June's behavior with the Waterfords
Spoilers for the first 2 seasons of The Handmaid's Tale.
There are several instances in the show when I cannot explain June's behavior. But the one that seems most inexplicable is the one at the very end of season 2. Considering all the things Serena did to her, especially the aiding of June's rape while she's pregnant, June is for some reason nice to Serena.
She goes as far to rename her own kid (that biologically is not related to the Waterfords whatsoever) after Serena's choice, i.e. Nichole. Why?
She even cares about Serena being whipped (with a belt, after Fred discovers Serena's work in his study) and goes to her room to offer her comfort and confronts Fred over it. Why?
She seemingly wants to have sex with Fred while pregnant (after Fred gives her a photograph of Hannah and then gropes her). Why? (Maybe she's acting as if she wants it, in return for more favors from him?)
I could list all of the insane number of physical and mental atrocities that the Waterfords did to her and for some bizarre reason, there's many more instances when she's nice and obedient.
Best Answer
It has to be due to compassion and sorority, the feminine version of the noun fraternity. It's a sort-of-new concept that has been airing all over the internet for some years now. It was definitely not as evident in the 1980s book as it is on the series, but I think it's an interesting topic to reflect about, how women tend to be way more competitive against each other than men. This is my answer to questions 1 and 2.
For question number 3, I'm pretty sure she feels powerful "controlling" the Commander that way. It's such a controversial topic, but it's also interesting to reflect about.
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Does June get revenge on the Waterfords?
Spoilers ahead. June Osborne spent years trying to get out of Gilead, and she finally did it. And after years spent under the control and abuse of Fred Waterford, she finally got her revenge.What did June do to Fred Waterford?
After their confrontation, June decides to take justice into her own hands as she and a group of refugee Handmaids kill Fred in the woods.How does Serena Joy feel about June?
Serena Joy said she wanted to make amends and believed God brought June there so she could do so. The pregnant Serena Joy also believes her baby is an earned blessing. Suffice it to say June did not agree. To drive her point home, June mimicked Serena's behavior from season 1.이곳이 바로 안전지대 [브롤스타즈-Brawl Stars] [June]
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Answer 2
Decided to turn my comment into an answer.
The main point in depicting June in this manner is simply to show that June's compassionate spirit, is not fully broken.
June is still capable of seeing that despite Serena is manipulative, abusive, and had a hand in Gilead's creation, being the religious-right wing author of a best-selling novel titled, A Women's Place, siting, "Never mistake a women's meekness for weakness." that Serena is in fact a victim herself, albeit a dangerous calculating one.
June and the series' second season begin to take the time in showing Serena/audience her mistakes and her potential "expendability", as characters like Mrs. O'Conner, a former Wife like Serena, is sentenced to The Colonies after committing adultery against her husband, which is echoed in the way Fred allows for Serena to be punished by other Gilead Male Heads at the end of the season, even though she teamed-up with June to help him stay politically on top, after he was injured in a bombing.
The evidence of June's compassionate influence is in the result of season three's climax where
Serena misleads Fred (and even June), making him believe that she can get "Nichole" back in Gilead, when really she has made a deal with her Canadian friend, which results in Fred and Serena being arrested and brought to Canadian soil.
In Serena's defense:
It's unclear if Serena's motives are truly pure and if she will not turn on the "Cs", but at the very least, Serena's motives in wanting to be with Nichole are genuine, despite that in reality, Nichole (having a child to raise) is either/or just an idea Serena needed in order to survive as a human being and/or an excuse to reign terror on someone else. Season three also began to touch on Serena's relationship with her mother, but not enough to know for certain if Serena's desperation for a child and religious fanaticism, stems from childhood trauma and abuse...
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