After a meeting with Mark Tuello, June is attacked and seriously injured by a man in a truck. Luke attacks the man in the truck, later identified as Thorpe, inflicting severe injuries resulting in his death. Meanwhile, preparations for the wedding between Commander Lawrence and Naomi Putnam continue, with Lydia suggesting a posting for Janine as a way for Janine to be close to Angela. However, this ends up going badly when a spat between Janine and Naomi occurs which prompts Commander Lawrence to have Janine taken away by the Eyes. Nick comes to Toronto to visit June in the hospital, and agrees to collaborate with the Americans, but unfortunately gets himself arrested when he assaults Commander Lawrence in retaliation. While trying to flee Toronto with the other American Refugees, Luke is separated from June and is ultimately arrested in relation to the death of Thorpe. June boards the train with Nichole to find Serena also on the train with Noah.
Tropes applicable to this episode include:
- Ambiguous Situation: It's becoming clearer that the anti-refugee sentiment in Toronto is being instigated by Gilead fanatics, given that Thorpe was one of them. What is not clear is if the general population of Canada is on board with their sentiment or not.
- Berserk Button: Janine is willing to submit to Naomi's conditions for her posting, such as a trial period, never referring to Angela as her daughter, etc. But when Naomi addresses her as Ofjoseph, she can't stand it and goes into full Shut Up, Hannibal!.
- Bulletproof Vest: After nearly being shot in the prior episode, June is seen trying on her new bulletproof vest. Luke sees this, in addition to the gun he carries, as measures they must take to protect themselves.
- Day of the Jackboot: June insists that this is happening to Canada and that they need to flee while they have the chance.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?:
- Mark Tuello refers to the man who shot up the vigil as an "angry man with a gun".
- The sight of American refugees boarding overcrowded trains mirrors any time refugees have attempted to escape their country (as well as evoking the trains going to concentration camps during WWII).
- The Dog Bites Back: Naomi tries to go over some ground rules over Janine's conduct when Janine is posted to the Lawrence residence. But when Naomi refers to Janine as Ofjoseph, she triggers Janine's Berserk Button and a blistering "The Reason You Suck" Speech.
- Downer Ending: American refugees are leaving Toronto, as they feel that they are no longer safe. June is attacked and seriously injured after being run over by a truck driven by Thorpe. In defense of June, Luke attacks Thorpe but causes his death, and is ultimately arrested by the Canadians. Janine is posted to the Lawrence household, but a verbal spat with Naomi results in her being taken away by the Eyes on the order of Commander Lawrence. And Nick is arrested after assaulting Commander Lawrence, with Rose coldly telling Nick that she doesn't want to know him anymore. Finally, June flees Toronto on a train only to find Serena there as well, having no place to go after fleeing the Wheelers in the previous episode.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: A brief frame shows Thorpe's truck donning an altered Canadian flag that has the characteristic Maple Leaf replaced by the Gilead coat of arms. Also, during the ensuing altercation, one can see that a rifle was pulled, likely by Thorpe on Luke before Luke grabbed it from Thorpe and beat him on the head with it.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: When Luke confronts Thorpe, it is implied that Thorpe tries to use a rifle on Luke. Given that Thorpe is severely beaten and the rifle in the hands of Luke before he tries to help June, it is likely that Luke grabbed the rifle and beat Thorpe with it.
- Look Both Ways: After June walks Mark Tuello back to his car, she walks back to her house on the road and not the sidewalk, making her easy pickings for Thorpe in his truck.
- Miscarriage of Justice: Zig-zagged. Luke beating Thorpe to death could potentially qualify as self-defense or protecting another person in imminent danger (in this case, June). But due to his status as a refugee and Thorpe being a Canadian citizen, his prospects for a fair trial are very slim, and his attempt to flee Toronto is likely to be seen as flight from a crime, regardless if he has a defense. In addition, June would likely be required as a witness in Luke's defense, and her absence makes the prospect of Luke evading these charges less likely.
- Mood Whiplash: After June is forced to leave Luke behind, she gets on the train. She tries to be strong for Nichole and tells her about the adventure they will go on. She is left speechless at the sight of Serena and her baby in the train. As for Serena, all she can do is ask June if she is carrying a spare diaper for her to use for Noah.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Luke administers a severe one to Thorpe after he runs down June. Thorpe soon dies of his injuries.
- Pistol-Whipping: It's heavily implied that Luke beat Thorpe with the butt of Thorpe's rifle to the point that Thorpe dies of his injuries.
- Product Placement: Delta Air Lines is still operating, with flights from Toronto to Alaska and Hawaii.
- Rage Breaking Point:
- Sorry, Thorpe, but you aren't getting away unharmed from the husband of the woman you just tried to kill.
- Nick is practically stewing after he gets back from Toronto while visiting June, which culminates in his assault on Commander Lawrence.
