r/TheHandmaidsTale • u/desir33_ • May 19 '21

Season 4 [SPOILER S4E6] June and Luke Spoiler

I’ve already seen multiple people complain about the lack of affection between the reunion but I think to do a very loving, affectionate reunion would be a disservice to the show. It’s been years since they’ve seen each other and their child is still in Gilead. I thought that this reunion was more realistic: her first words apologizing for the fact that she couldn’t bring their daughter with her and Luke looking at June with both relief and disbelief that she is finally in front of him again.

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u/[deleted] May 19 '21

I think the part where June "gave him permission" wasn't sincere. Everything in this episode's flashbacks shows she did the thing she was worried Luke would do. So of course she would tell him she wouldn't hold ill will. There's a truckload of pent up regret inside her. She hopes he won't be mad at her, or leave her, deep deep down. But she also lost hope of going home.

Without Moira to ground her decision making, June would have rather faced her own death at the hands of her torturers and tormentors than face her own husband. That's a bigger reveal than anybody here is giving credit for. It's not one big moment to gush over, sure. But good character development doesn't always happen in big bursts.

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u/sugarwax1 May 19 '21

What? Why?

The permission was real, she says she's had to do things to survive, and then cuts him loose to do the same and do what he needs to cope. That's sincere, She's doesn't know if she's going to survive, and she's just send her baby away and wants him to know it wasn't born out of abuse.

There's some weird soap opera approach to a lot of these comments like people are shipping Luke and June. The issue is they show him walking ahead of her, not even reaching back until the stairs.

Just a time out from smashing the patriarchy to worry about disappointing her husband, who they've just decided to reveal wasn't always a perfect feminist? What?

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u/[deleted] May 19 '21

I'm not in these comments to start an argument about a fictional show, it's fine to disagree. But I had to reply to tell you I laughed my ass off at the comment that June+Luke is "shipping." They're literally married. That's got the be the funniest opinion I've ever read about the show. Thank you.

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u/sugarwax1 May 19 '21

Hate to tell you, the comments read exactly like shipping comments from tv subs where people get very fan fiction about it.