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[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 Episode 8, “Exodus.” It also contains a discussion of sexual assault and domestic violence.]

Aunt Lydia has handed the purpose of no return. Ann Dowd‘s character in The Handmaid’s Story reached her tipping level in Episode 8 of the ultimate season, out there on Hulu as of Could 13. With solely two episodes left within the collection, this scene serves as each the climactic second of the Lydia plot that’s been brewing since early Season 5 and serves as the inspiration for The Testaments spinoff that Dowd will lead.

June (Elisabeth Moss) and Moira (Samira Wiley) returned to Gilead within the episode to hold out a plot to kill Boston’s commanders on the finish of Episode 7. Their setting: the marriage of Serena Pleasure Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski) and Excessive Commander Gabriel Wharton (Josh Charles). Disguised as Handmaids and geared up with retractable knives hidden in secret pockets sewn into the blood-red uniforms, June and Moira led the Boston Handmaids by way of the plot that concerned a sleeping agent within the wedding ceremony cake baked by Rita (Amanda Brugel). Because the leaders of Gilead have been asleep of their properties post-ceremony, the Handmaids would arrive, kill the commanders, and flee.

D’Arcy Carden‘s rebellious Aunt Phoebe helped perform the plan, however Aunt Lydia returned from her travels early and caught onto the scheme. She caught the women within the Purple Middle and was able to “shoot a traitor” when she noticed Moira and realized Phoebe was in on all of it. However then June and Janine (Madeline Brewer) arrived. June was regular as she calmly defined the error of Lydia’s methods to persuade her to let all of them go. She sagely pleaded to Lydia that in her “coronary heart of hearts,” she is aware of that “rape is rape,” and that there’s no different approach to spin Gilead’s Handmaid system that ritualistically sexually assaults ladies and steals their kids.

June’s speech was “the freeway on which we’re touring,” after which Janine’s arrival was “the vacation spot” that made “the ultimate step attainable,” Ann Dowd tells TV Insider. That last step was Aunt Lydia setting the Handmaids free. Right here, the Emmy-winner explains how Aunt Lydia was dropped at his second, the fast repercussions, and the way this units up The Testaments, which Dowd tells us is ready “4 to five years after” the top of The Handmaid’s Story.

Within the scene within the Purple Middle, Aunt Lydia doesn’t instantly keep in mind Moira. What does it say about her that she doesn’t acknowledge her? I might suppose that Aunt Lydia would always remember certainly one of her “ladies.”

Ann Dowd: Oh, she remembers. She’s simply in a state of shock. If you happen to sat her down, let her catch her breath, and this all wasn’t falling aside as it’s, she would know who Moira is. I feel she’s darn petrified of her, and she or he’s in shock and doesn’t know what within the heck is happening right here. It’s been some time with Moira, however you always remember — or she by no means will overlook, ever.

I might say on a intestine stage, she connects and is aware of, I do know this lady. Assist. She’s bother. She’s bother. However once more, all of it is shifting so rapidly and she or he’s in such a state of actual shock that she simply [is thinking], “Who’re you?” It would as nicely have been, “What are you doing right here? Why are you right here? What’s going on?”

She’s attempting to get her bearings and course of the gravity of the scenario round her. Is she considering, if Moira’s right here, June can’t be far?

[Lydia believes] June Osborne needs to be on the supply of this. I feel Lydia’s completely sure. Don’t inform me for one minute June Osborne didn’t set this up. Ruining my ladies. How dare she? After which her confederate is Moira.

Does Aunt Lydia hate June, or does she love her and want she was completely different?

I feel she has profound love, and she or he admires her tremendously. June Osborne is in regards to the strongest individual Lydia has ever met, and probably the most dedicated, who stands up for what she believes in and by no means ever provides up it doesn’t matter what. I feel Lydia is astounded by her on a really sturdy intestine stage.

Is Lydia petrified of June?

I feel probably, however very prepared to leap in. She doesn’t know what June is doing, in order that’s at all times unnerving. How am I going to deal with this? Effectively, I’m going to do the easiest I can. June, she’s up there with the smarts and it’s terrifying. It’s actually terrifying. She’s going to do what she stated she was going to do. That is years within the making.

And for Lydia, is the sense of worry that she will get on the concept of June returning or plotting one thing, is {that a} macro worry about what June may do for this method that all of them stay in? Or is she afraid of how June may have an effect on her personally?

