All right, this is your pancake.

Whoa!

- That is so chocolatey.
- That's good.

Is that good?
Are you sure?

- Yeah.
- It looks like a lot, honey.

Can I make one?

Just let me get
these chocolate chips in.

As if there's
not enough in there?

Are they
coming or going?

Sounds like they're
coming by more frequently now.

I'll just tune 'em out.
I don't even hear 'em anymore.

Who is that?

It is the Immigration Detention.

Serena, again.
Can I ignore it, again?

She's called me
a dozen times.

I just stopped picking up
after the first.

You talk to her?

Not since the hospital.

She still think
you guys are buddies?

She's desperate.

Yeah. Good.

Do you know, I don't even know
why she thinks you guys would

advocate for her
to get out anyway.

She did not deserve
your help in the first place.

It wasn't about
what she deserved.

It wasn't about her at all.

I didn't think that her newborn
deserved to die in the woods.

I...

Those assholes
are getting fuckin' louder.

Fuck.

Go home Americans!
Canada for Canadians!

Go home!

- So many more of 'em now.
- Is this ever gonna end?

No.

It's only gonna get worse.

This country is for Canadians!

Can't we all agree, gentlemen,
that it's embarrassing

to be running a country

from which people are
constantly trying to escape?

It weakens our nation,

complicates our relationship
with Canada.

Which Commander Lawrence
has worked so hard to foster.

Canada's sick of our refugees,

and they sure as hell don't want
to keep paying for them.

And that's why
I have brought you here,

to New Bethlehem.

A modernized,

strategically
liberalized island,

where Gilead refugees
can come home with amnesty

and the promise of reuniting

with long-lost family
and friends.

I must wonder
if it shows weakness on our part

to beg for the return
of heretics.

They'll be begging us
for a chance

to reunite
with their loved ones.

Drain the population

of their pathetic
little outpost in Toronto.

There's no little America
without little Americans.

But how will our people react
in Gilead proper?

Won't some of them try
to defect to this place?

Well, they won't know
for a while.

I don't know if you're aware,

we don't have
a free press in Gilead.

And the traitors among us,

they're already trying
to get to Canada.

Think of it as our Hong Kong.

One country, two systems.

Gentlemen, I believe
that Gilead will replace

the United States
at the United Nations.

But until that day,

the greatest threat
to our regime

is the persistent fantasy
of democratic values

in the world
it almost destroyed.

New Bethlehem
neutralizes that threat.

And yet,
I still get a vote, don't I?

It's time for us to grow up.

It's time for Gilead
to project to the world

our maturity, our confidence,

and, above all,
our moral fortitude.

Moral fortitude is exactly what
Commander Putnam was lacking.

I'll be, uh, going to Toronto

to talk to some families.

I'd like to start
with about 100.

Commander.

I can see now that you're right.

Forgive me for hearing
the deceased Putnam in my ear.

I forgive you, Commander.

I heard you demanded that
I collect the milk in person.

Oh, uh, thank you for coming.

Thank you for fostering Noah
while I'm stuck in here.

- How's he doing?
- Fine.

Uh...

I wanted to explain.

Um, I didn't mean to hurt Ezra.

I knew that he was wearing
a bulletproof vest...

He'll live. You're lucky
you were in No Man's Land.

Even so, I know I acted brashly.

And it was just...

the pressure,
and, um, and the pregnancy.

That's right. The hormones,
they'll make you crazy.

Which is why
we should be looking after Noah,

and you need
to get yourself together.

Well, I appreciate the concern,

but I promise you
I'm doing fine.

Life with a newborn is chaos.
It would only set you back.

I mean, Noah has turned
the house upside down.

Has he?

How so?

Stubborn little creature
cries all day and all night.

He refuses to eat.

We've been doing the
"cry it out" method for weeks,

and he just continues to resist.

Well, maybe he just
needs to be held. He...

He needs to be hugged.

So that he knows that
somebody is there for him.

That's not how
"cry it out" works, Serena.

