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After 8 whole years of following June's journey from liberated woman, to Handmaid, to rebel, The Handmaid's Tale has come to an end with season 6. What started as an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's iconic novel back in 2017 quickly became not only one of the best Hulu shows but also a cultural phenomenon. And the sixth and final season really is the series' most action-packed installment yet.
However, with more characters and intertwining storylines than ever to focus on, The Handmaid's Tale season 6 can get tricky to follow at times. So, whether you are planning to rewatch the finale and need to be reminded where we left off last season, or if you're a new fan wondering whether season 6 is worth binge-watching, we've got you covered. Below, we have compiled everything you need to know about The Handmaid's Tale season 6, from reviews, episode recaps, and more.
But be warned, that naturally means there are spoilers ahead for the whole show.
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The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 release date and release schedule
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 premiered on April 8, 2025 , with three episodes, titled Trainwreck, Exile, and Devotion.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is available to stream on Hulu and on Disney Plus with a Hulu subscription in the US and on Prime Video and Channel 4 in the UK.
Season 6 consists of 10 episodes, which are as follows:
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 1: 'Train' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 2: 'Exile' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 3: 'Devotion' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 4: 'Promotion' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 5: 'Janine' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 6: 'Surprise' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 7: 'Shattered' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 8: 'Exodus' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9: 'Execution' - out now!
- The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 10: 'The Handmaid's Tale' - out now!
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 reviews
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 debuted to positive reviews, landing an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is the show's second-highest score after season 1, which stands at 94%. Overall, the show as a whole is rated 84%.
Many critics celebrated star Elizabeth Moss' involvement in the series, with Daniel Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter writing, "Moss has become perhaps the series’ finest director in addition to anchoring a still powerful cast."
The series' powerful themes, which feel a little too close to the current state of our world, had many critics saying we need this show now more than ever. "Even though the show can be hard to enjoy (in the purest sense of that word), it has also increased in urgency as it has progressed," said The Independent's Nick Hilton.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 trailer
A very short teaser was released as part of the Disney Plus and Hulu 2025 trailer. This began with Serena saying, "Something big is about to happen" before it cut to June adding, "Let’s bring them home." Ominous.
A final trailer was released in March 20. You can watch this above, as it shows handmaids teaming up, sharing knives and preparing to fight. It seems the revolution is imminent in Gilead. "For years, we've been afraid of them. Now it's time for them to be afraid of us", says June in the trailer. Let the revolution begin!
Another teaser was released alongside the confirmed release date, taking a deep dive back into the origins of the handmaid uniforms, teasing that it allows them to become "an army". You can check that one out below:
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 plot recap
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 picks up pretty much where season 5 ended, with June and Serena both on a train headed for Toronto. In case you need a quick recap, in the season 5 finale, June and Luke decided they needed to escape the country as soon as possible. However, things took a downward turn when Luke attacked a truck driver who tried to hurt June. The driver's injuries were fatal, and the Canadian authorities arrested Luke, leaving June to escape on her own with her daughter, Nichole.
The final season’s premiere landed in May 2024, with three episodes. The first, simply titled 'Train', starts with the carriage carrying June and a bunch of other former Handmaids and Marthas, and Serena, who is lying about her identity so that the Handmaids don't tear her apart in the name of vengeance. However. Serena’s name becomes known, and in a bid to protect her, June pushes her off the train. The train ride to Alaska ends with June meeting her mother, Holly, who she thought was dead. Elsewhere, Moira joins Mayday, and Nick returns to New Bethlehem with his wife, where his father-in-law, Commander Wharton, visits.
After escaping the train full of Handmaids, episode 2 titled ‘Exile’ sees Serena find safety in a church full of women and children, but she may not be there for long as Nick, Wharton, and Lawrence agree to invite her to New Bethlehem. Following the invitation, Serena begins to believe that God has chosen her to bring reform to Gilead. Elsewhere, Luke joins Mayday and, alongside Rita and Moira, finds out that Holly is alive. However, months pass and June fails to hear from Luke, so she decides to go and find him, leaving Nichole with Holly.
