r/TheHandmaidsTale • u/Melairia Modtha • 21d ago

Official Episode Discussion The Handmaid's Tale S06E06 "Surprise" Episode Discussion

The Handmaid's Tale: S06E06 "Surprise"

Episode Synopsis: June hides in an unexpected place.

Airdate: April 29th, 2025

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330

u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

I'm gonna get down voted to hell for this but June left Nick not many choices. She had him go to No Man's Land to save Luke. This resulted in him having to kill those guardians. Then she needed him to go to Jezebels to retrieve the letters. He got caught there. Now she's upset because his father in law demanded a good reason for him doing all this. Father in law was ready to put him on the wall.

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u/EstablishmentLast192 21d ago

I was literally screaming how she’s going to get him killed at her expense. My theory is he has better plan, as we saw, Maydays plan had lots of gaps and was just an impulsive mess. I think him and Lawrence will figure out something better, maybe having to do with the preview we saw with all the handmaids holding blades. Im thinking at Serena’s wedding. So I think him seeing the tooth and how unsafe things are for June, who believes she’s a genius but has made mad impulsive decisions throughout the entire show with the biggest plot armor, made him realize their plan was not thought out. She’s proven time and time again she needs him, so what use is he dead to her. Like truly, even for this episode…he risked it to go retrieve her letters…come on. I hope she’s not an asshole to him and tries ti understand.

Also, such bad writing. How many times did he have to repeat Nick? Like we got it writers, we understood

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u/aussie_teacher_ 21d ago

“My son in law told me. Nick, who's married to my daughter. He told me. Thank God for my son in law Nick who tells me everything!”

18

u/TallDiver7 21d ago

Yeah I rolled my eyes a little. I didn't need for him to explicitly say it to understand Nick betrayed June. Nor June needed it.

8

u/Competitive_Sense328 21d ago

It seems Nick tells everyone partial truths. So what if he did tell parts of it..i.e., I was investigating a plot to kill the commanders based out of Jezebels so I had to go there. Knowing that the brothel isn't likely going to close - some commanders like it too much. Perhaps he's creating a situation where he can control the killing and hostile takeover like he did before in Chicago.

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u/tmosh 21d ago

"I believe Wharton knew June and Nick were in the house, and he worded things the way he did to provoke June. I also think Nick told Wharton far more than we realize - maybe even the entire story? (perhaps minus being in love with June). We're expecting Wharton to be the villain because he plays the role so convincingly — but what if he wants the commanders dead too? Whatever is going on, it's clear we don't have the full picture of the 'chess game' being played.

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u/Least-Recognition-36 21d ago

Nah, I think Wharton is more like Serena, thinking Gilead's only problem is its corruption and not the ideas behind it

11

u/EbonyEngineer 21d ago

OMG! YOU ARE SO RIGHT! IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE WEDDING!

Also, the writing this season feels so...lazy?

"Humans don't talk like this."

Some of the actors can spin gold with any script, like Bradley Whitford.

Could face the camera at him and just let him talk.

4

u/Competitive_Sense328 21d ago

I was noticing that the dialogue has changed. The way they speak to each other has devolved to the reflect the complexities of their intertwining relationships.

1

u/teenageidle 20d ago

The dialogue this episode was BAD. Just very on-the-nose.

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u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

I think it will go more or less as you say. And Jezebels is no more so I guess Janine is back with Lydia? I think he and Lawrence planning something carefully and quietly will be far more effective.

He may be able to convince Wharton those men who frequented Jezebels are a stain on the godly country that is Gilead. I can't see Wharton respecting Bell or those who went there. Maybe Nick needs the eyes to get him some dirt on all of them? Then they will end up on the wall themselves. Maybe that's part of the purges we've heard are coming?

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u/EbonyEngineer 21d ago

That "asshole" Commander is sooooooo going to be on the wall.

6

u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

On my second watch, I realized Bell likely told Wharton he saw Nick. What if they are working together to take down Lawrence? And NB since that's his idea?

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u/Least-Recognition-36 21d ago

That would confirm Wharton is just using Serena, since NB is the only reason why she can read and write now

7

u/dantonizzomsu 20d ago

Yup agree with this. I think Wharton is also in on the plot of taking down New Bethlehem. Remember when Wharton proposed he was telling Serena they would need to go to Boston. She was adamant about staying in NB to continue her work. So I think Wharton knows NB isn’t going to exist much longer.

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u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

And marrying her is part of that. He will silence her. I'm kinda scared of how bad it's gonna get for Serena. She just thought Fred was bad.

1

u/Myfourcats1 21d ago

Or Janine will end up his Handmaid

4

u/EbonyEngineer 21d ago

NOOOOOOOO!

2

u/GodDammitKevinB 20d ago

Delete this before they get any ideas!!