It requires a certain amount
of mental toughness.

Mental toughness, huh?

Right.

I have overthrown a country.

And I have, against all odds,

given birth
to a very healthy baby.

And not once have I lacked
for mental toughness.

Are you angry with me, Serena?

Noah is one month old.

He is far too young
to be "crying it out."

That sentimentality
is further proof

that you are not equipped
for motherhood right now.

Not with your mental
and emotional issues.

I know in my heart
what is best for my child.

That child came from me.
That is my baby.

You're in here, and I'm not.

Just worry about yourself.

I'll look after Noah.

Y'all are better at this
than me.

I've done it before.

They used to make us scrub
blood off the Wall in Gilead.

Not that different.

Hey! Check it out.
We don't want you here!

We couldn't tell.

Go home!

Go home. Fuck off.

When we first got here,
they welcomed us with open arms.

Naw, you see,
you got here before I did.

When I showed up,
they were still polite,

but they were starting
to get annoyed.

It was nothing like this though.

Hey! Fuck off!

What the fuck?

Should we get outta here?

Yeah, okay.

No, I, I mean Toronto. Canada.

Go where?

I don't know. Alaska, Hawaii?
I don't know, Europe?

It's further from Hannah.

Yeah, I, no, I'm...

Hello?

Lovely weather
in Toronto this time of year.

Got a minute?

America is dying.

It's an idea that has
outlived its usefulness.

You said
you had news about Hannah.

First, hear me out.

You need to understand
that everything you value,

all the things
you're clinging to,

democracy, liberty, justice,

all that feel-good crap

defined by a bunch
of slave owners

talking about how all men
are created equal.

All of that collapsed

under the weight
of late-term capitalism

and rampant consumerism.

It broke
our pretty little planet,

almost ended the human race.

And Gilead,
for all of our faults,

we fixed
that particular problem.

We're having babies again.

Unfortunately,
I had to use religious nut-jobs

as a delivery system,

and I underestimated
their depravity,

but, uh, it was triage,
and it worked.

So now, with our success,

we can afford
to let up a little.

Are you gonna let Hannah out?

No, I can't.
But I can let you in.

- What?
- To New Bethlehem.

A new island settlement.

No Handmaids, no hangings.

Hell, you can read a novel,

you can keep a diary
if you want.

A place where
refugees can get amnesty

and return to the Motherland.

Uh, are you fucking serious?

Where one might visit
their grown children

running their own houses.

Are you talking about Hannah?

I am.

When she becomes head
of her own household...

Is she getting married?
Do you know something?

It's Gilead, June.
Eventually, they all do.

I can bring her
to New Bethlehem.

I can reunite you there.

You can bring your family,
you can live a life.

June, I can make it happen.

You're saying
I can be with my daughter?

Yes, yes, yes.

How many ways
do I have to say it?

I think being in Canada
has dulled your wits.

You can be with Hannah again.

How are you gonna keep us safe?

I have been grooming Nick,

not sexually,
but he is helping me.

He's fully on board,
and he's always had your back.

You know that.

Look, I know.

I know that it's, it's a lot.

So you can use this to call me.

Think about it.

Yeah. No.

We're not gonna go
and live in Gilead.

I know, I know. I know how...

I know how fucking crazy

- it sounds, okay?
- I don't trust Lawrence.

I sure as hell
don't fucking trust Gilead.

He said that the eyes
of the world would be on us,

so that we would be safe.

He said
he was trying to use this

to get them admitted to the UN.

Who, who the fuck cares?

June, I... But I just don't...

I don't understand
why you didn't

just turn him down right away.

Because he said "Hannah."
Because he said "Hannah."

- Well, I don't believe him.
- Because he said

this would give us the
opportunity to be closer to her.

- I don't believe it, so...
- I know.

I don't know
if I believe it either.

But I would risk anything
to be with her.

- Wouldn't you?
- Well, of course.

Of course I would.
June, what kind of question...

They are monsters

who wanna take
our 12-year-old daughter

and marry her off.

