Handmaid’s Tale Recap: The Last Ceremony

Season 2/Episode 10, The Last Ceremony/Hulu TW: Sexual Assault/Rape/Child & Parent Separation/Emotional Distress Spoiler Alert: Before going right in to the season 2 finale of Handmaid’s Tale, I need to state a few things. Every single episode of Handmaid’s Tale is gut-wrenching. This particular episode came with its own trigger warning, and for good reason. Due to my own experiences with sexual assault and the sensitivity for others that comes along with that… I will not spell out certain situations in detail. Of all of the recaps this season, this is by far the hardest for me to write. 

One Soweth and Another Reapeth: If you’ve watched previous episodes of Handmaid’s Tale, then you are well aware of the ceremonies. This episode opens with Emily casting herself aside emotionally during a ceremony. It will be that commander’s last ceremony, as we witness his fall from an apparent heart attack. A shrieking wife runs off to find help while Emily stays on her back to increase the chances [of pregnancy]. I can’t help but to clap for Emily as she stands over her attacker. She delivers a swift kick to his ribs and a well-deserved stomp to his ceremonial jewels.

From there we move to June and many of the other handmaids in the grocery store. Town talk of what happened to Emily is inevitable. Apparently, so are contractions. In the middle of June telling Emily that Moira made it to Canada, she becomes angry at Emily’s melancholy and goes into labor. Once the ambulance takes h…