Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, episode 6!

The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, episode 5 saw June and Moira head back into Gilead, with the duo attempting to warn the women at Jezebel’s about the upcoming attack. Unfortunately, things go wrong when they are forced to kill a guard. They hop in Commander Lawrence’s car, with the episode ending as he prepares to sneak them out of Gilead. Episode 6 sees Lawrence continue this task, enlisting Nick’s help in smuggling the duo out. However, things go horribly wrong when High Commander Wharton pays Nick a visit, changing Mayday’s plans forever.

Why Nick Revealed The Jezebel’s Plan To Commander Wharton

His Back Was Against A Wall

While attempting to take June out of Gilead, Nick has to have a conversation with Commander Wharton. Wharton has learned that Nick was at Jezebel’s, with him confronting his son-in-law about his time at Jezebel’s and his suspicious activities. Nick’s back is against a wall in this conversation, and knowing that June is in the car makes his situation even worse. The end of their conversation isn’t seen, with June deciding that she must enlist Serena Joy’s help in escaping. Later, however, June discovers that Nick told Commander Wharton about Mayday’s Jezebel’s plan.

Later, June and Nick are forced to hide in Serena Joy’s closet as she has a conversation with Commander Wharton. June and Nick overhear Commander Wharton tell Serena Joy about his knowledge of the plan, with him explaining that Nick told him about the attack. June clearly feels betrayed, but Nick most likely felt as if he had no other choice. Commander Wharton was on to him, and if further lies were exposed, it may have landed him on the Wall. This also explains why he wanted to escape to Paris, with him hoping to get out before further details about his involvement were discovered.

Was June Really Going To Go With Nick To Paris?

If She Didn’t Know About Nick’s Admission?

When Nick and June reunite the next morning, Nick is hectic. He begs June to go with him to Paris, explaining that he already has the papers. As June is asking questions, Commander Wharton appears, cutting the conversation short. June and Nick have to hide in the closet, with her discovering Nick’s betrayal before their conversation can finish.

June & Nick Now Look To Be Over For Good

After Nick’s Big Betrayal

Throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, the love triangle between June, Luke, and Nick has been one of the main storylines, with fans wondering which character June will end up with. Although she has reunited with Luke, June clearly still loves Nick, something that is shown during their sex scene in episode 6. Nick’s request for June to go to Paris with him was a sign that their relationship could still be on, and the fact that June didn’t immediately shut it down makes this even more true. However, this was all before June found out about Nick’s betrayal.

Now that Nick has betrayed June, their relationship is most likely over for good. Nick has compromised June’s big chance at hurting Gilead and saving Hannah, and that is something she isn’t likely to forgive. Nick is one of the only people within Gilead that June could trust. However, that trust has now been broken, meaning that she doesn’t have a strategic use for him either. Nick’s confession was meant to save himself, and he probably won’t be able to recover his relationship with June after such a big betrayal.

The Real Commander Wharton Is Revealed At Last

Showing How Dangerous He Really Is

Commander Wharton has been a fairly generic The Handmaid’s Tale villain so far, but season 6, episode 6 finally saw him come out of his shell. In Commander Wharton’s conversation with Nick, the villain proved how dangerous he truly is. Wharton is willing to do anything to protect his family and to protect Gilead, and that includes threatening his son-in-law.

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Did Nick Kill The Guardian In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6, Episode 5? He Might Be Doomed Either Way

The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, episode 5 has Nick make a shocking choice, one that may have sealed his fate in The Handmaid’s Tale and Gilead forever.

Wharton seems to be an incredibly efficient manipulator, with this potentially being his biggest strength. Nick has been acting against Gilead for six seasons, and Wharton is the first one who has truly gotten him to confess to anything. Although Nick has kept a cool head for the rest of the show, Wharton was able to figure out Nick’s suspicious activities after only a few episodes. Nick is clearly shaken, and if Commander Wharton can have that effect on him, there’s no telling what he can do to the other characters in The Handmaid’s Tale.

What Happens Next To June, And What About Mayday’s Attack?

They Will Have To Find Another Plan

Nick’s betrayal has set back all of Mayday, meaning that the Jezebel’s plan probably won’t work anymore. Commander Wharton says that he has already shut down Jezbel’s, getting rid of the valuable target that Mayday has spent all of season 6 attempting to exploit. This means that Mayday will have to find another way to wipe out the Commanders. This is a major blow to June and Mayday’s plans, and with only a few episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale left, they will have to quickly figure out a new path forward.