She's gonna have some old man...

No. Look, I, I can't.
I, I just...

Luke, Luke.

That's why, that is exactly why
we need to be close to her.

No, June. That is why
we need to get her out.

How?

How, huh?

What, do you think Tuello's
gonna come through for us?

What has the American
government done for us?

They haven't brought us

one step closer to her
all of this time.

So you trust Lawrence, yeah?
The Nazi?

- Lawrence...
- Yeah?

...has come
through for me, okay?

He got Nichole out,
he got Emily out.

He let Mayday into his home.

He helped me
with Angels' Flight.

He even helped deliver Fred.

He has put his neck on the line
over and over and over.

And it has not
benefited him at all.

He has been my friend.

- Your friend?
- Yes!

The, the "architect of Gilead"
is what they call him,

and you just...
You believe him, you forgive...

- I'm not forgiving anyone.
- You forgive them.

Serena tortured you,
she abused you, raped you.

She kidnapped our child...

She has nothing to do with this.

And, and you just wanna
save her life!

- This has nothing...
- I fucking hate

what they've done to our family!
I hate what they've done to you!

I don't understand.
Look, I understand...

I understand
wanting to get Hannah, okay?

I get... I fucking get that.

But I, I promise you

you're letting your emotions
cloud your judgment.

- Oh, God.
- I don't... I'm not...

Of course
you don't understand how I feel.

Of course you don't understand.

Look what you did
to Serena and her baby.

I, I did that for you,
to keep her away from you.

I never asked you to do that.

- All right, fine.
- I never...

June.

Just...

Just let me protect you
sometimes, okay?

Please.

The thing is,
I don't need your protection.

I don't need it.

Hannah does.

Congratulations on little Noah.

He's a cute kid.

Are you getting me out of here?

Yep.

I've got the Canadian government

to release you
into Gilead custody.

It took you long enough.

Well, there's some things
you have to ask in person.

You've gotta get
Noah back to me.

You're making a lot of demands

for someone
who's behaved so badly

and caused
so much trouble, Serena.

You have to help me
with the Wheelers.

I have.

Enormously.

I got them to let you return
to a room in their house.

No.

No.

- Serena...
- No, absolutely not.

Serena, you're a smart woman,

so you know
why Gilead needs a picture

of our heralded new mother
living in a harmonious household

led by a wealthy couple
in a gorgeous mansion.

You don't understand.

They are trying
to steal Noah from me.

Well, wouldn't that
be hard to do

while he's attached
to your breast,

which is the only reason
they're letting you back,

is to nurse him
and reduce the crying.

And now I'm done
talking about your breasts.

I'm not gonna be used by you,
or Gilead, or the Wheelers.

Who have, need I remind you,

legal status
to care for your baby.

Which you, Serena,
on the other hand, do not.

It's the only way.

Come on, Serena.

You wanna be with your baby?

Serena, come on.

Where's the maternal instinct?

Do you want to be
with little Noah?

I'm not gonna live
in the same house

as my child's kidnappers.

Do you have an irony deficiency?

I don't give a damn.

I'm not a Handmaid.

Hey, baby, it's okay.

Did those mean people
wake you up?

Okay, all right.

Oh, come here.

What's that?
It's okay, honey. Here you go.

I know. I'm sorry.
They're being so loud.

Hopefully they'll go soon. Okay?

I know.

You know what we do

when the people outside
start to get us down?

We sing.

Let's sing a song, huh?

Here we go.

You know, I used to sing
this song to your big sister.

And she used to love it so much.

She's gotten so big, you know?

You would like her a lot.

♪ I'll be your mirror ♪

♪ Reflect what you are
In case you don't know ♪

♪ I'll be the wind ♪

♪ The rain and the sunset ♪

♪ The light on your door ♪

♪ To show that you're home ♪

♪ 'Cause when you think
The night has seen your mind ♪

♪ That inside
You're twisted and unkind ♪

♪ Let me stand
To show that you are blind ♪

♪ Please put down your hands ♪

- ♪ 'Cause I see you ♪
- ♪ 'Cause I see you ♪

I see you.

