Elisabeth Moss Reveals Origin Of Key Handmaid’s Tale Finale Moment

Elisabeth Moss has unpacked how she came up with the defining moment of The Handmaid’s Tale series finale, and how it elevated the end of the show. The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 brought an end to the dystopian TV series, with the Boston area getting liberated while June made it her mission to continue trying to rescue her daughter, Hannah.

Speaking with Collider about her upcoming body horror movie, Shell, Moss explained how she was the one who came up with the idea of having the voiceover from the beginning of The Handmaid’s Tale reappear in the series finale. The actor, who also directed the final episode, explained how the moment brought the series together in a satisfying manner:

I felt like it was my job to take what was written and presented to me as a director, and to bring it to life and to make it the best that I could make it. Sorry if this is spoiling it for anybody, but the circular nature of it, and the fact that it ends the same way that it began, it was my idea to use the original voiceover from episode one. The voiceover that you hear when she’s in that final scene sitting on the windowsill and she’s speaking out loud, is actually the voiceover from episode one, nine years before. That circular nature, to me, is so satisfying. If it was up to me, I probably would have just done five more seasons, but obviously that wasn’t in the cards for us. That’s fine.

What Moss’ Statement Says About The Handmaid’s Tale Series Finale

At the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, June returns to the burned-down Waterford home and begins to record a voiceover for a book she plans to write about life as a handmaid in Gilead. The recording is the first words she says in season 1, episode 1 of the show in her voiceover narration. The show has been her book.

This twist ties together the whole show, making it so the narrative comes back to the beginning by the end. As Moss states, it’s meant to close the circle of The Handmaid’s Tale‘s core storyline, bringing it back to where it was in the beginning while offering a concrete resolution to its present day. It gives the series deeper meaning.

However, it’s also not the end of the road for the battle against Gilead: the upcoming The Testaments adaptation will be continuing the story, with Ann Dowd reprising her role as Aunt Lydia. Moss will executive produce as well, meaning the visionary ideas she brought to the table for The Handmaid’s Tale will likely be reflected in its sequel.

Our Take On Moss Conceiving Of The Handmaid’s Tale’s Finale Moment

Moss’ approach to The Handmaid’s Tale series finale shows how much she thought about how the series needed to end on a satisfying and fitting note. The show may have sent June on a lengthy journey, from Gilead to Canada and back again, but it managed to end right where it started, alongside a changed world for its protagonist.

These changes will likely continue to be evident in The Testaments, even though June herself isn’t set to appear. The circular nature of The Handmaid’s Tale‘s storytelling helped to bring everything together by the end. Moss’ contribution of the series premiere’s recording was the perfect way to mesh everything together, giving the dystopian series a proper sendoff.

The Testaments is currently in development at Hulu.

Release Date

2017 – 2025-00-00

Network

Hulu

Showrunner

Bruce Miller

Directors

Mike Barker, Kari Skogland, Daina Reid, Reed Morano, Floria Sigismondi, Jeremy Podeswa, Kate Dennis, Richard Shepard, Amma Asante, Christina Choe, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Bradley Whitford, Dearbhla Walsh, Liz Garbus

Writers

Kira Snyder, Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, John Herrera, Jacey Heldrich, Dorothy Fortenberry, Marissa Jo Cerar, Lynn Renee Maxcy

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  Elisabeth Moss

  June Osborne / Offred / Ofjoseph

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