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Guardians
Isaac
Played by: Rohan Mead
A young guardian assigned to the Waterford house in the second season.
- Alas, Poor Villain: Despite him crudely treating women previously, his death is seen in a more sympathetic light, especially for both Serena and June.
- Defiant to the End: He remains wordless and unrepentant during his execution.
- Drunk with Power: When the Waterfords go to Canada, he is left in charge and it goes to his head. Other than Eden, he treats the women at the household with disdain, orders June and Janine to stop talking, and clocks Janine when she acts out.
- Improbable Age: He's around 20. Rita comments how he is so young but he's still in charge over her and everyone else in the house, when the Waterfords are away.Rita: That boy downstairs is maybe 20 years old.
And he can tell me to do anything.
He could break my jaw, and no one would say boo. - Star-Crossed Lovers: Falls in love with Eden who reciprocates, but she is married to an older guy. Given the Crapsack World they live in, it ends badly for them.
- Through His Stomach: His flirtation with Eden involve him enjoying the food she cooks.
- Would Hit a Girl: He hits Janine with his gun when she talks back to him.
Ezra Shaw
Played by: Rossif Sutherland
A Guardian in the employ of Ryan Wheeler and is posted in Canada.
- Foil: To Mark Tuello. Both are well-dressed and smart talking people assigned to Serena Waterford. However, Ezra strictly works for Gilead through Ryan Wheeler.
Marthas
For Rita, see the Main Characters page.
In General
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Marthas wear greenish grey outfits.
- Milkman Conspiracy: The Martha's run their own traffic and intel network parallel and in collaboration with that of Mayday and other resistance groups.
Beth
Played By: Kristen Gutoskie
A Contact who Nick used to have sexual relations with. She was a Martha who works at the kitchens in Jezebel's, but she's later reassigned to Commander Lawrence. Is killed in Season 4 after she is captured by Gilead, and is pushed off a building as part of June's torture.
- Childfree Is Not Allowed: She is considered a "sinner" because she had her tubes tied.
- Deadpan Snarker: She has a sarcastic and friendly disposition towards Nick. She continues her snarking tendencies with June.
- Defiant to the End: Tells June to not give the location of the safehouse where the other handmaids are hiding. This earns her a swift shove off a building to her death.
- Friends with Benefits: Though Nick forgoes sex with her during his affair with June.
- Shipper on Deck: She's never met June in Season 1, so she good-naturedly teases Nick about his affair. It's unknown if she knows June is the same woman Nick had talked about previously.
- The Informant: She provides information to Nick in exchange for illicit products, such as alcohol, prescription drugs and pregnancy tests. It's assumed that she is still in this role in Commander Lawrence's household.
Cora
Played By: Victoria Fodor
A Martha assigned to Commander Lawrence's household.
- Ambiguous Situation: Her fate after Lawrence announces he "sent her away" is unrevealed. Its unknown if he actually had her reassigned or executed.
- Haughty Help: When the Lawrence household is introduced, she has a rather equal relationship with Commander Lawrence, more of old friends than that of master and servant.
- Red Right Hand: She is missing an eye.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: See Ambiguous Situation above.
Sienna
Played By: Sugenja Sri
A young Martha assigned to Commander Lawrence's household after Cora is "sent away". Is killed in Season 4 after she is captured by Gilead, and is pushed off a building as part of June's torture.
- The Baby of the Bunch: How June and Beth regard her at first, not just because of her apparent age, but mostly due to her fearful and submissive demeanor.
- Bring My Brown Pants: She has a tendency to wet her pants under extreme stress.
- Kill the Cutie: She is completely in tears as she awaits her fate at the top of a building.
- Nervous Wreck: At first she's terrified of Lawrence and even pees herself.
- Replacement Goldfish: For Cora.
- Took a Level in Badass: She grows more assertive as episodes go by, insisting she wants to aid June and that she's capable of doing it. Later, she takes part in the smuggling of the escaping children along with the rest of the Marthas and Handmaids.
"Martha 6715-301"
Played By: Laura Wilson
A young Martha with whom Emily carries on a secret affair.
- Bury Your Lesbians: She's unceremoniously executed due to the laws of Gilead against homosexuality.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Emily.
- You Are Number 6: Her real name is never mentioned onscreen.
- You Have Failed Me: Since she's infertile, she's judged as an Unwoman, unworthy to be kept even as a servant or even sent to the colonies, and hanged. Emily is spared only because she's fertile.
- It's implied that she may have a long laundry list of related "crimes" in order to warrant execution. Emily would later be sent to the Colonies despite her committing a murder, so something else this Martha supposedly "did" seriously pissed Gilead off for her to be offed in this manner. This likely overlaps with You Have Outlived Your Usefulness as June is also spared this fate in Season 4, likely because she still has information on the Mayday movement, whereas this Martha has no more use.