Effectively, whenever you say her for Lydia, her means all the women. That’s the identification that Lydia lives. What she wants separate from the women, I don’t even suppose she has a clue, she’s so tied to the women. They’re all the pieces to her. And so June is a danger, a serious danger to “my” ladies and what we’ve achieved in all of those years. And right here’s this fierce, terrifying [woman]. How dare she come into this case and do what she’s doing? It’s a troublesome one for Lydia, that’s for positive.

And so on the finish of this scene, all of her ladies are gone and she or he’s allow them to go, as you stated, she’s let go of herself.

Sure.

So when she falls to her knees and asks God for assist, is what’s she asking for assist for?

She’s asking for forgiveness. Please assist me to stay with myself after this and to know the right way to transfer ahead. Please, God, I’m misplaced. I’m misplaced. And I don’t know what to do. Please, please forgive me. Present me the correct method.

June may have are available screaming, however something like that, Lydia would’ve stood as much as. Don’t you dare scream at me. However she doesn’t. She simply explains it sentence by sentence. “That is what you’re accountable for.” There’s no escaping it. It’s too highly effective.

What was the second throughout June’s monologue to Lydia on this scene the place Lydia knew she was going to allow them to go? Did June persuade her or did Janine persuade her?

It’s each. June is constructing the freeway on which we’re touring, and ready on the vacation spot is Janine to make the ultimate step attainable. Once more, it’s love for Janine and love for her ladies.

I imply, have you ever ever had that in your life? Are you able to think about one thing you’ve completed — completed for years and years — and all of the sudden you’re dropped at consciousness that you’ve been doing issues incorrect? It’s unbelievable. And the factor is, after they don’t scream, whenever you’re simply being talked to and defined, “Have a look at this, take a look at that,” there’s no denying, there’s no operating away. There’s no place to go.

Proper, as a result of anger may very well be written off as overemotional, as somebody’s overreacting perhaps. However one thing as calm as that is like that is only a truth.

Effectively, I don’t know if I’d name it overreacting. I might say, “You need to struggle? I’ll struggle with you. I’m nearly as good as anyone on this.” And so it triggers her. Once more, it’s reacting emotionally, which isn’t the way in which Lydia has needed to go all her life in Gilead. Don’t react emotionally. Assume by way of the scenario. If somebody screams, that’s it. Neglect it. You need to yell, June? I’ll yell proper again at you eternally, nevertheless lengthy you want. However talking the way in which she did, it grows over time over what she says, a bit of extra seeps in, a bit of extra, a bit of extra till that’s it.

The second when Lydia approaches Janine and says, “I’m sorry he harm you, pricey,” your supply of that line was so profound. I may really feel Lydia’s complete evolution in that line. What was Lydia considering and feeling when she stated that to Janine?

I don’t know that she was considering something. She was introduced straight to her knees, and that is the ultimate standing as much as, as you say, the road. It’s a fact that comes out of Lydia, a profound, profound remorse for not seeing issues sooner and that you just have been harm by these males. I’m so deeply sorry. That’s all she will be able to say. What can she say? That’s it. I don’t suppose there was numerous thought there. That was simply touchdown on her ft. Nothing to cover behind. There may be my daughter in entrance of me, my pricey, pricey, pricey Janine, and the way dare anybody harm her?

So Lydia sees Janine as her daughter?

Oh, I feel that’s the connection. It grows over time, however boy, that’s the place we finish. That’s how shut [they are].

I spoke with Madeline Brewer about Season 6 Episode 7, and she or he agreed that there’s a profound love intertwined with their painful historical past. She stated Janine doesn’t have a lot of a job within the revolution when it comes to planning assaults like June and Moira do with Mayday. However Aunt Lydia is among the strongest, influential aunts on this world. So for her to be modified by Janine, the significance of that may’t actually be downplayed.

No. And he or she [Lydia] won’t ever be the identical once more. And also you see this in The Testaments. She’s modified profoundly.

Lydia has fashioned her complete identification round these ladies. They’re her, in her thoughts. So for her to let that go, that she, for Lydia, the chance there may be shedding all sense of self and having nothing after and having to start out over.

Sure. That’s phrase. I feel she does come to that place, lack of self. Loss and begging for forgiveness.

That’s a chance, although. So the place does she go from right here?