♪ I find it hard to believe... ♪

I want you to know her.

I want you to know
your big sister.

She has...

the biggest heart.

She would love you so much.

She would love you so much.

Good morning.
I know it's early.

Thanks for seeing me.

All right.
So what do you want?

Lawrence is holding meetings

with large groups of Americans.

Why are they
even talking to him?

He promises them information

about family members.

Once he gets them in the door,

he shows them pictures
of New Bethlehem.

I can't...
I can't even believe anyone

would even consider going back.

Unfortunately, they are.

Morning.

Morning.

Where's Nichole?

She's at music class with Moira.

- Did you call him?
- No, I came on my own.

I understand you got

a tempting proposal
from Lawrence.

He's been talking
to other families, too.

Well, it looks like you're
gonna have a busy morning.

You're my first stop.

Lawrence's goal
is to kill off America,

once and for all.

And you're a get for them.

You're a symbol
to the Resistance.

You're a domino.

If you go back,
others will follow.

They'll think it's safe.

It is not fair
to put that on me.

Even if Lawrence is a Gorbachev

trying to open the country up,
he'll be succeeded by Putins.

You could be trapped there.

Undermining Mayday,
America, uh, democracy.

How can you not understand
that none of that matters to me

without my daughter?

You don't feel like
you owe your country anything?

We got captured trying to get
information for you.

Have you done anything with it?

- We are doing something.
- What?

It's classified.

No.

No. You do not say that to me.

We're launching
a military action.

We've been preparing for it
for a long time.

What, like a raid?

I've said all I can say.

And what does that
have to do with us?

What about the information
we gave you on the Wife Schools?

Have you found out
where Hannah is?

No, not yet.
I'm sorry.

So you came all of this way
to tell us nothing.

There is nothing
you can do for us.

And Lawrence
is offering us Hannah.

If there was something more
I could tell you, I would.

I just can't right now.

I'm asking you to just trust us.

Please just trust
in your country.

What country?

Luke thinks I'm crazy
for even thinking about it,

which is making me feel crazy.

Am I?

It's a crazy situation.

So what would you do?

It's not for me to say.

- Rita.
- I don't want to interfere.

I'm asking you.

I'm moving forward
with my life here.

I would never go back there.

Yeah.

Right. Okay.

But I don't have a child there.

What if you did?

If there were a world
where my son isn't dead?

I would do anything
to see him again.

I would travel
to the ends of the earth.

You came.

He's been developing
New Bethlehem for many years.

He's been pitching it
since the beginning.

He seems to have
more power than ever.

So he can do it.

I don't know.

I don't have a lot of clarity
on Gilead politics right now.

I'm trying to move on
without them,

which is why
I wanted to talk to you.

I just need help
finding an advocate.

I need a lawyer

or, um, a Canadian citizen
to sponsor me.

Anything.

We're not...

We're not friends, Serena.

But you forgave me.

No.

I can never forgive you.

Then why did you save my life?

You saved my life
and you saved my child's life.

He hadn't done anything wrong.

Look,
you can dismiss it all you want,

but you were there with me
in that barn.

You and I, we have a bond.

We have been through
so much together.

Yeah.

I turned the other cheek.

Turns out, after all this, I...

I guess
I'm a better Christian than you.

What am I supposed to do now?

Um...

go back to the Wheelers.

How?

How do you go
and live in a house

with a woman
who's trying to steal your baby?

Are you seriously
asking me that?

How did you ever...

How did you ever live with me?

Um...

Here's what you're gonna do.

Okay?

You're gonna go back in there,

and you are gonna act
like a Handmaid.

But the entire time,

you will be plotting
against them

and planning your revenge.

Is that what you did?

Look at what happened to Fred.

And look at you now.

June.

What would you do
if you were me?

Listen to me.

You cannot help your child
if you're not with them.

I would go back.

She's okay.

