Serena goes into labor while pointing a gun at June. The two of them find a barn where Serena can give birth. During a fight, June almost abandons Serena and the baby, but ultimately takes the high road and vows to save them. She brings Serena and her baby Noah to a hospital back in Canada. Luke then sends in Canadian immigration authorities to arrest Serena for illegal border crossing. She is told Baby Noah will be placed in foster care during her detainment. The episode ends with hysterical Serena screaming for June to help her as she is handcuffed to the hospital bed.
Tropes present in this episode
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: When Serena finds out she’s being arrested for illegal border crossing and her baby is being placed in foster care, she cries hysterically and begs for June, of all people, to help her.
- All for Nothing: In the previous episode, Serena jumped at the chance to escape from the Wheelers by shooting her bodyguard/driver and forcing June to drive her away at gunpoint. But she has no proper escape plan and nowhere to go. June has to point out that she and the baby need medical attention or else they will die. Once in Canada, immigration authorities arrest her and Protective Services take baby Noah away from her, just like she feared the Wheelers would.
- Call-Back:
- Serena references the moment when June had a gun and wanted to shoot Serena but didn't.
- June repeats her line of "Do You Understand Me", but this time, in a more gentler context.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Serena could have easily avoided her current predicament if she took Mark Tuello's advice and stayed in Canada under the protection of the American Government in Exile.
- Death Seeker: Serena turns into this, while pleading June to take Noah to Canada, saying that she has no home and no one to turn to.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Serena having her child taken away by authorities and getting sent to a detention center for illegal immigrants is an obvious allusion to current American policy of separating children of undocumented migrants who attempt to cross the border.
- He Who Fights Monsters: Luke proceeds to use Gilead's tactics in order to get revenge on Serena for everything she did to him and his family.
- Heel–Face Turn: Serena cries and apologizes to June. Given her history, it's unclear if she will become The Atoner or if this is part of her Heel–Face Revolving Door, specially after she's separated from Noah.
- Maternity Crisis: Serena goes into labor while in No Man's Land. She is forced to deliver in a barn with only June to help her out, whom she suspects will try to kill her. And she is afraid that if she goes to a hospital, the Wheelers will find her and take her baby.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Luke repays Serena for all the pain and horror she has caused to countless people in Gilead by having her get stripped of her rights by Canadian immigration police and placed under arrest while her baby is forcibly removed by child services.
- Pet the Dog: This episode is a huge one for June towards Serena. At any time, June could have exacted her revenge on a mostly helpless Serena but chooses not to. In fact, she doesn't even try to use any form of leverage that would allow her to gain information on Hannah, but ultimately doesn't do so, even in her conversations with Serena. The only person who does Kick the Dog towards Serena is Luke.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: June vents her long-standing anger towards a mostly helpless Serena.June: God's will. A vessel. That's what you thought I was. We were. Who we were, where we came from, what we wanted, none of that mattered to you, to any of you.
Serena: I'm so sorry.
June: I don't care that you're sorry. We mattered. We were, we are people. We have lives. And that's why I'm gonna save yours, Serena, because this isn't Gilead, and I am not you.
Serena: I don't deserve to be saved.
June: It's not for you. It's for him. Look at him. Look at your baby. You are the only person in the whole world that he knows. You are the only familiar smell, you are the only voice he recognizes, you love him, and you wanted him so much. You're his mother, and he belongs with you. That is God's will. Do you understand me? - Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- There was a reason why the Wheelers didn't want Serena to go with Ezra when he was sent to execute June.
- While viewers may be confused as to why June didn't press the issue regarding Hannah while she was helping Serena, it's very likely because Serena really doesn't know. In addition, Serena is on very shaky legal ground as a citizen of Gilead, having lured Fred to being captured by the Americans, and Gilead has already made their disdain clear for Serena. In other words, Serena is in no position to help June even if she wanted to.
- Just because June is willing to forgo any revenge towards Serena, does not mean that someone else will not jump at the first opportunity, especially someone like Luke.
- Because Serena refused Mark Tuello's offer of asylum, she is classified as a citizen of Gilead and an illegal immigrant when the Canadian authorities arrive to arrest her.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Even after all the pain Serena has caused her, June is absolutely horrified when she finds out the Canadian authorities are forcibly taking away her baby and placing her under arrest.
- A Taste of Their Own Medicine: Continuing from what she experienced in the previous two episodes, Serena receives the full handmaid treatment when the Canadian immigration authorities place her under arrest and separate her from Noah.
- Traumatic C-Section: In a flashback to June's early days as a Handmaid (Janine is still pregnant), she and Serena attend a home birth. After an arduous labor, the Handmaid, Ofclarence, has not delivered, so she is subjected to a C-section right there in the room with all the Handmaids present. The baby makes it, but it's heavily implied the doctors don't even make an attempt to save the mother's life.
- What the Hell, Hero?: June gives Luke a look of disbelief and horror when he gleefully confesses he was the one who arranged for Serena to be arrested by the Canadian authorities and have Noah taken away from her.
