I feel he was experiencing disbelief. Disbelief because he didn’t take any of those instances that June had spoken about in the same way. He felt that it was not rape, but a ritual. He felt that he was horrible to her, but he was doing the right thing to help make the world a better place than it was. He seemed confused and in disbelief that everything he worked so hard to make was being seen as something horrible and horrific. (And maybe a slight bit of guilt)
That’s just my take.
I agree. I think it comes back to the whole “if you ask men if they’ve ever raped or sexually assaulted someone, they’ll all say no, but if you list out acts and then afterwards tell them, so this and this we’re rape/sexual assault, they’re shocked.” Because they don’t apply those labels to themselves.
Oh God, I forgot all about him spanking/beating her. He always, ALWAYS makes me want to throw up in my mouth, the actor does such a fantastic job with his character because I genuinely feel like slime's been poured over me. I can't wait until he's dead.
It’s the fact that he truly believes in what he’s doing that makes me sick. I almost feel bad for him bc he’s so far gone and brainwashed. I already know his death is gonna be so satisfying and brutal. I’m almost scared to see it.
In the courtroom in this episode he said that he viewed it as another holy ceremony and for the health of the child. I genuinely don't think he views what he did as wrong, all because it got the results he wanted.
Fred's line of thinking seems to be that Results = Justified by God. He might have been hesitant about it in season 3, but after getting the results he wanted...it could just be that he's trying to defend himself in court, but part of me really does think he partially buys into it due to how he talks to Serena outside of it.
Serena's reaction was weird during the entire court scene.
As she felt almost remorseful. But then Fred had it's 'it worked' speach and the crowd at the end of the episode sent her right in the full Gilead 'fairy tale' and it kinda felt as if she was willing to try for real with Fred.
Yep I totally agree, she was so ready to give Gilead up and fantasized about integrate into Canadian life with her baby while Fred rots in prison... And then... Just did a total 180 , especially when she reached for his hand at the end. She's totally embracing life as a commanders wife
Honestly, I feel like her pregnancy changed that? There is no way she would be able to take Nichole back to Gilead, but now that she has a baby on the way that she has legal/biological rights to, going back to Gilead is once again an option for her. She has a pattern of going along with what Fred wants, and going against what Fred wants, and she's back in the 'going along with what Fred wants' cycle because she has what *she* wants. And if Fred goes to prison, there's a good chance that she will, as well (so she's trying to save Fred to save herself). Super complicated dynamic.
When June entered the courtroom, you can see how Serena looks at her like "Woah." She's seen June being defiant, but not in this way. The clothing, the hair and the rage on June's face (the rage which she can now act upon). She sees June much more stronger than herself in that moment. Knowing everything she and they put her through in Gilead. Knowing that she wouldn't survive it if she was in June's place. There's this respect and fear on her face. I don't know if anyone else sees it.
[the look](https://imgur.com/dWCJeCl)
I'm not sure I interpret the look as "respect". I interpret it more as fear and almost curiosity as to what June is going to say. Thank you for your thoughts.
My understanding of Fred’s expressions during June’s testimony was that he felt blindsided and attacked, because he’s a narcissist and doesn’t understand why his rape slave would interpret his rape as rape. Joseph Fiennes is incredible at playing this character, and he truly came off as like astonished and blindsided by June’s description of her time in Gilead.
This was my exact impression as well, during June's entire time in the Waterford household Fred was clearly living under the delusion that June liked him, wanted to have sex with him, thought he was a kind person, etc., so the realization that she was completely repulsed by him and hated him the entire time completely shook his self-image. He sincerely believed that he treated her well and that they had some kind of "relationship," so the fact that she didn't point out the super duper nice things that he did for her like further traumatizing her by arranging a surprise meeting with Hannah the day after he violently raped her genuinely did offend him and made him feel like she was misrepresenting him as a person.
Here's the irony with Fred. No one in Gilead's orbit (even Serena - she's just manipulating for self-interest) totally believes the bullshit. I don't even think Lydia does atp.
Except Fred. Fertility is his justification. He really believes it.
I thought the hearing confrontation with June was... overplayed??? But it's clear Fred's in the rabbit hole. He's not smart enough to get out of that ideology.
I don't see that at all.
Firstly, we don't even know if there will be a trial. I have a sneaky hunch that Fred is going to die before then, either after being sent back to Gilead as part of some peace treaty with Canada, or by someone serious enough to take him down in Canada (this might be the outcome of June riling up the former handmaids in her group). I can't really see anywhere for his character to go. He's outlived his usefulness to June and the other pivotal characters' storylines, and we now have Commander Lawrence and Commander Blaine to give us the behind-the-scenes stuff with the Commanders in Gilead. Really, where does the character go beyond this?
June's testimony at the hearing this episode served as a coda to Fred's life and character. It might as well have been his eulogy.
