Handmaid’s Tale: What Happens To Serena Joy After [SPOILER]?

Warning: SPOILERS for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4, Episode 10 – “The Wilderness,” and Serena Joy’s storyline.

What happens to Serena Joy Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski) now that Commander Fred Waterford is dead on The Handmaid’s Tale? The season 4 finale of the dystopian series had fans witness Fred’s long-overdue reckoning. Awaiting trial for war crimes in Canada since season 3, Fred decided to betray Gilead in exchange for his freedom in the season’s penultimate episode, “Progress.” However, June Osborne used her considerable influence on both sides of the border to set a trap for Fred that ended with Fred killed by June, Emily, and other former Handmaids. Now that Fred is dead, what will happen to Serena and her unborn son?

In an otherwise stellar season, the one downfall was Serena’s convoluted legal battle. Serena’s pregnancy and June’s arrival in Canada forced the Waterfords to work together. Fred recanted his testimony against his wife in return for Serena resuming her role as the dutiful and devoted wife (at least in public). While Fred faced the ICC in a pre-trial hearing, the status of Serena’s case remained unclear, but once Fred cut a deal with Tuello, Serena was set to go free despite never having had her day in court or ever being either convicted or exonerated for her crimes against June. With Fred gone, Serena’s future remains one of The Handmaid’s Tale season 4’s biggest unanswered questions.

Serena can’t return to Gilead without Fred because, despite Naomi Putnam’s assurances that Serena would be welcomed back as a hero, Serena understands that, without Fred’s protection, her son would be taken away, and she could be sent to the Colonies or be forced into becoming a Handmaid. Strahovski spoke to Elle about Serena’s current predicament and acknowledged her character faces threats from many sides, especially June.

“The knowledge that June was the one who ripped [Fred] apart, that’s the scary part for Serena. That’s the biggest threat. And if she goes out into the real world and gets released, especially if she gets to keep her baby, that’s the part that will constantly have her living in fear.” 

Serena’s freedom seems far from guaranteed, and she could stand trial now that she no longer has the immunity Fred secured for her. However, Serena could still prove to be an asset if she agrees to air all of Gilead’s dirty laundry from the perspective of a Wife of a powerful Commander. She has also waged an effective public relations campaign: Serena has garnering supporters in Canada who want to see her go free. Now that she’s a widow, Serena has the potential to become an even more sympathetic figure in the eyes of her burgeoning fanbase, which would make her largely untouchable. However, living a consequence-free life is an unlikely avenue for Serena.

Strahovski also told Elle that a fitting end for Serena would be for her to become a Handmaid, but it’s too obvious an outcome. However, she does believe that now that June could “create something pretty equal to or worse by separating Serena from her child.” Whether June can accomplish this through legal channels or by once again taking the vigilante route remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Strahovski understands that fans want Serena to suffer, and the most effective way to do that is through her child.

Viewers shouldn’t mistake Serena’s vulnerability for weakness. Serena was a formidable adversary before her pregnancy, and she promises to be more vicious when it comes to protecting her child. Showrunner Bruce Miller told THR that Serena is gunning for June just as much as June is coming for Serena, and during The Handmaid’s Tale season 5, their relationship will be even more complicated in the wake of Fred’s death. “There’s that absolute toe-to-toe, woman-to-woman venom, but also, what is the relationship between two women where one killed the other’s abuser?” Miller asked. An ongoing theme in The Handmaid’s Tale is that it comes at a steep cost when characters get what they want. So what price will Serena pay for motherhood?

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