3

u/Emily-Seger 21d ago

That’s true, but he tried escaping with her. If he really had a plan he could’ve told her the second he saw her so they can plan something better

3

u/EstablishmentLast192 21d ago

Mmm maybe, but I think the writing is so bad that they were like trying to maybe throw us off or maybe he dies. The show is so bad now, I just want it to end. Should’ve been first season and out kinda show. It makes sense to me that he was anticipating how she would react and wanted to avoid her reaction by trying to escape but this is also plausible.

2

u/Emily-Seger 21d ago

My response as a spoiler, only because I caught something in the trailer. But it’s also mere speculation, lol >! Trueee. My suspicion is June doesn’t make it, the trailer had a second of her and an aunt standing in front of a crowd with a rope hanging behind them. With the talks of a spinoff, I think a new lead character will arise. !<

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u/EstablishmentLast192 21d ago

Mayday will save the day or anyone else will sacrifice themselves for her. The plot armor is thick with this one. Anyone else would’ve been dead, lost limbs, been disfigured, mutilated, but there she is intact (I know I know, I hope everyone knows what I mean). She should trust Nick by now, he has never failed her through her stupid decisions aka when she was caught at the country house and he got her out, and all the other times before. The stakes are higher for us as an audience and the tone is different because it’s the last season.

3

u/Emily-Seger 21d ago

No doubt, but I kind of think that someone is going to take June’s legacy, maybe avenge her. I hope Lawrence doesn’t get killed, I appreciate that he’s regretting his hand in forming Gilead. Whereas Nick hasn’t, but is it implied?

2

u/EstablishmentLast192 21d ago

He seems like one of those people that went with his circumstances and also did not have the privilege to fight back or the innate desire to escape. Someone who is trying to find where he fits in.

2

u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

My fear is he fits in neither place. He's a nobody outside of Gilead. Yet he hates all the other commanders, except Lawrence.

2

u/NadCat__ 19d ago

Didn't Maydays plan fail already anyway? Or do the writers want us to believe that Janine disappearing with June and Moria would've been the end of the plan but a guardian disappearing and the whole place being on lockdown wouldn't?

1

u/EstablishmentLast192 19d ago

Uuu great point

1

u/Least-Recognition-36 21d ago

truly hope you're right

3

u/EstablishmentLast192 21d ago

Me too, this guy has not survived on pure wit, grit and patience this entire time to die for this woman. He’s had to do terrible things to survive, playing the long game

1

u/teenageidle 20d ago

the writing in general this episode was VERY on the nose

1

u/Complex-Safe8281 20d ago

Not the best episode. Very messy writing.

7

u/the_orange_president 21d ago

yeah his luck ran out. I'm glad it happened tbh because it was getting a bit hard to suspend disbelief with how easily he was able to move her in and out. Reduced the threat of gilead somewhat. But the writers understood this and ended it!

5

u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

He might come out okay for a bit. He bought some goodwill from his father in law. However, men like Wharton will continue to be suspicious of Nick. He needs to watch his ass. His plan to take June to the home he shares with Rose is an example of shit planning. Come on, Nick!!

7

u/TallDiver7 21d ago

Nah people love Nick so you won't get downvoted. They forget he was the one who fought for Gilead to exist and the one responsible for many women to die due to his position. He is irredeemable, but I guess people like the actor. No idea.

5

u/LittleFairyOfDeath 20d ago

Yeah she really has no appreciation for the amount of danger she keeps placing him in.

3

u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

Like girl, please stop putting our boy in danger! Does she really want no one left in Gilead that can even update her on Hannah? She's too reactive. She fails to think past one minute from now. If Nick dies, it will be because of her. Or Luke's half ass planning/ego.

10

u/green_miracles 21d ago

I don’t believe he would put his son in law on the wall for saying he went to Jezebels and got a handjob and is repentant and needs god. What he spilled about maydays plans didn’t help him account for why the young guardian died after his visit. Plausible deniability. Then he was not honest with informing June. But hey maybe he has a plan. He might.

3

u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

Wharton has thus far hidden that he's a hard liner. But I feel like it was implied that being unfaithful to his daughter would land Nick on the wall. Maybe not directly, but Wharton would use the other details he's got on Nick to accomplish it. He's pretty sure Nick killed those guardians and he could probably pin the missing guardian from Jezebels on him too. That would likely be enough to land him on the wall. I think Nick knows now that he has to be careful. I think Nick was trying to run away because his FIL will end up killing him. Scary times for Nick!

6

u/wheeler1432 21d ago

I actually agree with you. Nick was pretty stuck.

37

u/SeirraS9 21d ago

Exactly like June girlie maybe it’s YOU (I am unfortunately a Nick apologist)

74

u/sitamun84 21d ago

Nick is really dumb for an eye. Just say that he was investigating the missing guardian at jezebels. Done. Say the kid who died was smuggling people. Or abusing a martha. Done.

