History Characters / TheHandmaidsTaleTVShow

* RealityEnsues: Who would've thought that the woman who was an enthusiastic participant in Gilead wouldn't magically turn into an empathic or caring mother?

The wife of Lawrence.
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* MoralityPet: If you want Lawrence to do something good, the best way is to convince him that it'll benefit Eleonor.

* When high-ranking Commander Winslow subtly but clearly expresses his displeasure at the Handmaids under Aunt Lydia's control not being forced to wear the rings, Aunt Lydia [[PolitenessJudo politely but firmly]] ''stands up to him'' and pushes back against the idea. Here was a man who could have Aunt Lydia purged from the system with a stroke of his pen, and yet Aunt Lydia faced him to protect the Handmaids.

* SexlessMarriage: Suggested between himself and his wife Serena due to their inability to have a child. It's also suggested that the Commander may be sterile, though Gileadean doctrine forbids men to be mentioned as sterile and instead puts the blame on the woman.

[[folder: Natalie/Ofmatthew]]
->'''Played By''': Ashleigh LaThrop

[[folder: High Commander George Winslow]]

[[folder: Eleanor Lawrence]]

[[folder: Mrs. O'Conner]]

[[folder: Mrs. [=McKenzie=] ]]

[[folder: Olivia Winslow]]

[[folder: Rita]]

[[folder: Beth]]

A Martha who works at the kitchens in Jezebel's. She's also a contact of Nick's.

* ShipperOnDeck: Although she's never met Offred, she good-naturedly teases him about his affair.
* TheInformant: She provides information to Nick in exchange for illicit products, such as alcohol, prescription drugs and pregnancy tests.

[[folder: Luke Bankole]]

[[folder: Hannah Bankole]]

[[folder: Eden]]

[[folder: Dr. Holly Maddox]]

* BlackTieInfiltration: Tuello's introduction comes during Season 2, when he chat's with Serena at the Canadian hotel bar, while Fred is negotiating international treaties with the Canadian Government.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler: High Commander Winslow]] makes it clear he’s interested in Fred sexually. We next see Fred benefitting politically. The scary part is now Fred ‘knows too much,’ and his admirer has every reason to kill Fred if the arrangement turns sour.

* ManipulativeBastard: She approaches the Commanders after it is discovered out that Commander Putnam was carrying on an affair with Ofwarren/Janine outside the allowed "Ceremony" and requests they execute the harshest possible punishment they can under the pretense of "saving" him from "damnation," but in reality she only does it to exact revenge for being cuckolded.

* LighterShadeOfBlack: She's done numerous despicable things in the series and before, but still displays bits of basic moral decency that her husband lacks - for example prioritizing a baby's life over StayInTheKitchen law. [[spoiler:Until Season 3, at least.]]

* PayEvilUntoEvil: Bullies Ofmatthew into the RageBreakingPoint. And seems very pleased with herself when it leads to [[spoiler:Ofmatthew being killed]].

[[folder: Agent Tuello]]

An intelligence agent for the Loyalist American Government, operating out of Canada.

* BlackTieInfiltration: Tuello's introduction comes during Season 2, when he chat's with Serena at the Canadian hotel bar, while Fred is negotiating international treaties with the Canadian Government.
* ChekhovsGunman: While he's first introduced trying to woo Serena into defecting to the Loyalist side, he eventually delivers the instrument of Fred's downfall to Serena: The cell phone she uses to arrange his arrest.
* WhamLine: Delivers one to Fred with a gun in his face in the episode ''Liar''.
-->''"Commander Waterford, you have now crossed into Canada. We are arresting you for war crimes and crimes of aggression in violation of international human rights treaties and international law."''

[[folder:Moira/Ruby]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/samira_wiley_handmaids_tale.jpg]]
->'''Played By''': Creator/SamiraWiley

A lesbian and best friend of Offred that she was neighbors with prior to Gilead.

* BlackBestFriend: In the series but not the book, although it's downplayed.
* DeadpanSnarker: Moira definitely has a biting wit that she keeps even during the takeover.
* DoesNotLikeMen: In both the book and the series, Moira seems to think men are the problem.
** Somewhat averted as her small rant about men seemed to be due more to momentary frustration and fear rather than any genuine bigotry. She is close with and quite fond of Luke and doesn't seem to dislike any of the non-Gilead men she encounters.
* LawOfInverseFertility: Moira does not particularly want children, but she's one of the few people after the SterilityPlague that can still have children. Because of this she did commercial surrogacy before Gilead.
* TheLostLenore: Odette for Moira. Odette died in the Gilead take over.
* RaceLift: Gilead is a white supremacist society in the book, but this element is left out of the television series, where she's played by Samira Wiley.
* SexSlave: [[spoiler:She's captured by the regime after fleeing to Boston. Since she's too unruly to remain a Handmaid, she accepts becoming a Jezebel to avoid being sent to the Colonies, which is tantamount to a slow death sentence]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Luke Bankole]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/handmaids_tale_luke.png]]
->'''Played By''': O-T Fagbenle

The husband of Offred.
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* ChekhovsGunman: Delivers the instrument of Fred's downfall to Serena: The cell phone she uses to arrange his arrest.

