Hulu’s acclaimed TV seriesThe Handmaid’s Taleis coming to an end after six seasons, butthere is one character whose fate audiences may be left wondering about. Throughout its six seasons,The Handmaid’s Talehas followed June and her fellow handmaids in the search for freedom from Gilead’s oppressive rule. While the series initially followed thestory ofThe Handmaid’s Talenovel, it has expanded over the years, allowing audiences to understand the characters' actions and motives better along with the additional plot points.
This has all come to a head asThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6 has already included a few shocking revelations.The Handmaid’s Taleseason 5’s endingsaw June and Nichole fleeing Toronto and unexpectedly encountering Serena Joy. Since then, June has made her way back across the border to help the handmaids bring down Gilead, as is set up byThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6, episode 8. While the final few episodes promise to be very intense and answer some lingering questions, the question of Alexis Bledel’s exit and her character’s fate still remains unanswered.
What Alexis Bledel Said About Leaving The Handmaid’s Tale
Bledel Made The Decision On Her Own
Bledel joined thecast ofThe Handmaid’s Talein season 1 and remained a main cast member until season 4, after which she decided to leave the show. Because her character, Emily Malek, was such an important part of the series, it initially came as a bit of a shock that Bledel was not included in the season 5 cast, but the actor herself was responsible for the decision. In 2022, Bledel announced that she had decided to leaveThe Handmaid’s Tale.The actor shared that she decided to step back “after much thought.”
At the time, Bledel did not go into further detail about her decision, though the series' creator, Bruce Miller, shared his thoughts on the matter withThe Hollywood Reporter.Miller reiterated that the choice to leave was entirely Bledel’s, stating “it was a complicated time, and she let me know.” Furthermore, Miller explained that the character’s decisions within the show would continue to be important and were based on the real emotions of Bledel’s departure.
Bledel’s most recent work includesThe Handmaid’s Taleand the 2019 audio seriesThe Coldest Case.
Since leavingThe Handmaid’s Tale, Bledel has made few public appearances and has not spoken about her decision to leave the series.The actor has not starred in any other movies or TV shows since, indicating that she has chosen to take a break from the profession for the time being. However, her IMDb page shows that she is attached to a project calledPonderosa,which is listed as being in post-production, though very little information has been released about the project.
What Happened To Emily In The Handmaid’s Tale?
Emily’s Fate Is Somewhat Uncertain
BecauseThe Handmaid’s Tale’s creator had planned to keep Emily in the story for season 5, her character being written off was the only way to explain her sudden absence.Emily had previously escaped from Gilead at the beginning of season 3and was reunited with her wife and child in Canada. Since then, she had also reunited with June, and the two continued to attempt to adapt to a life outside of Gilead.
At the beginning of season 5, it is revealed that rather than remain in Canada, Emily chose to go back to Gilead to continue fighting the regime from the inside.
As the series continued, it became clear that things were not much easier in Canada, and the former handmaids, including Emily, were presented with new challenges. Despite the greater freedom that she had after escaping Gilead,Emily was unable to cope with everything that had happened to herthere and in the Colonies. At the beginning of season 5, it is revealed that rather than remain in Canada, Emily chose to go back to Gilead to continue fighting the regime from the inside.
ThoughEmily’s absence does initially feel strange inThe Handmaid’s Tale, Miller’s comments toTHRmake a lot of sense. Emily’s actions and their motivations play a huge role throughout seasons 5 and 6 as June struggles with some of the same things and decides to return to Gilead to fight. While Emily’s decision to leave did end up being important to the series, it is a bit frustrating that the show has not clarified her whereabouts since then. Thus, going into the final episodes ofThe Handmaid’s Tale, it is still unclear whether Emily is still fighting or has met a worse fate.
Cast
WHERE TO WATCH
The Handmaid’s Tale is a television adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel, released in 2017. It is set in a dystopian future where a woman is compelled to live as a concubine under a strict fundamentalist theocracy.