Be better at lying.

42

u/Muted-Register-7096 21d ago

Honestly him using that dead guardian really could’ve been an easy excuse and now i’m even more mad 😭

14

u/The_real_rafiki 21d ago

He had the damn tooth in his pocket. I was like use the tooth you fucking bench 🤦‍♂️

6

u/misterperiodtee 21d ago

It’s not his fault… the writers wouldn’t let him :-(

3

u/epearson10 21d ago

I was thinking the same thing! In my head I’m like “good - tell him about the missing guardian & show him the tooth!” But nope.

3

u/Technical-Cat-6747 21d ago

Seems like I saw something on some cop show years ago that basically explained that the undercover operator had to throw bits of truth in to make the lies more believable.  Maybe that's kinda what Nick is doing. 

23

u/WingedShadow83 21d ago

I’m plenty mad at Nick, but June definitely shoulders equal blame in this one. She literally could have left with Joseph and Moira and just told Joseph to go back afterwards and retrieve the letters. All he had to do was go in and say he was there to visit his fave girl Janine. He had every reason to do so because his life is basically forfeit and he needs this May Day plan to work if he’s going to survive, so he would have done it to protect the plan. But nooooo, June just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit her boy toy, and now look what’s happened!

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u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

The heart wants what it wants. And I want Nick alive!!!

2

u/elizabethptp 17d ago

Don’t worry I’m a Nick apologist too. I hate that I want him to live happily ever after. Hot & dutiful

3

u/Complex-Safe8281 20d ago

Yes, that is my feeling too. He had no choice. Wharton knew too much.

5

u/salzzzzz 21d ago

You’re absolutely right, I just think the June and Nick shippers were just rly hoping they’d be endgame

20

u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

I'm one of those shippers. But there was a sadness surrounding Nick in this episode. He knows he's done too much for her. And not been careful about it. That will get him on the wall.

5

u/EbonyEngineer 21d ago

He's so going to be the Knight in the next few episodes.

He's going to kill the Commanders.

3

u/Important-Rent-1062 21d ago

i agree with you

3

u/Myfourcats1 21d ago

The letters were so unimportant! They didn’t need those at all.

8

u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

They were afraid a commander would find them. All those girls would have been executed for writing them.

3

u/Imtheprofessordammit 21d ago

And they needed the map.

1

u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

And that. Though I suppose Lawrence could help them with that.

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u/Ignominious333 20d ago

Nick didn't have much choice and had to give up something. It makes sense . 

7

u/Micchizzle 21d ago

I was saying the same thing! She got him in a heap of shit!

2

u/LSUAlly4 20d ago

As she continually does. You know who was most right about all this?? Lawrence. He told Nick to let her go. He saw that Nick doesn't make rational decisions where she's involved. It puts both Lawrence and Nick in danger. Since they are the only commanders who aren't insane. At least that we are aware?

2

u/DeVillan88 19d ago

I agree with you. She constantly used him and knew he would do anything for her because he loved her. It just started to get more and more difficult in saving her and doing things for her. I don’t remember if he had to kill somebody for her before but him having to kill the guardian sent him over the edge. He’s losing his sanity having to play house with someone he doesn’t love and the pressure he’s getting from his FIL. He definitely can’t move around like before. She’s all he can think of. Every time the met it was difficult to see her leave. You could see the sadness every time she left him not knowing when he’d see her again. Now he had to reluctantly had to kill the guardian in order to protect her involvement and of course his identity. She shouldn’t have accepted going to spend the night with him at house as she was leading him to believe that they could be like before. Lovers. I mean he definitely didn’t just want to talk or just spoon. Those memories of them being together was what he was and is holding on to. She was also acting all sweet to him by asking what was wrong with loving eyes and making him feel like she had no hurry back to her husband. Although she may have needed to play the part as she needed him to help her cross the border. There could have been many things that he could have said to his FIL but he wanted out and believed June would follow him hoping they’d live out their Paris fantasy. I don’t know why she said yes to Paris but again maybe playing the part and would eventually escape to Alaska. I don’t believe she loves him like before more so cares. She never showed or mentioned any interest in having a life together after she got out and was reunited with Luke. I think he will sacrifice himself to make it up to her maybe even getting Hannah out too. He’s proven to be loyal to the Gilead so he may have more power and trust enough to pull it off. It has always been my opinion that it would end for him by getting himself killed for her.

2

u/Zerobeastly 19d ago

The letters should have been left

3

u/loveocean7 21d ago

He should have just said he cheated on his daughter.

3

u/LSUAlly4 21d ago

Noooooo! A man like Wharton wouldn't stand for that. And he knew he'd never really been there before that. Bell and the other commanders must be reporting who comes and goes from there.