Frances
Played By: Ordena Stephens
A Martha in the McKenzie household.
- Adaptation Name Change: In the novels, the Marthas at the household to which Offred's daughter is assigned are Rosa, Vera and Zilla.
- You Have Failed Me: She's executed at Aunt Lydia's behest after Ofmatthew reveals Frances' conversations with June.
Maureen
Played By: Elizabeth Whitmere
A Martha assigned to Jezebel's.
- Chekhov's Gunman: She's revealed to be one of the five women captured in Chicago that were chosen by June to be spared from the Colonies.
- Disposing of a Body: Maureen and the other Marthas dispose of the body of High Commander Winslow after June kills him in self-defense, leaving no trail of his presence.
Maggie
Played By: Joanne Boland
A Martha from Lexington that joins the plot to have a group of children smuggled into Canada.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Maggie changes her mind and tries to return to her household along with Rebecca/Kiki, but the ends up leaving the child to flee alone.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Janine reports Maggie was arrested. Its unknown what happens to her afterwards but its likely she'll be executed.
Lily
Played By: Christine Ko
A former Martha who was one of the prisoners exchanged for Commander Waterford and now leads resistance efforts from a compound by the border.- Rebel Leader: Leads resistance efforts from an outpost in No Man's Land.
Aunts
For Aunt Lydia Clements, see the Main Characters page.
In General
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Aunts wear brown garbs.
- The Quisling: Aunts enjoy certain privileges within the Gilead regime, such as being allowed to read. Their common room at the Rachel and Leah Center looks like it would belong on an Ivy League campus, complete with mental and physical diversions (like puzzles and treadmills).
American Citizens Living in Canada
Erin
Played By: Erin Way
A refugee who came to Canada with Luke and is his companion during the first season of the show.
- Cute Mute: Doesn't speak at all during the first season, possibly due to her Shell-Shocked Veteran status. She does say a few words in Season 2.
- "Eureka!" Moment: Comes up with the idea of publishing the Gilead letters online, thus resulting in the Waterfords' expulsion from Canada in Season 2.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Whatever trauma she went through, it rendered her unable to speak in Season 1. She gets better though.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Doesn't appear after Season 2.
Nichole Osborne
June and Nick's daughter, who was conceived and born in Gilead. Originally named Holly Osborne at birth, Fred and Serena rename her Nichole Waterford. She now resides with Luke and Moira after Emily was able to smuggle her across the border. June approved Serena's name change, and Luke only changes her last name back to Osborne.
- Dead Guy Junior: When she is born, June names her Holly, after her mother.
- Improbable Infant Survival: Against many odds, she survives being submerged in cold water while Emily crosses a river to reach Canada.
- Meaningful Rename: June names her Holly upon her birth, but when Serena claims her for herself, she is given the name Nichole. As a nod to Serena allowing Holly to escape, June tells Emily (who is taking her to Canada) to call her Nichole as well. Even with Luke knowing her real name and parentage later on, both Luke and Moira continue to call the baby Nichole.
- The name is also a nod to Nick, her biological father.
- Protectorate: Both Moira and Luke act as Mama Bear and Papa Wolf to Holly/Nichole while she is in Canada
- Small Role, Big Impact: Variation. She doesn't do anything, given that she is a baby. But her very existence is what drives the plot in Season 3 where High Commander Winslow wants to use her as a tool to force Canada to deport all Gilead refugees, while Serena goes behind the scenes to try to get back together with Nichole.
Mark Tuello
Played By: Sam Jaeger
An intelligence agent for the Loyalist United States forces, operating out of Canada.
- The Ace: From what we see of the man, he is very good at his job, being both very charming and very effective.
- Black-Tie Infiltration: Tuello's introduction comes during Season 2, when he chats with Serena at the Canadian hotel bar, while Fred is negotiating international treaties with the Canadian Government.
- Crazy-Prepared: Before his initial meeting with Serena, he had done extensive research on her and knows exactly what it would take to get Serena to turn on Gilead.
- Chekhov's Gunman: 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.
- Everyone Has Standards: He can barely conceal his disgust when Serena shows her true colours by referring to June as Offred.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: He gives one to Serena; after she insisted she'd never commit treason, Tuello retorts she already did when she assisted in the rise of Gilead.Serena: [referring to Gilead] If you had done better research, you would know that I would never betray my country.Mark: [referring to America] I thought you already did.
- He gets to do it to her again in the Season 3 finale: when Serena tries to defend her actions by claiming Nick and June were in a consenting relationship, Tuello retorts that she still coerced them into doing so by threatening June's safety, therefore Serena's actions still constitute rape.
- Wham Line: Delivers one to Fred with a gun in his face in the episode Liars."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."
- He then delivers another to Serena, after Fred provides Tuello with some damning information on her.
