The Handmaid's Tale Season 2: 5 Ups And 1 Down From 'Postpartum'

4. Aunt Lydia's Promise

Several episodes ago, upon learning that Serena wanted to kick June out of the house once the baby was born, Aunt Lydia made a promise to June that she would look out for her baby. We see Lydia attempting to keep that promise in Postpartum, when she confronts Commander Waterford with the possibility of allowing June to return home.

Aunt Lydia is a tough character to read. She clearly wants to do what is best for everyone, and she'll go above and beyond for her handmaids, but we also know there's a wicked side to her - which was displayed more so in the first season. The character has been woefully underused this season, but perhaps this is a creative decision, because her short scenes make it harder to determine where the character truly stands on matters of the heart. She's certainly mellowed since the beginning of Gilead, but she's still not to be messed with. Again, she's a tough one to read, but that's clearly the writers intention.