The Handmaid’s Tale just redeemed Aunt Lydia – And it changes everything for The Testaments 

In Season 6, Episode 9 of The Handmaid’s Tale, Aunt Lydia is seen undergoing a significant transformation, which transforms her character arc. From being a cunning and staunch enforcer of Gilead's oppressive regime, she becomes more inclined towards the resistance. Here, character transformation is multifaceted and nuanced that Hulu has announced another series, The Testaments, with Ann Dowd reprising her role as Aunt Lydia.

Episode 9 of The Handmaid’s Tale unfolds after the incidents of June's attack on Serena Joy and Commander Wharton's wedding. June, along with some other handmaids, is captured, and this development sets the stage for The Testaments.

A sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, in The Testaments, Lydia is revealed to be a covert operative for the Mayday resistance, using her position to gather incriminating evidence against Gilead's leaders and working to dismantle the regime from within.

Read on to know how The Handmaid’s Tale just redeemed Aunt Lydia.

Here is how The Handmaid's Tale redeemed Aunt Lydia

Until Season 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale, Lydia is shown to be witty and loyal to Gilead’s system, but her internal conflict is growing. She shares some moments of compassion with the Handmaids, which further fan the flames of her internal struggle, but she has yet to take a stand.

The massacre of Jezebel in The Handmaid’s Tale, in which Gilead slaughters women, even those who are protected under law, shakes Lydia deeply, acting as the catalyst for her rebellion. In a scene in episode 8, June successfully convinces her to let the girls go. This marks the beginning of her taking a stand and being an ally of the resistance in The Handmaid’s Tale.

By the end of Season 6, Lydia begins to act covertly against Gilead, aligning her actions with the underground resistance movement, Mayday. The Testaments will reveal new facets of Lydia as she uses her high-ranking position to sabotage Gilead from within. She secretly documents its horrors and becomes a whistleblower, writing a manuscript that later becomes a pivotal source of truth.

Hulu's adaptation is expected to explore Lydia's complex journey in detail from a complicit enforcer to a leading figure in rebellion. In The Testaments, Lydia is not only disillusioned with Gilead, but she also becomes one of the most dangerous enemies of the organisation.

How will this transformation in The Handmaid’s Tale help The Testaments?

Lydia's transformation in The Handmaid’s Tale ensures continuity between the two stories and sets the stage for Hulu’s planned adaptation of The Testaments, where Lydia’s dual life—enforcer and mole will take centre stage.

Aunt Lydia's turn against Gilead has been one of The Handmaid's Tale's most powerful and carefully built arcs that season 6 finally pays off. Although the narrative initially sets up that Lydia's transformation is entirely because of Jezebel, it is later revealed that the grief she experienced after Janine's death in the slaughter opened her eyes.

When Lydia discovers Janine is alive and is a witness to the abuse she has suffered at the hands of Commander Bell, her disillusionment solidifies. Janine, one of the few characters Lydia has consistently shown genuine affection for, becomes a mirror for Lydia’s guilt.

Secondly, Ann Dowd’s exceptional performance in The Handmaid's Tale elevated the character arc to another level. The scene where Lydia breaks down in front of the Handmaids and her confrontation at the execution stage in episode 9 are a few emotional standouts. These moments prove she’s more than ready to lead The Testaments series — not just as a character, but as its emotional and moral core.

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Based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name, The Handmaid's Tale is adapted into a TV series with six seasons. The Testaments was published in 2019 and is set to be adapted for the screen soon by Hulu.

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