HuluWhen it comes to The Handmaid’s Tale, it’s best to just suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride (blessed be the plot holes and all that). But there’s one inconsistency Season 6 needs to address, and I’m hopeful it will get resolved before the show ends for good.
As a longtime watcher of Hulu’s dystopian series, I’m well aware that The Handmaid’s Tale’s plot holes list is longer than Gilead’s unjustified death count. Emily’s clean bill of health after her stint at the Colonies? Don’t worry about it. Moira’s easy escape? It’s fine.
Arguably the biggest of all is how the hell June is still alive. She slapped her Commander across the face (and later killed him), orchestrated the escape of 86 children from Gilead, and helped Emily and her baby flee, all while avoiding the noose.
Now, as said, it’s best to put expectations to the side – The Handmaid’s Tale wouldn’t be the show without June’s scowling face front and center. Plus, one of the reasons she’s able to fly under the radar is thanks to her high-ranking lover and baby daddy, Nick Blaine.
The Handmaid’s Tale needs to fix its Nick problem
HuluAnd this brings me to the plot hole we’re here to discuss today: Nick’s rapid ascension from driver to Commander. Sure, he served as an Eye, but his access to Gilead’s secrets and his ability to operate easily while helping Mayday and June begs the question: why was he promoted rather than just killed?
You may be able to explain this away, but in the binge-worthy TV show’s later seasons, the plausibility of his power and influence in Gilead has become increasingly questionable.
After all, Nick isn’t just sitting on his bloodied hands: he helped June kill Commander Waterford – an action that would have had Gilead’s entire leadership system on alert – and yet he faces no real repercussions.
In Season 4, despite being sent to the frontlines in Chicago, Nick is not only still alive but now essentially pulling the strings for the regime. He manages to save Commander Joseph Lawrence from execution, and by the end of Season 5, the two of them are running the show.
This is the same Nick and Joseph who’ve been secretly working against the state, hiding their true loyalties (Joseph’s are still up for debate, while Nick seems hellbent on saving June – no matter what the cost).
It’s all very confusing. Although we can push some of these details to the side, I’m hoping The Handmaid’s Tale will fix its Nick problem.
Why Season 6 could solve the plot hole
HuluThe sixth and final season could very well be the moment Nick finally faces consequences for his actions. It won’t be a happy ending, but it would be fitting for him to have a tragic ending, one that’s in line with the oppressive state he helped create.
After all, if he made the decision to escape Gilead and be with June and Nichole, well, Luke’s not going to be keen on being in a throuple (even if he does end up in prison).
It’s certainly not looking good for Nick in the Season 5 finale. After punching Joseph Lawrence in front of the other Commanders, he says, “You could have killed her,” referring to June.
Following this act of defiance, he’s seen in a holding cell. His (pregnant) wife Rose is finally done with his sh*t and says she doesn’t want to be with him since he can’t let go of June.
So, not only is the Gilead government angry at Nick for being in love with a “terrorist”, but so too is his wife, whose father is the elusive yet powerful High Commander Wharton.
If Nick still manages to get out of this one unscathed, then Gilead’s biggest secret weapon isn’t fear or control – it’s sheer plot armor.
But if the hammer of the state comes down on him, tragic it may be, it would at least patch up the TV show’s biggest plot hole before Season 6 closes the book on this chapter of the story for good.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 premieres on Hulu on April 8, 2025. Until then, check out more TV shows coming to streaming this month, the new shows hitting Netflix, and new movies & shows streaming on Disney Plus this month.