See how I make everything
work out for you?

Luke does not trust you.

But you do.

What can I do to persuade
the reluctant husband?

He's got proof of life.

Stop them
from marrying off Hannah.

I think that's...
That's outta my hands.

But if I do
what you want me to do,

could you stop it?

Gilead's gonna Gilead.

You could be with her, June.
Wouldn't that make you happy?

While she's being raped
by someone twice her age?

Bah, it's an arranged marriage.

Fuck you!

Fuck you!

All the girls, all the women
raped, tortured, abused

in a world that you created,

you sick fuck!

You think I don't know?

You think I don't know
the misery that I've caused?

You think...

You think I'm unaware?

I was trying to save humanity.

And, you know, I did.

I fucking did it.

Then it got away, away from me.

It went septic.

You think
I wouldn't take it back?

I would take it all back.

I'd let the whole fucking
human race just die out,

just so I wouldn't have...

have Gilead on my conscience.

So do something.

I am! I am!

That is what
New Bethlehem is, June.

It's, it's a better place.

It's the place
we wrestle a better future

out of an unchangeable past.

A, a place without
the, the sham trials,

and the torture,
without child brides.

Hannah's
going to be a child bride.

But Nichole will not!

By the time she comes of age
in New Bethlehem, don't you...

How?

How? How is that going...

Countries modernize.

Countries can get better.
I've seen it.

We start in New Bethlehem.

And with those
reforms and success,

five years, ten years,

all of Gilead
could be like that.

A place that doesn't trample
on human rights

a place that will let you leave.

Singapore of yore,
with any luck.

June, I need you.

Come help me fix it.

June.

Come to New Bethlehem,
come be with your daughter.

Come help me make
more of a difference in Gilead

than Mayday ever will.

You really believe
you can fix it?

I have to. I have to believe it.

I have no choice.

It's either that or, or yeah...

kill myself,
like Eleanor, y'know.

One or the other.

June.

June.

You got a package.

- Do you see it?
- Yeah.

Oh, my God, it's her.

Play it again.

She needs us.

She needs us.

We have to go.

We have to go be with her,
wherever she is.

She needs us.

We have to go before
something worse happens to her.

Okay. Listen.

- There, all right?
- 'Kay.

All right, look, I want that.
All right? You know that, right?

I wanna go,
but I can't let you go.

June, what is to say
the moment you cross that border

that they don't just
put you on the fucking Wall?

Then what are we going to do?
What are we going to do about...

I don't know.
We're trying to figure it out.

What are you gonna do?

Are you just gonna do
the same thing you've done

for the last seven years?

Fucking nothing?

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have said that.

That wasn't what I meant.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't.

- It's fine.
- I'm trying to...

You know, I have this feeling
that you're gonna go

and you're never
gonna come back?

But we can go as a family.

No, we're not gonna take
Nichole to Gilead.

- We're not gonna do that.
- Then I'm gonna

have to go without you.

I'm gonna have to go.

I know it's crazy. I know.

We're never gonna
be enough for you, are we?

You and Nichole,
you will be fine.

You'll be okay.

And she needs me.

She needs me,
and I just left her there.

I left her behind.

- It was...
- You stayed, June.

- You stayed for so many years.
- It was the one thing

I promised I would never do.

You stayed
for so many years, June.

- I cannot be here.
- Just stay.

I was never supposed
to leave her.

I, I abandoned her.

I left her behind,

- and I have to go back to her.
- No, no.

I have to go back to her.
I have to. I have to.

I have to go back for her. Okay?

I have to.

I left her. I left her behind.

I left my baby.

Reminds me
of those old coffee table books.

Picturesque Villages
of Vintage New England.

You really did it
after all this time.

Well, first came
the lifting of sanctions.

That was point one.

Next will come
political reforms.

Smart, limited,
but reforms nonetheless.

That's... Let's see.

Yeah, that's point four
of my 400-point plan.

Which way is June leaning?

I think
we're getting her to a yes.