Season 6 episode 3, ‘Devotion’, reunites us with Janine, who is found by Aunt Lydia, working in a Jezebels brothel. Although Janine seems to prefer her new setting, Lydia pleads with Lawrence for her release, but he refuses. Over in New Bethlehem, visitors from across the globe arrive and are impressed by the new Gilead and its rapid birthrate. Amongst the guests is June’s messenger, who tells Nick to meet her in no man's land, where June asks him to help save Moira and Luke, which they do.
Now back with Mayday, episode 4 titled Promotion sees Luke and Moira plan to attack the Commanders at a Jezebels brothel. But June soon learns that this is the same brothel where Janine works, and in episode 5 titled ‘Janine’, June and Moira disguise themselves as Marthas and warn Janine. However, while leaving, June and Moira have no choice but to kill a Guardian, which leads to a lockdown on the whole building. But the two are able to escape in the trunk of Lawrence's car, who seems to be on their side after Janine informs him that the other Commanders plan to kill him.
At the beginning of episode 6 – ‘Surprise’, June and Moira arrive at Lawrence’s home, where he puts the letters from the brothel (which Janine gave to June) in the safe. Lawrence then drives Moira to the border, and June stays in Gilead and asks Nick to pick her up from Lawrence’s house. Instead, he tells her to go to Serena’s house, and later he meets her there, asking her to movie to Paris with him – but Nick’s declaration is cut short when the two overhear Wharton tell Serena that Nick discovered Mayday's plan to kill Commanders at the brothel. Now June knows Nick has double-crossed her.
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 episode 7, titled ‘Shattered,’ opens with the Guardians of Gilead executing the Jezebels inside the brothel, and although Janine is spared, she faces a worse fate as Commander Bell has taken her back to his house to torture her. After being dropped off at the border by Nick, June reunited with Mayday, but they are not too pleased with her after their Jezebel plan ended in ruins. But the resistance marches on and plans a new attack, this time at Serena and Wharton’s wedding, which takes place in episode 8, ‘Exodus.’ After the wedding, the Handmaids kill their commanders with blades provided to them by Mayday, and June kills Bell for Janine.
The penultimate episode, titled 'Execution,' sees June, Moira, Janine, Aunt Phoebe, Aunt Lydia, and the Handmaids arrested and sentenced by Wharton to be publicly executed in Gilead. However, while on the stand, June’s speech convinces the crowds to rebel, before Mayday and American troops arrive on the scene. Elsewhere, the Commanders plan to fly to D.C., but Lawrence sacrifices himself and steps on board with a bomb, blowing up the whole plane, including Nick.
Then, in the fiery finale simply titled ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, Gilead is liberated by the rebels and American forces. As for the Handmaids, Emily is revealed to have spent the last few months fighting in the rebellion, Aunt Lydia arranges for Janine to reunite with her daughter, and June chooses to end her relationship with Luke, but plans to continue looking for her daughter Hannah. In a full circle moment, the series finale ends with June returning to the now destroyed Waterford house, where she begins to write a book about the whole ordeal.
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 cast
All of the major cast of The Handmaid’s Tale returned for the final season, including Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne, alongside O-T Fagbenle as her husband Luke. The love triangle lives on, though, as Max Minghella is also back as June’s former boyfriend Nick. Other returning stars include Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford, Samira Wiley as Moira, and Madeline Brewer as Janine.
Sadly, some of the series' original cast didn't make their way back, including Joseph Fiennes as Commander Waterford after his brutal murder in the season 4 finale. Also, Alexis Bledel was written out of the series after announcing her exit as Emily ahead of the fifth season.
The official cast of The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is as follows;
- Elisabeth Moss as June Osbourne
- Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford
- Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence
- Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine
- Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia
- O.T. Fagbenle as Luke Bankole
- Samira Wiley as Moira Strand
- Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo
- Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue
- Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello
- Ever Carradine as Naomi Lawrence
- Josh Charles as Commander Wharton
Is The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 the final season?
Yes, The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 is the final season of the Hulu dystopian series. In a statement about it, Miller said that he was thrilled to be given the chance to end the show in a sixth season.
"It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and the chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale," he said. "We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point."
However, while this is the end of the original show, a spin-off series is on the horizon. Atwood’s sequel novel The Testaments has already been snapped up by Hulu. Some aspects of the storyline will be included in the final season, while others will be incorporated into the spin-off. Details are still relatively light on this, but it’s expected to begin production after the final season airs.
Check out our list of upcoming TV shows for what to look forward to next.
