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Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Testaments episodes 1-3!June Osborne’s story may have ended in The Handmaid’s Tale, but that doesn’t mean she’s done yet. Now, the Hulu dystopian thriller’s sequel series, The Testaments, has officially confirmed June’s fate after her story finished. The end of The Handmaid’s Tale saw June and her fellow handmaids finally liberate Boston, Massachusetts, killing all Commanders in charge of the city.
While The Handmaid’s Tale characters celebrate, June goes to the burned-down Waterford house and begins to record her story, intent on documenting her experiences in Gilead as a handmaid. This offers a neat bookend to her story, while also emphasizing how she’ll never give up on finding Hannah. However, it was unclear if she would ever come back.
Now, the story of The Testaments has begun, and has done so with June still part of the story. In episode 1, June appears in a flashback, where she is seen watching a new protagonist, Daisy, while in a Canada coffee shop. This happened prior to Daisy’s enrollment in the Gilead academy June’s daughter, Hannah (going by Agnes), is attending.
Episode 3 offers more insight into June’s appearance, featuring another flashback between her and Daisy. In the scene, June directly recruits Daisy for Mayday, revealing not only her important connection to the resistance against Gilead, but also her true motives. It makes June a major part of the show, despite no longer being the main character.
How The Handmaid’s Tale’s Ending Set Up June’s Return In The Testaments
Image via Hulu
The seeds for June’s return were planted at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale. While Boston had been liberated, Hannah was still in Gilead by the end of the series, meaning June’s fight was far from over. As for The Testaments, the series pulls from the pages of Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, which sees Hannah, as Agnes, become the main character.
The ending of the original series laid the groundwork for the core characters in The Testaments, too. This includes an important character arc for Aunt Lydia, who believes she can reform Gilead in her mentorship role. She is the headmistress of Agnes and Daisy’s school, making her arc in the original show central to how the story moving forward develops.
By ending The Handmaid’s Tale with lingering plot threads, it makes the transition into The Testaments all the easier. June’s appearance is helpful in this regard, too, as it acts as a passing of the baton to the younger characters now taking the central spotlight. By showing up in the series, she acts as the perfect connective tissue between both stories.
What June’s Fate Means For The Testaments & The Fight Against Gilead
The Testaments reviews have been stellar thus far, with the show sporting a Certified Fresh 86% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 35 reviews. This strength is mostly because of the series’ leads, with Agnes and Daisy being front-and-center in the show. This series also doesn’t shy away from Gilead’s cruelty, emphasizing its horrors just like its predecessor did.
Now, however, there’s a thicker silver lining than before, since June is now a high-ranking Mayday operative continuing her fight against Gilead in order to save her daughter. Daisy appears to have an important role in this critical mission, since it seems inevitable her infiltration of the school will lead to a deeper connection to Agnes and the mission to save her.
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Episodes of The Testaments |
Release Date |
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Episode 1: “Precious Flowers” |
April 8, 2026 |
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Episode 2: “Perfect Teeth” |
April 8, 2026 |
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Episode 3: “Daisy” |
April 8, 2026 |
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Episode 4: TBA |
April 15, 2026 |
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Episode 5: TBA |
April 22, 2026 |
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Episode 6: TBA |
April 29, 2026 |
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Episode 7: TBA |
May 6, 2026 |
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Episode 8: TBA |
May 13, 2026 |
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Episode 9: TBA |
May 20, 2026 |
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Episode 10: TBA |
May 27, 2026 |
June’s fate is also important because it means the fight against Gilead is still happening on a large scale in the background. The show may not be following June directly anymore, but the ripple effects of the things she and the rebels do will likely be felt in the main storyline. Depending on how events play out, these may not be her only two appearances, either.
The Testaments shows that not only is June still alive, but she’s still fighting bravely against Gilead to liberate its people and free her daughter. It may not be clear how big a direct role June will have in the events yet to come, but her appearance, connection to Daisy, and continued fight to save Hannah means her presence will continue to be important throughout the spinoff.
- Release Date
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April 8, 2026
- Network
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Hulu
- Directors
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Mike Barker
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Rowan Blanchard
Shunammite
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https://screenrant.com/the-testaments-june-return-fate-after-handmaids-tale-ending/
Nick Bythrow
Almontather Rassoul