Mrs. Waterford, under warrant from the ICC and the government of the United States of America, I am placing you under arrest.- A third one in Season 4 when he tells Serena she is pregnant. The look on his face seems to indicate that he too is shocked by the revelation.
Oona
Played By: Zawe Ashton
The leader of an NGO group attempting to give aid to citizens oppressed by Gilead. She is also Moira's lover while in Canada.
- Jerkass Has a Point: While she is hostile to June when it is revealed June is on the boat, she makes the point that if Gilead finds out that June escaped, they could bar all NGOs from providing aid to American citizens under attack Gilead. Unfortunately, she is ultimately proven right.
- Sadistic Choice: When Moira reveals that she snuck June onto her boat, Oona is forced into one of these- either risk the NGO mission to help Americans or turn over June to Gilead to what amounts to be a death sentence.
- Woman Scorned: Sort of. Oona sees Moira sneaking June on the boat as a betrayal and it seriously strains their relationship.
Sylvia
Played By: Clea Duvall
Emily's wife. Emily and Sylvia had a son together named Oliver, and while Sylvia and Oliver were able to flee Canada on the basis of Sylvia also holding Canadian citizenship, Emily was prevented from leaving by Gilead.
- Failed a Spot Check: When Sylvia receives the call her first call from an escaped Emily while driving, she slams on the brakes, unaware that she is now causing a massive traffic jam.
Others
Hannah Bankole/Agnes Mackenzie
Played By: Jordana Blake
June and Luke's daughter, born before the rise of Gilead. At the start of the series, she was taken from her parents while trying to flee Gilead and placed with the Mackenzie family where she is given the name Agnes.
- Abusive Parents: The Commander and Wife she was assigned to have physically punished her, "only twice".
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Due to the trauma of separation, she can barely bring herself to acknowledge June when they're briefly and secretly reunited, having accepted her new parents and resented her mother for not 'trying hard enough' to find her, but she eventually breaks down crying and calls her Mommy.
- Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off!: The Martha from their household says to June that Hannah/Agnes was physically punished by her new parents "only twice". With all their obsession with Biblical allusions, "spare the rod" is very likely presented as the correct parental discipline and beneficial to children.
- Feminine Women Can Cook: Mrs. McKenzie says to June that she (Hannah/Agnes) is actually quite a good cook. One of the few things girls in Gilead are allowed to learn and a properly feminine hobby for daughters. June is delighted to hear it because Luke cooks.
- Meaningful Rename: After her forced adoption, her new parents have renamed her Agnes (meaning "purity"), presumably to erase her connection to her 'sinful' parents.
- Named by the Adaptation: She was never referred to by name in the novel, presumably because Offred wanted to protect her identity.
- Put on a Bus: Due to Ofmatthew's treachery, the entire Mackenzie family is relocated and no one, including June or Commander Lawrence knows where they are.
- The Bus Came Back: In Season 5, the Mackenzies return for Commander Waterford's funeral. Serena makes sure that Hannah is front and center in front of the cameras so June can see her daughter in Selena's hands.
- Race Lift: In the novel, she is described as being blonde, whereas in the series she is biracial.
- Textile Work Is Feminine: Her "adoptive mother" says that she likes to sew, but that she's not very good at it. Sewing and other textile work is one of the few activities daughters are allowed to learn and pursue, as it's perceived as a properly feminine interest.
Eden Blaine (nee Spencer)
Played By: Sydney Sweeney
A 15-year-old Econowife (forcibly) assigned to Nick.
- Arranged Marriage: Gilead pawns her off as Nick's new wife.
- Children Are Innocent: Poor Eden doesn't seem to realize how awful Gilead is and is molded to believe it's 100% dutiful.
- Defiant to the End: Despite being hugely brainwashed to obey Gilead, she grows disillusioned enough with her marriage to try to defy Gilead when she falls in love with a more age-appropriate boy. At her execution, she does not renounce her sin but simply recites a Biblical verse.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Her Execution. However, considering that the Colonies exist in Season 2, the presence of Magdelene Colonies in Season 4, and the conversion of the similarly aged Esther to a housewife despite committing worse crimes, it's possible that Eden committed a series of crimes that warranted execution.note
- Hidden Depths: June finds a heavily annotated Bible among her personal belongings, suggesting that Eden did not buy into Gilead's doctrine to the extent that she appeared to - specifically, she was reading (which Gilead does not permit for women) and trying to understand or analyze the Bible beyond what Gilead teaches.
- I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Eden's execution weighs pretty heavily on Serena Joy, seemingly convincing her that Gilead is not safe even for the most obedient and pious of girls. This helps facilitate her Heel–Face Turn and specifically, her decision to let June escape with baby Nichole.