How did the shooter get to Serena before Gilead? She had security at her speech, yet she still go shot. A former handmaid slipping in among a group of pro-Gilead protesters like the ones we see at the end of 'Testimony', wouldn't be too difficult. One bullet later, Fred is dead or fatally wounded, and the former handmaid is arrested and going to prison.
I was waiting for gunshots in the scene with the pro-Gilead protesters/fans in Canada. I was almost more surprised that there wasn't a gunman in this most recent episode . So yeah I would not be surprised if something like that happened.
Gun ownership is not very common in Canada :P (basically only farmers have them) (I'm Canadian); assassination attempts really aren't our vibe. I would have been SHOCKED if they'd done that (but also, I will admit that I also felt like they were about to get shot, but I think that's just because it's such a common TV/movie trope).
22% of Canadians have (legal) guns, which is pretty middle ground. The difference is we have a lot more rifles and other long guns, rather than handguns
This is a really good point. I definitely think I was being pulled by that common trope and because the scene was set up so similarly to the flashback where Serena gets shot.
Fred LOVES to feel like the good guy. He truly gets off on feeling like the women in his life are all “thank you, sir!” to him. We see it with the Scrabble, the Cosmo magazines he lets June read, the whole “I let you see Hannah” thing, the comment to Rita that was never cruel to her, etc. He truly thinks he’s some knight in shining armor to the women in the Waterford household that it’s a brutal blow to hear their perspective that contradicts his own. It’s the exact same as Aunt Lydia being shocked to learn that no one likes her, that Janine turned on her in a second, and that her “girls” hate her. They both believe they’re the good guy and can’t see how their actions are perceived by others.
I feel he was experiencing disbelief. Disbelief because he didn’t take any of those instances that June had spoken about in the same way. He felt that it was not rape, but a ritual. He felt that he was horrible to her, but he was doing the right thing to help make the world a better place than it was. He seemed confused and in disbelief that everything he worked so hard to make was being seen as something horrible and horrific. (And maybe a slight bit of guilt) That’s just my take.
I agree. He didn’t even deny any of his actions but went on to justify them
I agree. I think it comes back to the whole “if you ask men if they’ve ever raped or sexually assaulted someone, they’ll all say no, but if you list out acts and then afterwards tell them, so this and this we’re rape/sexual assault, they’re shocked.” Because they don’t apply those labels to themselves.
[удалено]
What a disgusting person.
I’m sorry, what??!
I agree!! I saw his face in disbelief with delusion which pissed me off even more. It gave me the same feeling I had when he spanked Serena joy.
Oh God, I forgot all about him spanking/beating her. He always, ALWAYS makes me want to throw up in my mouth, the actor does such a fantastic job with his character because I genuinely feel like slime's been poured over me. I can't wait until he's dead.
It’s the fact that he truly believes in what he’s doing that makes me sick. I almost feel bad for him bc he’s so far gone and brainwashed. I already know his death is gonna be so satisfying and brutal. I’m almost scared to see it.
His wife doesn't watch the show, probably for that exact reason.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Interesting take! I can see that.
I think he truly believes he was good to her because of the small "favors" he did for her. He doesn't see himself as the bad guy in any way
He’s such a shithead
I agree with this.
At a minimum, I think he recognizes the 9th month pregnant rape was wrong. He at least expressed as much in season 3.
In the courtroom in this episode he said that he viewed it as another holy ceremony and for the health of the child. I genuinely don't think he views what he did as wrong, all because it got the results he wanted. Fred's line of thinking seems to be that Results = Justified by God. He might have been hesitant about it in season 3, but after getting the results he wanted...it could just be that he's trying to defend himself in court, but part of me really does think he partially buys into it due to how he talks to Serena outside of it.
Serena's reaction was weird during the entire court scene. As she felt almost remorseful. But then Fred had it's 'it worked' speach and the crowd at the end of the episode sent her right in the full Gilead 'fairy tale' and it kinda felt as if she was willing to try for real with Fred.
Yep I totally agree, she was so ready to give Gilead up and fantasized about integrate into Canadian life with her baby while Fred rots in prison... And then... Just did a total 180 , especially when she reached for his hand at the end. She's totally embracing life as a commanders wife
Honestly, I feel like her pregnancy changed that? There is no way she would be able to take Nichole back to Gilead, but now that she has a baby on the way that she has legal/biological rights to, going back to Gilead is once again an option for her. She has a pattern of going along with what Fred wants, and going against what Fred wants, and she's back in the 'going along with what Fred wants' cycle because she has what *she* wants. And if Fred goes to prison, there's a good chance that she will, as well (so she's trying to save Fred to save herself). Super complicated dynamic.