- Aunt Lydia is absolutely furious that the Guardians are taking Janine away, and it's enough that she attempts to explicitly defy the Guardians (and, in essence, the whole of Gilead). Despite her best efforts, she gets cruelly shoved to the ground by them and left there as the truck with prisoners pulls away.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Janine delivers a brutal one to Naomi which reduces Naomi to tears.Naomi: I feel so hopeful, don't you? And honestly, it will just be nice to have a friendly face in the house, Ofjoseph.
Janine: That's not my name.
Naomi: Pardon?
Janine: We're not friends. Do you really think that we're friends? I think that you're one of the worst people I have ever known. I am not your friend. I hate you, Naomi. How could you not know that? - Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Many Americans living in the same area as Luke and June have decided to leave in the aftermath of the vigil shooting targeting Americans. Moving trucks are seen up and down the street where June and Luke live, with lots of "For Rent/For Lease" signs going up, and the train station out of Toronto swamped with people trying to leave the city. In addition, after the attempt on her life, June realizes that she too is no longer safe in Toronto and attempts to leave with Luke and Nichole. Unfortunately, Luke is stopped by the Canadian Authorities before he is able to board the train with June.
- Shout-Out: Janine and the other Handmaids are scrubbing floors at the Red Center. To make the dreary task more cheerful, Janine starts singing "It's the Hard-Knock Life" and the others join in.
- Soundtrack Dissonance: June gets run over by a Gilead assassin, who in return gets bludgeoned to death by Luke, all to the sounds of The Beach Boys's upbeat summer classic "Kokomo".
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- Canada may be tougher on gun laws than the Americans are, but guns can still be obtained legally, as Mark Tuello's statement of an "angry man with a gun" implies. In addition, Thorpe is also seen with a rifle, and the shooting at the vigil in the previous episode has convinced many Americans to leave Toronto.
- Luke's charges in the death of Thorpe and subsequent arrest should come as no surprise given that he is not a citizen of Canada while Thorpe was. However, even with that fact, both Canadian and American law would require Luke to remain in the jurisdiction until the prosecution deems that either there are no grounds for charges, or there are grounds for Luke to answer to these charges in a court of law. Thus, any attempt to leave the jurisdiction would be seen as being a flight risk, while also giving the prosecution the justification needed to pursue charges and negatively affecting Luke's own defense.
- Serena is on the same train as June that is leaving Toronto. She really had no other option after fleeing with Noah.
- Television Geography: There is no "Toronto North Railway Station". In fact, the station building is actually the York University Subway Station, and you can clearly see the subway platform in the descending shot of the escalator.
- Tranquil Fury: Janine has this when a Martha informs her that June was seriously injured in an assassination attempt. And when Naomi tries to talk down Janine by going over some "rules", and referring to Janine as Ofjoseph, Janine snaps.
- Uncertain Doom:
- Commander Lawrence orders Janine to be taken away in a truck driven by the Eyes after Janine verbally beats down Naomi. Also present in the truck is the same Martha who told Janine that June was seriously injured in an assassination attempt.
- Nick is bound to face consequences after assaulting Lawrence in front of other Commanders and humiliating his wife over what happened to June.
- Wham Episode: The tensions building between the Gilead loyalists and the American refugees during this season finally spill over with the shooting in the previous episode and the truck attack on June. The American refugees now want out of Toronto, resulting in no end of chaos. This also has ripple effects for people in Gilead itself, with both Janine and Nick now in Gilead custody after lashing out in reaction to the attack on June.
- Wham Shot:
- The Truck revving its engine in an attempt to mow June down.
- While on the train leaving Toronto, June hears a crying baby on board. She turns toward the baby, and sees Serena standing there, holding Noah.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Lydia delivers one to Janine after Naomi refuses Janine's posting in retaliation for Janine's verbal beatdown.
- Both Rita and Moira do this to Luke when they inform him that Thorpe has died of his injuries and Canada wants to charge him in his death.
- Rose delivers one to Nick for assaulting Commander Lawrence, being too aware that Nick still cares deeply for June instead of her and their child.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Vehicular version. Thorpe could have gone for a full-force hit while attacking June which could have killed her instantly. He does not, and only manages to break her arm. He then wastes precious seconds revving his engine ominously which allows Luke to come out of the house, pull him out of the truck, and administer a severe No-Holds-Barred Beatdown that ultimately kills him.
- In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it, when Luke pulls Thorpe from the truck, we see that he had a rifle. It may be that he was originally going to pull up beside June and shoot her while she was walking on the sidewalk. Since she was in the street, he decided to run her down instead, which he didn't plan for.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Janine calls Naomi Putnam by her first name when telling her that she is the worst person Janine knows.
- You Have Failed Me: Commander Lawrence has both Janine and a Martha (who informed Janine of the assassination attempt on June) taken away by the Eyes.
