u/Excellent_Pirate8224

One thing I’ve been thinking about after finishing TT (and a rewatch) is how Gilead actually treats close friendships between the girls.In Episode 1, Agnes says best friends are forbidden. But as the season goes on, that doesn’t seem to be entirely true. Is it more nuanced than that?

My current theory is that Gilead doesn’t literally forbid friendships; it forbids exclusive loyalty. At school, the Aunts have to know that friendships will form. Maybe they tolerate them to a point but monitor them closely, stepping in when a relationship becomes someone’s primary emotional attachment instead of loyalty to Gilead/God/womanly duties.

That would explain why Aunt Vidala mentions trying to separate another pair of girls who were getting too close (can’t remember which ep, but it’s before the ball), yet Agnes and Becka are obviously very close, and no one really intervenes. Maybe it’s because they’re well-behaved Plums, maybe it’s privilege, or maybe the Aunts simply don’t realize how deep the bond actually is.

Even later, Agnes tells Weston that Becka killed her father to protect his future wife, and he doesn’t really react to the depth of Becka’s devotion. Likewise, the Aunts ultimately help Agnes and Daisy save Becka, even though Agnes is clearly distraught and emotionally invested in her. By Episode 10, Agnes has essentially chosen Becka over the future Gilead planned for her, yet no one seems focused on their relationship itself.

So is the rule really “no best friends,” or is it more like “no relationship can become more important than Gilead/God and their husbands”? That seems more consistent with what we actually see on screen.

Curious to hear some thoughts/theories!

As we all know, Agnes spent the finale essentially sacrificing her own future to make sure Becka didn’t end up as a Handmaid or dead. Aunt Lydia and Daisy played major roles too, helping create the alternate story that shifted the blame from Becka to her mother.

Agnes also pushed Garth toward marrying Becka after Paula laid out the reality of the situation (which might be the only useful thing Paula did all season 😂).

What’s interesting is that Becka doesn’t actually know most of this yet. As far as we know, the only part she’s aware of is the confession plan, since we saw that kitchen table scene with Becka, her mother, Aunt Vidala, and Aunt Lydia discussing the story her mom would tell.

Becka spent the finale terrified of losing her mother, and in a fugue state, and she made it pretty clear all season that she never wanted to get married. So how does she react when she finds out who was behind everything?

I have a hard time believing the writers set all of this up just for it to be casually mentioned and forgotten. It feels like too significant of a reveal.

Part of me thinks Becka will be overwhelmed when she realizes how far Agnes was willing to go to save her. At the same time, I can see her having complicated feelings about it. Becka never wanted marriage, and despite living in Gilead, she still clung to whatever sense of independence she could. Even if Agnes’s intentions were completely selfless, finding out that her best friend helped orchestrate such a life-altering decision could initially feel like a betrayal.

My guess is that it ultimately strengthens their bond, but not without some friction first. I could see Becka reacting badly when she learns about the marriage, only to later learn the full story, that Agnes wasn’t simply arranging a husband for her, she was actively sacrificing her own future to keep Becka alive and out of Handmaid service. That revelation could completely reframe everything. I could even see Daisy being the one who connects those dots for Becka if she’s too angry to see the bigger picture at first.

I’m also curious whether Becka ever learns that Daisy was the one who planted the idea in Lydia’s mind about her mother taking the fall. Becka already has a lot of resentment toward Daisy, so that reveal could get messy. Does she focus on the fact that Daisy helped save her life, or on the fact that her mother ended up paying the price?

Part of me hopes the writers don’t use it solely to create more conflict because I’d really like to see Becka and Daisy eventually become friends. But from a storytelling perspective, it feels like too important a detail to never come back up.

So I’m curious what everyone thinks happens if any of this eventually comes out in Season 2.