- Mal Mariée: Mal Mariée means "badly married" and it refers to a young girl unhappily married to an old guy. 15-year-old Eden is forcibly assigned to marry Nick Blaine. Nick is in love with June who are both in their thirties. Eden tries to make the marriage work, but Nick's not interested in her, which she takes hard. She soon falls in love with guardian Isaac who is about her age. In a twist, she's exasperated that Nick is not jealous at all and angry that he doesn't even care she kissed another man. After chatting with June, who advises her to grab whatever chance at happiness she has in their crapsack world, Eden and Isaac run away. They are caught and executed — Eden for infidelity, Isaac for desertion.
- Morality Pet:
- Despite his cruel nature, Isaac comes to love Eden and tries to elope with her. But they both get caught and tragically die.
- Serena Joy, as awful as she may be, tries to look out for Eden, and Eden's execution weighs heavily on her.
- Kill the Cutie: She is executed for infidelity after running away with Isaac.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: A Morality Pet whose death plays a role in Serena Joy’s Heel–Face Turn.
- Unwanted Spouse: To Nick, he doesn't want their Forced Marriage and is not interested in her. Eden tries to be nice to him and make it work for some time.
- Woman Scorned: She comes to resent Nick's avoidance of her and neglect of their marriage, picking up on his attraction to June.
- You Have Failed Me: It's not known why she was not made a handmaid (or even sent to the colonies) as punishment for her infidelity especially since Esther was made into one despite being of a similar age, especially since Esther killed a guardian. It's implied that Eden was only executed because she refused any punishment Gilead wanted to give her).
Dr. Holly Maddox
Played By: Cherry Jones
June's feminist mother. She was a doctor (possibly an obstetrician) before the Gilead takeover.
- A Fate Worse Than Death: When Aunt Lydia is showing the handmaids photos in the Red Centre, June and Moira see one of her in the Colonies.
- Cool Old Lady: Blasts 'Hollaback Girl' by Gwen Stefani whilst riding in June's car with her feet on the dash.
- It's a Small World, After All: Dr. Yates, an Obstetrician in Gilead, claims he knows Dr. Maddox, but it may be purely based on reputation. This does make the implication that Holly is an obstetrician herself based on this.
- Parental Marriage Veto: Downplayed, but she seriously disapproved of June marrying Luke.
- Soapbox Sadie: While her feminist views are portrayed rather sympathetically (and as the polar opposite of Gilead's ideology), she can have a bit... strong opinions. Marriage? Wasting one's energy for "just a guy" (said when her daughter announces her engagement to her). Baptism? "Having your child sanctified by a bunch of Holier Than Thou child molesters" (said in a church). Ah, and she insist that the whole family dines in a vegan restaurant despite, by June's words, "not even being a fucking vegan".
- Why Couldn't You Be Different?: Again downplayed, but she doesn't understand June's happiness with her editing job, marriage, and normal family life and compares her unfavourably to Moira, who is more involved in political action and resistance.
Annie
Played By: Kelly Jenrette
Luke's first wife. Luke cheated on her with June, which is Gilead's excuse for making June a Handmaid.
- Blame the Paramour: Annie blames June for breaking up the marriage. While June obviously bears responsibility for sleeping with Luke, the affair and breakup were ultimately Luke’s choice.
- Love Will Lead You Back: Annie initially believes that if June stepped away, Luke would come back to her.
- Married Too Young: Hinted at when Annie says she was Luke’s first.
Alanis/Mrs. Ryan Wheeler
Played By: Genevieve Angelson
An admirer of Serena who offers her a place to stay at her home.- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Starts out nice and admiring toward Serena, but slowly she and her husband become more and more controlling, preventing Serena from leaving the house even to get some fresh air. Later, after Serena is released from the Canadian detention center, she takes over most of the duties of caring for baby Noah, only allowing Serena to nurse the baby.
- Foil: She's essentially an exaggerated version of Serena prior to her Character Development.
- Hypocrite: Mrs. Wheeler tells Serena that she is not fit to be a mother, and might never be. This comes from a woman who acts like trying to comfort a month-old-infant (who likely has separation anxiety) is spoiling him.
- Personal Space Invader: Alanis introduces herself to Serena and immediately kneels in front of her, putting her hands on Serena's pregnant belly. Serena looks uncomfortable by the unsolicited touching from a stranger.
Ryan Wheeler
Played By: Lucas Neff
Although not a Commander in Gilead, Ryan lives with his wife in Canada, and is part of a group of Gilead loyalists living in Canada.
- Henpecked Husband: He clearly shows discomfort with Alanis's abuse of Serena, but he stays silent despite it. Given that Alanis is a hardcore Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, it's probably wise.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Zig-zagged. He's still a Gilead loyalist, but he does deign to listen to Serena's requests and takes them seriously, unlike his wife.
- Stay in the Kitchen: While Serena stays at his home, he forbids her from carrying in with her duties for Gilead, claiming concern for her pregnancy.