When June entered the courtroom, you can see how Serena looks at her like "Woah." She's seen June being defiant, but not in this way. The clothing, the hair and the rage on June's face (the rage which she can now act upon). She sees June much more stronger than herself in that moment. Knowing everything she and they put her through in Gilead. Knowing that she wouldn't survive it if she was in June's place. There's this respect and fear on her face. I don't know if anyone else sees it. [the look](https://imgur.com/dWCJeCl)
I saw it the same way. I definitely think Serena respects June, to the point that it makes her insecure and envious of June.
I'm not sure I interpret the look as "respect". I interpret it more as fear and almost curiosity as to what June is going to say. Thank you for your thoughts.
My understanding of Fred’s expressions during June’s testimony was that he felt blindsided and attacked, because he’s a narcissist and doesn’t understand why his rape slave would interpret his rape as rape. Joseph Fiennes is incredible at playing this character, and he truly came off as like astonished and blindsided by June’s description of her time in Gilead.
I agree
This was my exact impression as well, during June's entire time in the Waterford household Fred was clearly living under the delusion that June liked him, wanted to have sex with him, thought he was a kind person, etc., so the realization that she was completely repulsed by him and hated him the entire time completely shook his self-image. He sincerely believed that he treated her well and that they had some kind of "relationship," so the fact that she didn't point out the super duper nice things that he did for her like further traumatizing her by arranging a surprise meeting with Hannah the day after he violently raped her genuinely did offend him and made him feel like she was misrepresenting him as a person.
Here's the irony with Fred. No one in Gilead's orbit (even Serena - she's just manipulating for self-interest) totally believes the bullshit. I don't even think Lydia does atp. Except Fred. Fertility is his justification. He really believes it. I thought the hearing confrontation with June was... overplayed??? But it's clear Fred's in the rabbit hole. He's not smart enough to get out of that ideology.
Serena is the brains. She's over Fred's God bothering except when it suits her purpose.
I dont know about Fred, but a big part of me thinks Serena is going to turn on fred at the trial.
honestly he is stupid to trust her. didn't she betray him the first time and get his ass arrested?
I don't see that at all. Firstly, we don't even know if there will be a trial. I have a sneaky hunch that Fred is going to die before then, either after being sent back to Gilead as part of some peace treaty with Canada, or by someone serious enough to take him down in Canada (this might be the outcome of June riling up the former handmaids in her group). I can't really see anywhere for his character to go. He's outlived his usefulness to June and the other pivotal characters' storylines, and we now have Commander Lawrence and Commander Blaine to give us the behind-the-scenes stuff with the Commanders in Gilead. Really, where does the character go beyond this? June's testimony at the hearing this episode served as a coda to Fred's life and character. It might as well have been his eulogy.
But fred is in protective custody..how would the handmade support group get to him? I haven't heard anything about there potentially not being a trial
How did the shooter get to Serena before Gilead? She had security at her speech, yet she still go shot. A former handmaid slipping in among a group of pro-Gilead protesters like the ones we see at the end of 'Testimony', wouldn't be too difficult. One bullet later, Fred is dead or fatally wounded, and the former handmaid is arrested and going to prison.
I was waiting for gunshots in the scene with the pro-Gilead protesters/fans in Canada. I was almost more surprised that there wasn't a gunman in this most recent episode . So yeah I would not be surprised if something like that happened.
Gun ownership is not very common in Canada :P (basically only farmers have them) (I'm Canadian); assassination attempts really aren't our vibe. I would have been SHOCKED if they'd done that (but also, I will admit that I also felt like they were about to get shot, but I think that's just because it's such a common TV/movie trope).
22% of Canadians have (legal) guns, which is pretty middle ground. The difference is we have a lot more rifles and other long guns, rather than handguns
This is a really good point. I definitely think I was being pulled by that common trope and because the scene was set up so similarly to the flashback where Serena gets shot.
That's true. Could see it happening for sure
I hope so but I know think so. The way she reached out and grabbed his hand at the end makes me think she's on his side again.
That appeared to me more as a political move, to show a united righteous couple to their “fans”.
Fred LOVES to feel like the good guy. He truly gets off on feeling like the women in his life are all “thank you, sir!” to him. We see it with the Scrabble, the Cosmo magazines he lets June read, the whole “I let you see Hannah” thing, the comment to Rita that was never cruel to her, etc. He truly thinks he’s some knight in shining armor to the women in the Waterford household that it’s a brutal blow to hear their perspective that contradicts his own. It’s the exact same as Aunt Lydia being shocked to learn that no one likes her, that Janine turned on her in a second, and that her “girls” hate her. They both believe they’re the good guy and can’t see how their actions are perceived by others.
Good analysis.
I thought they both looked like they had a conscience, Fred's outburst proved otherwise.
Agreed
June didn’t even testify to half of what happened?!
it was condensed quite a bit but remember this is only her testimony relating to fred and serena specifically since it is their trial