Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 7: Don't call June Osborne an angel.

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I ended last week's recap by asking where the f**k Serena and June were going in their getaway car

Nowhere, it turns out.

Thelma and Louise are fighting, on account of one holding a gun, the other being extremely confused about WTF is happening, the years of oppression, trauma and trauma between them, etc.

June tries to flee on foot, while Serena drives all of 10 metres before ending up in a ditch. Because she is very much in labour.

June reluctantly returns, and is completely dumbfounded by the absurdity of this situation.

"Are you in f**king labour? Of course you are, Jesus Christ."

The car is stuck, and Serena refuses to go to a hospital for fear of the Wheelers. 

June spots a barn and on their way there, she says what may be the greatest line in this show, ever.

"Maybe it'll have a manger."

I genuinely burst out laughing.

Introducing my favourite comedian, June Osborne. Image: SBS. 

FLASHBACK TIME.

June, then Offred, and Serena arrive at a Gilead birth, complete with the creepy wife pushing and groaning. Aunt Lydia prophets that the vessel in front of her – who is also an actual human being, but ya know, womb! – is ready to bring 'the fruits of God's love into the world'.

June and Serena exchange knowing looks at the ridiculousness of it all.

(Side note: the sight of Alma and Brianna in this scene is genuinely upsetting. I MISS THEM SO MUCH.)

In the barn, which is unfortunately sans manger, June's yelling 'push' again and this time, they're not sharing covert smiles. Instead, it's stories of June's own pregnancies, including that time she had to give birth to Nichole all by herself.

When June attempts to check the cervix, Serena forcefully pushes her away, scared she is trying to kill her and her baby. I suppose it's not that unreasonable given the whole 'murdering Fred' thing. 

June storms off and I am loving her 'I am so sick of this bulls**t face' this episode.

As she frees the car, we're taken back to the Gilead birthing ceremony, where things have taken a bad turn. The wives are shuffled away while the Handmaids are forced to watch an emergency C-section, which Ofclarance does not survive.

In the present day, June is about to drive off when, well, she probably remembers the story she just told of giving birth alone. Of thinking that if she and her baby died, no one would know. 

She returns to a visibly relieved Serena. 

I imagine June was quite low on Serena's birthing partner wish list, but there were definitely worse choices. Who else could she have? The Dr who wants to make her his Wife? The baby-snatching Wheelers? June – well-versed in childbirth thanks to the years of slavery Serena had a hand in subjecting her to – is honestly the best option.

Imagine telling the June or Serena of literally any other episode that this was going to happen. Image: SBS. 

She coaches the breaths, and the pushes, and wipes her brow, as Serena's baby arrives.

I know Elisabeth Moss can act with her face. It's the reason 80 per cent of this show happens with tight shots on her. But the emotions portrayed with the baby – of the genuine joy of new, innocent life and the conflict of it all happening to SERENA of all people... Bravo. Incredible.

Serena names her baby Noah. "The saviour of humanity". We should've seen that coming, but how good would a non-Biblical name be, just for laughs. I'm proudly team baby Chad Waterford.

June asks if it was worth it. Serena says that in this moment, yes, it is. 

Because it is the post-birth policy, apparently, Serena asks why June didn't kill her at the Gilead Information Centre. June says she didn't want to. It feels like a shift. If helping deliver a child from another woman's birthing canal doesn't bring you together, admiting that you don't actually want to kill them may be the thing to do it.

Serena says Noah looks a bit like Fred, and June explains the theory that they look like their dads at first so fathers will accept them.

"Evolution?" Serena asks, with an eyebrow raise.

Just two gals laughing about evolution. Image: SBS. 

They discuss whether the baby will grow up to be like his dad, and June isn't going to let Serena get off that easily. How Noah turns out depends on what Serena teaches him how much is "his to take", June says.

After a few hours, it's time to leave. The problem is... to where? Serena can't go to Gilead, obviously. She doesn't want to go to Canada either, because of the Wheelers. 

"It's like I'm their Handmaid... it's like I'm you," she explains.

I absolutely would've slapped her for this, but June chooses to ignore it in favour of fact.

If they don't go to hospital, both Serena and Noah will die.

So instead, Serena attempts to go full martyr. She wonders out loud if she was simply a vessel – like Ofclarance and all the other Handmaids were seen as – and considers that she's now fulfilled her purpose.

She tries to give Noah to June, like Handmaids were made to do. 

And honestly, she makes some good points: June and Luke have the ability to care for him. Noah would be safe. Luke is a good man, unlike Fred. They're not... Waterfords.

Image: SBS. 

Then she decides June is an avenging angel and oop, she's gone too far.

Women aren't simply vessels or angels or whatever other dehumanising bulls**t Gilead thinks they are.

"We mattered. We were – we are – people. We have lives, and that's why I'm going to save yours Serena. Because this isn't Gilead and I am not you."

CHILLS.

"Look at your baby," June demands. 

"You are the only person in the whole world that he knows. You are the only familiar smell. You are the only voice he recognises. You love him and you wanted him, so much. You are his mother and he belongs with you. That is God's will."

Flash forward to a Toronto hospital, and Serena and Noah are whisked away while June calls home.

She later visits Serena, who is stressed about the modern medicine of it all: the tests and antibiotics and, omg, formula. 

But otherwise, everything seems... okay.

🚨🚨A HAND HOLD! A HAND HOLD!🚨🚨 Image: SBS. 

In the waiting room, June and Luke reunite. 

I truly thought they'd kill him off. PRAISE BE!

Before June can tell him about her new... bond(?) with Serena, he has news of his own. Firstly, he's given the USB from Jaden (RIP), with intel on Gilead's 'wife schools' to Tuello. And secondly, he's harnessed the power of bureaucracy once again: this time with a call to immigration, who arrive to detain Serena as an undocumented person.

She's cuffed to the bed and informed that Noah will be placed in a child protection unit.

"At last, she knows what it feels like," Luke says through tears in his eyes.

Serena is screaming, frantically pleading for help.

Like June, I too am watching in disbelief, and maybe even... sadness. For Serena f**king Joy. 

Read more:

• Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 1: How to get away with murder. 
• Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 2: GET THE F*** AWAY FROM HER. 
• Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 3: The wedding that wasn't.
• Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 4: KEEP YOUR SH*TTY STATE OUT OF CANADA.
• Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 5: This is why we have trust issues.
• Mamamia recaps The Handmaid's Tale, season 5, episode 6: Nothing good starts in a getaway car.
  

Chelsea McLaughlin is Mamamia's Senior Entertainment Writer and co-host of The Spill. For more pop culture takes, recommendations and sarcasm, you can follow her on Instagram.

Feature Image: SBS/Mamamia.

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