-->""Commander Waterford, you have now crossed into Canada. We are arresting you for war crimes and crimes of aggression in violation of international human rights treaties and international law."

[[folder:Moira/Ruby]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/samira_wiley_handmaids_tale.jpg]]
->'''Played By''': Creator/SamiraWiley

A lesbian and best friend of Offred that she was neighbors with prior to Gilead.

* BlackBestFriend: In the series but not the book, although it's downplayed.
* DeadpanSnarker: Moira definitely has a biting wit that she keeps even during the takeover.
* DoesNotLikeMen: In both the book and the series, Moira seems to think men are the problem.
** Somewhat averted as her small rant about men seemed to be due more to momentary frustration and fear rather than any genuine bigotry. She is close with and quite fond of Luke and doesn't seem to dislike any of the non-Gilead men she encounters.
* LawOfInverseFertility: Moira does not particularly want children, but she's one of the few people after the SterilityPlague that can still have children. Because of this she did commercial surrogacy before Gilead.
* TheLostLenore: Odette for Moira. Odette died in the Gilead take over.
* RaceLift: Gilead is a white supremacist society in the book, but this element is left out of the television series, where she's played by Samira Wiley.
* SexSlave: [[spoiler:She's captured by the regime after fleeing to Boston. Since she's too unruly to remain a Handmaid, she accepts becoming a Jezebel to avoid being sent to the Colonies, which is tantamount to a slow death sentence]].

[[folder: Luke Bankole]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/handmaids_tale_luke.png]]
->'''Played By''': O-T Fagbenle

The husband of Offred.

* FaceHeelRevolvingDoor: One step forward, two steps back. [[spoiler:Serena starts Season 3 by burning down her and Fred's home and leaving Fred, accept's that Nichole has a better future in Canada, and conspires with June to gain more power and make changes to Gilead's government. Then she has one "goodbye" visit with Nichole and all of a sudden she's all-in on Gilead again, wishing she'd had June's mouth wired shut like the other D.C. Handmaids when she first joined the household.]]

* FateWorseThanDeath: Even though they live in relative luxury, the life of an handmaid is nothing short of a hellish and miserable experience: on top of having all your civil rights stripped like all women, you also lose your ties to your past, identity and name being referred to as whoever owns you, reduced to a BabyFactory whose only purpose in life is being raped and give birth to children for your master. And when no longer of use (whether by being too rebellious, growing old or infertile), then its off to the Colonies to die a slow and painful death. It is no wonder that a number of Handmaids [[DrivenToSuicide attempt suicide to escape this wretched life]] like Offred's predecessor, [[spoiler:Janine and June herself (though she survives)]] and even some econowives like Heather say she'd sooner die than become one. [[spoiler:Tragically, she is turned into a Handmaid after they found out she is a mother (therefore fertile) and her husband helped June escape]]. The only thing comparable to being a Handmaid is becoming a [[SexSlave Jezebel]], whose purpose is to provide pleasure rather than children.

The main protagonist. Her real name is June Osborne.

A fellow Handmaid assigned to be Offred's shopping partner. She's also the second of three women to carry this title. At first Offred doesn't trust her and finds her to be a stickler for rules, but soon warms up to her as they share stories of their previous lives, finding out that Ofglen has quite the rebellious streak.

A fellow Handmaid whom Offred associates with.

A Handmaid Offred met at the Center, who occasionally chats with Offred during shopping trips.

[[folder:The previous Offred]]

%% * DeathByDespair
* DrivenToSuicide: She was so desperate and unable to handle her position that she decided to kill herself. She hanged herself though Handmaids are usually monitored very closely and everyone tries to prevent this kind of escape.
* DueToTheDead: The living Offred finds a camaraderie with her. Part of what helps the current Offred to survive is to help cherish the last Offred's memory.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: We may not know her name and her only on-screen appearance is of her dead body, but the Latin phrase she carves in the closet wall offers inspiration for Offred.

[[folder: Natalie/Ofmatthew]]

Offred/Ofjoseph’s new shopping partner in Season 3.

[[folder:Lille Fuller/The Second Ofglen]]

[[folder:The Second Ofglen]]

The ReplacementGoldfish of the last Ofglen. A former drug-addicted prostitute. [[spoiler: Her real name is Lillie Fuller.]]

[[folder: Holly Maddox]]

June's feminist mother.

* BackAlleyDoctor: Unknown exactly what kind of medical professional she is, but she performs a vasectomy on an old friend after they've been made illegal.

** Invokes this trope by [[spoiler: setting up Offred's meeting with Moira, though he find her ungrateful for [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency not thanking him automatically]] and disappointed that [[GirlOnGirlIsHot they're not lovers]]]].

* HeManWomenHater: He is at least AffablyEvil in the first season, but in season 2 he truly degrades into this trope, blaming the women he abuses for all difficulties in his life. In the third season he's forced to retract a bit to win back his wife.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler: High Commander Winslow]] makes it clear he’s interested in Fred sexually. We next see Fred benefitting politically. The scary part is now Fred ‘knows too much’ too much now, and his admirer is incentivized to have Fred killed if the arrangement turns sour.