If I had to put money on it,

I'd say June and Nichole

will be here
in the next year or two.

Do you really think so?

I do.

So, what do you think?

You like?

I could see you and Rose here.

Pushing Junior in a swing.

Could you now?

New Bethlehem is gonna be

one of our
most important new settlements,

and I will need
a close ally as Commander.

Interesting proposal.

It's full of risks.

Your baby could have a sibling.

You could be with
both of your children.

You could be with
both of the women you love.

You know what?

Think about it.

So, what do you think?

You think we can use it
to find Hannah's location?

I hope so.

Thank you
for bringing this to us.

It could be very helpful.

And if you do find her,
then what?

What can you do?

Whatever we can
to keep you here.

Look, we cannot afford to lose
more American citizens.

That is
an existential issue for us.

So, believe me when I tell you

that we are going to throw
everything we have at this.

I get why you don't want
to give us your faith.

I get that. But, just, please,
um, give us some time.

You may speak.

Uh, I'm very sorry
for my actions.

I was rude and ungrateful.

Everything that happened
was, was my fault

and my fault alone.

Well, I'm glad
that you can see that now.

Thank you for letting me back
to nurse the baby.

You can do that part,
but I will do all of the rest.

All the duties of motherhood.

Thank you.

You must agree
that you aren't fit

to be a full-fledged mother.

Not yet.

Possibly not ever.

- Praise be.
- Praise be.

Right this way.

I'm sorry. May I?

Oh, you're here.

- Can I have him, please?
- Of course, dear.

Oh.

Oh, my baby.

- Oh!
- He's been waiting for you.

Hello.

Thank you.

I missed you so much.

Okay.

Oh, my baby.

There.

Hello.

It's Rita.

No, no news.

We've just been checking in
with Mark every day.

But, uh, he just
keeps on telling us to wait.

Wait.

Yeah. Feels like forever.

She's, she's not.
I don't know. Maybe there's...

- You okay. You all right?
- Um, yeah, yeah.

I'm gonna go...
I'm gonna go take a walk.

You're in the middle of eating.

Yeah, but Nichole needs apples.

We're out of apples.

So just tell Luke
I'm gonna go down to the corner

to the grocer
and get the apples.

- Because she...
- She needs apples.

Yeah, she needs
the apples, yeah.

Sure. Um...

Hey, can, can I come with?

No, no, no.
You're good, you're good.

You just keep, uh, eating.

Okay.

- Well done.
- Thank you again.

Appreciate it.

Hello?

June, I don't have time to talk,
but we figured it out.

We found her.

- What?
- We found Hannah.

We found her Wives School.
We know where she is.

June, we found her.

There are a lot of moving parts,

and we're still
formulating a plan, okay?

Okay.

June, the met a data on your video
helped tremendously.

Okay. I understand.

We're going to raid her school
and get her out.

Thank you.

Shit.

Okay. Put these here.
Oh, shit. Oh.

- Shit. Sorry!
- 'Kay, kay? Are you okay?

- I'm sorry, yes.
- No, no, it's all right.

- I'm so sorry, sir.
- Don't worry about it.

- Okay. I'm sorry.
- No, no, no, it's okay.

Ooh! Whoa!

- It's okay. Okay.
- 'Kay. Thank you.

- It's all right.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

Here. Thank you.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

- Luke.
- What?

Luke.

- Moira?
- What?

Luke?

They're going to get Hannah.

- What?
- Mark called.

- They found her.
- Oh, my God.

And they're gonna
do a raid of her school,

and they're gonna go get her.

They're gonna
bring her back to us.

- Oh, God!
- Do you hear me?

They're gonna
bring her back to us.

- Are you serious?
- Yes, yes, yes.

We helped them,
and they found Hannah.

And so they're gonna go get her.

Oh, my God!

They're gonna go get her!
I'm fucking serious! Yes!

Oh, my God!

It's okay. I know, I know.
I know. I know. We did it.

Come here.
I fucking love Mark Tuello.

I fucking love Mark Tuello.