Handmaid’s Tale : How Esther Becomes Handmaid (& What’s Next)

Mckenna Grace aka Mrs. Esther Keys becomes a Handmaid and we wonder what is in for her on The Handmaid’s Tale?

After June Osborne’s successful mission to rescue 86 children out of Gilead during The Handmaid’s Tale season 3 finale, she and her fellow Handmaids took up refuge at the farm of 14 year old Esther and her husband Commander Keyes.

Soon the Guardians invade the Keyes’ home and capture June. Only then she is told by Nick Blaine that even Esther is a prisoner of Gilead.

The recent episodes focused on June’s life in Canada but fans are still curious about what would happen with Esther.

During the time Handmaid’s were on the farm, Esther is in awe of June and hopes June would rescue her,

June and Esther already share a bond due to the similar circumstances they have been through.
Looking at Esther triggers June the fear about her daughter’s future in Gilead.
June tells her that she loves her and will bring her with her. However with Guardians  raid, Esther is left to deal with helping June and the rest.

In April, Grace hinted that Esther is going to be back.

In “Progress”, Janine at Red Centre discovers that Ester is now a Handmaid. In Gilead, when women break law, they are killed, sent to Colonies, physically mutilated, made prostitutes or Handmaids and something go through many things.
Since Esther is young and fertile, Gilead wouldn’t want to waste a womb just when country lost 86 children.

Gilead drowned Nick’s first wife instead of making her a Handmaid and it didn’t make sense.
The series doesn’t really offer much details about Esther’s journey from a Commander’s wife to Aunt Lydia’s newest charge.

This lead to many questions; was she tortured for information? Did she stand trial? Did her husband defend her or is he dead?

There is just one episode left and too many questions to answer as well as insight into Esther’s life before she meets June.

Janine is currently trying her best so Esther can adapt but things just keep on getting worse for Esther who is moving forward. She had faced abuse as a wife but she still kept her life under control. But as a Handmaid she feels powerless.

Grace will mostly reprise her role as Esther in Season 5 considering so many important characters are in Canada and the series needs to find a way to make sure Gilead is in the forefront.

Esther and Janine played a pivotal role in Aunt Lydia’s story arc and it takes a drastic turn in The Testaments.

As of now Esther has only one ally and that is Janine. Fans are hoping that they can become Gilead’s version of Thelma and Lousie but they could be disappointed. According to the producer- writer Eric Tuchman, Janine can take care of herself and doesn’t have an ulterior motive.

Moreover, Aunt Lydia is searching Janine’s next Commander.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario that would give Esther a happy ending.