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4. Gilead As A War Zone
Gilead has never been a pleasant place, that's for sure, but it always appeared to be remotely safe. As a result, it's often easy to forget that we're watching a dystopian series.
However, this all changed following Ofglen's rebellion. Due to the number of casualties, the Guardians of Gilead upped their game, making it their goal to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.
Commander Pryce was killed in the blast and, as a result, Commander Cushing has taken over Pryce's security responsibilities. He's more ruthless than Pryce ever was, and he does everything he can to restore order - including having a chat with June about her escape attempt.
Cushing shoots a Martha dead in the street. There are checkpoints galore. People are hung from trees, and rebellious families are exterminated. Police vehicles patrol the roads every few minutes. For the first time since the show began, Gilead is a war zone.