Effectively, it’s fascinating. She goes someplace, as a result of Gilead survives — some a part of it. Lydia begins over, so to talk, and also you see what occurs in The Testaments.

When Lydia’s hugging Janine within the Purple Middle, does she suppose that’s a last goodbye?

Yeah, I feel so. She doesn’t see something however the current second. She doesn’t see what’s forward. She’s not wanting on the previous. She’s accepting the place she is on this second, and it’s goodbye.

Will we see June and Aunt Lydia cross paths earlier than the collection is over?

Sure, you’ll… These questions shall be answered, don’t fear.

What else are you able to tease about what’s to come back in these last two episodes for Aunt Lydia? What sort of journey does she go on now that she has misplaced herself and has to vary?

It’s not a easy crusing. The women don’t get too far, a few of them. Lydia has to regroup. She’s additionally thought-about a traitor as a result of are you able to think about? Letting the women go? Are you kidding me? So she’s not a free lady, and she or he accepts that she deserves that. That’s the place she is.

So she’s not going to lie after this?

No.

She’s going to personal letting them go?

Yeah. It’s highly effective. I don’t need to inform you any greater than that.

In Season 1, Aunt Lydia noticed the violent punishments for the women as saving them. A “that is the way you’ll study your lesson” mindset. How has her definition of saving these ladies developed throughout the collection?

Effectively, it turns into much less and fewer bodily. You’ll discover the cow prod disappears. And what good ever does it do to scream and to bodily punish? After some time, you suppose simply naturally, “There’s a greater method. There’s a greater method.” She’s being taught by these ladies and affected by them. And I feel, as you stated, she undoubtedly believes that harsh remedy is important to get them on monitor. However she’s ready to take action slowly over time with out that stage of punishment. It simply evolves that her method of doing issues doesn’t require that any longer. I imply, perhaps as soon as in a blue moon, however not usually in any respect.

We’ve seen a few of Lydia’s backstory pre-Gilead in earlier seasons, however is there any sense inside her that she feels betrayed by Gilead? As a result of Lydia earlier than Gilead, I don’t suppose was as accepting of bodily violence as she is once we see her as Aunt Lydia within the Gilead years. Is there a way in her thoughts that Gilead made her into this?

It relies on the way you suppose all of it started. I feel it was very useful that our showrunner, Bruce Miller, stated she was a trainer. And also you do see that within the backstory for Lydia. And he or she was a really spiritual individual, had a really, very sturdy perception in God and in the way in which the world ought to function. And I don’t know if that goes with what Margaret Atwood would say, however given our story and the way in which we’re telling it, I imagine that’s true. I can think about pre-Gilead folks saying, “We now have acquired to do one thing right here. I imply, that is uncontrolled. Sleeping with anybody, no relationship with God in any respect. Having a baby with out marriage, and the truth that having kids has grow to be such an virtually inconceivable factor. The start charge dropping, one thing needs to be completed.” And whenever you inherit a bunch of ladies who’re offended and impolite and contemporary, and also you’ve acquired to make sturdy selections to get them to settle down, and also you’re right here to study one thing and it’s going to take time and also you’re not going to like it. I feel it takes a fierce hand, particularly at first.

So it appears it was like a private, pure evolution for Lydia, perhaps, and never a lot indoctrination from Gilead. So now in these last episodes, as we see in the long run of the Purple Middle scene, she feels the load of how incorrect she was now. Is that the place we go away her?

The best way issues started [in Gilead for Lydia], she’s going to be one of many head aunts. It’s so fascinating, the story is a bit of completely different with Testaments and the way it got here to be. However Lydia’s no idiot. If she’s going to be an aunt, she needs to be the one in cost. She doesn’t need to be someplace within the line. However in communication with the commanders who’re going to be in cost [as Gilead was forming], Lydia accepts that as we start, they’re going to be in cost.

What’s the standing of Lydia’s relationship with God after Season 6 Episode 8? And the way is that evolving in The Testaments?

Her perception in God and the sensation [of] can she please be forgiven that she has completed incorrect, it brings her to her knees, begging for God’s forgiveness. She doesn’t let go of God. She holds on even tighter and begs for forgiveness. Her perception in God stays current proper by way of The Testaments. She’s not put to the check like she is in Handmaid’s in The Testaments — not less than not but — however perception in God is central to their world, no query, and in her world, for positive. And [it] stays that method.

The Handmaid’s Story, Tuesdays, Hulu