Summary

• Elisabeth Moss reveals the importance of June and Serena's relationship in The Handmaid's Tale season 6.
• Moss aims to create a final season that fans will appreciate, focusing on June and Serena as their intertwining stories come to a close.
• June and Serena might fight against Gilead in the final season, or at least try and make a life for themselves that doesn't involve living in fear.

The Handmaid's Tale star Elisabeth Moss has opened up about the key to season 6's story, revealing how intertwined June's story is with another character. Season 6 will be the final batch of episodes for the Hulu original series, bringing June's story within this dystopian society to an end. The final episodes will begin filming later this year, and will wrap up the important stories of its many characters throughout the series.

Speaking with Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused, Moss opened up about the most key element of The Handmaid's Tale season 6 being the relationship between June and Serena.

Starting at 28:13, Moss discussed how fans viewed the relationship between both characters, describing how much she agreed with the importance of their stories being so intertwined. The actor also described the importance of making a final season fans will appreciate, hinting at what's next for the core pair of the series. Check out what Moss had to say below:

I think the reason I'm aware of [how much fans like June and Serena together] is I agree. I love it.... The reason why I get it is because I agree and I love it too. The reason why I think the fans have picked up on it and gravitated toward it is because we put it there. We love the two of them together, I love it. I've always loved Serena as a character and what Yvonne [Strahovski] does with her, and we've always seen the parallels between them, so it's only just so gratifying when the audience gets it and picks up on it and likes it.

But to answer your question - and I've experienced this on TV before, especially with Mad Men, there is a back-and-forth I think that happens with the fans and the makers of the show. It's not like you write to it, but you do have an understanding and awareness of what's working and what's not. I'm not making the show for anyone else but the fans. I'm not making the show for the network or this person. You're making it for the people who love it. And, so, because of that, you are aware of, of course, what they respond to and what they don't respond to.

And I agree with them responding to June and Serena so wholeheartedly, and truly believe that it is their show. Like, I know it's June's story and it's The Handmaid's Tale but I really believe that it's June and Serena's story. And we're very much going down that road in the final season. I'm the first person, even as a director, to be like, "Forget June, let's focus on Serena for this episode." I just think that. Yvonne said it so well when she said, "There's no Serena without June, and there's no June without Serena." And that's so true. And so to me, the parallel stories, I love that part of the show so much. So I totally agree with the fans on this one.

Where Will June & Serena's Story Go In The Handmaid's Tale Season 6?

The Final Season Begins Production Later This Year

The Handmaid's Tale season 5 ended with June deciding she had to escape Toronto, realizing she was no longer safe despite trying to find some level of freedom in Canada. After boarding a train with Nichole to leave the city, it's revealed that Serena has boarded the same train, making a surprise appearance following a reconciliation between the pair earlier in the season. Although it's unclear how strong their trust for one another is going to be, the fact they're now together means the story could go in any number of directions.

Since Gilead is still after June's life, it's very possible the newfound duo are going to work together in an attempt to take the patriarchal government down. However, due to the sheer size of such a fight, it's also possible the pair are just going to try and take freedom for themselves and the people they care about. This is going to prove difficult given Canada's increasingly hostile attitude toward refugees, making a permanent home hard to find. While change within Gilead's government won't happen overnight, the two women could lay the foundation for a freer future.

While June and Serena's shared story will get a proper conclusion, the story of The Handmaid's Tale universe is far from over. This is because a sequel series based on author Margaret Atwood's novel The Testaments is in development, confirming even more dystopian events will transpire in the future. However, the mark the core show's pair can now make on the world means their story can go in a variety of different directions. While they may not take down Gilead, the pair could still strive for a happy ending where they no longer have to live in fear.

How Will The Handmaid's Tale End?

Will The Final Season Set Up The Testaments?

Since Gilead still exists during the events of The Testaments novel, it's unlikely the whole of its society will fall by the time the current series comes to a close. However, June and Serena could still do damage in some capacity, possibly setting the stage for a downfall that will be further explored in the upcoming series. It's also possible the pair will simply live their lives in a quieter manner, trying to ensure the freedom of everyone they love without trying to take down the tyrannical government all on their own.

The harrowing situation both June and Serena now find themselves in is not unique to them, either, with Luke now under arrest by the Canadian government and Nick possibly labeled as a traitor within Gilead. Because of how many major characters are now in dangerous scenarios, The Handmaid's Tale season 6 could feature deaths strengthening the horrors yet to come. However, the death of a character like Luke or Nick could help further the surviving heroes' journeys, giving them a reason to fight and make it to a place of safety.

Since June and Serena will be together for the foreseeable future, season 6 will likely see the pair on the friendliest terms the show has presented so far as they attempt their respective escapes. It's even possible the decisions they make will be to save not only themselves and others closest to them, but also each other. These can act as more symbolic gestures of them burying their past misgivings. It also sets the stage for just how the series is going to end, likely with the pair safe with as many people as they could help along the way.

Since there's still plenty of plot threads left to be resolved, The Handmaid's Tale seems like it will maintain its air of mystery surrounding how the show will end until production begins later this year. With a multitude of stories beyond June and Serena also left to resolve, this final season will be an interesting transition point. This is because, inevitably, The Testaments will be set up by the final season's core events. However, the show will likely still give its core duo a fitting end before the story continues further into the future.

All episodes of The Handmaid's Tale are now streaming on Hulu.

Source: Josh Horowitz/YouTube