Who has the most power in Gilead?

In Gilead, the highest power lies with the Commanders of the Faithful, an all-male elite ruling class that governs the country's theocratic military dictatorship. As the highest-ranking leaders, they operate collectively to set laws, interpret religious texts, and enforce the regime's ideology through fear, the Eyes (secret police), and the military.
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Who is the highest authority in Gilead?

The Commanders are the most powerful people and make up the highest class in Gilead. Since Gilead is a patriarchy, the Commanders are in charge of not just their household, but also have a say in the society around them.
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Who is the most powerful person in The Handmaid's Tale?

Although Commander Winslow is brutal, and is generally depicted as being one of the most powerful Commanders, (in terms of both his title and his position in Washington, which is depicted as being much more tightly under the Sons of Jacob's control than other areas) his motivations are less complex or interesting than ...
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Are Aunts more powerful than wives?

Aunts preside over general punishments in Gilead, such as executions and the Colonies. Though they may not live a life of leisure, Aunts arguably have more individual power than Wives and have greater mobility.
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Who is the highest leader in The Handmaid's Tale?

Commanders of the Faithful, or just simply Commanders, are a social class of powerful men in Gilead. They are the highest ranking members of all Gileadean society and are identified by a gold star on their suits.
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Gilead's Terrifying Laws In The Handmaid's Tale Explained

Are the Waterfords the leaders of Gilead?

Commander Fred Waterford was one of Gilead's first leaders and a high-ranking official. Married to Serena Joy Waterford, Fred is the head of the household and the Commander who will try to impregnate June.
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What commander is obsessed with Janine?

Commander Bell and Janine. His obsession with her is very disturbing, and I highly doubt he's just gonna be like "Oh well, that was fun while it lasted" just because Jezebel's got shut down.
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Why are marthas not econowives?

If they are fortunate enough to have children, they are likely responsible for caring for them whilst their husbands are at work. Unlike Marthas, there is no evidence for obligation to (domestic) work outside the own household, apart from some routine professions of faith.
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Why is Aunt Lydia so obsessed with June?

Does Aunt Lydia hate June, or does she love her and wish she was different? I think she has profound love, and she admires her tremendously. June Osborne is about the strongest person Lydia has ever met, and the most committed, who stands up for what she believes in and never ever gives up no matter what.
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What is a Jezebel in Gilead?

A Jezebel is a woman forced to become a prostitute and entertainer. They are available only to the Commanders and to their guests. Offred portrays Jezebels as attractive and educated; they may be unsuitable as Handmaids due to temperament. They have been sterilized, a surgery that is forbidden to other women.
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Who is the real villain in The Handmaids Tale?

Commander Frederick Ronald "Fred" Waterford is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Serena Waterford) of the Hulu TV series The Handmaid's Tale, based on the 1985 novel of the same name.
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Who gets custody of Serena's baby?

Eventually, Noah gets put into foster care with Ryan Wheeler and Alanis Wheeler. The Wheelers watch and take care of Noah while Serena nurses and sends milk.
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Which Handmaid lost her eye?

Janine Lindo (played by Madeline Brewer) lost her right eye in The Handmaid's Tale as punishment. In the pilot episode, Aunt Lydia ordered the removal of her eye at the Red Center after Janine was rebellious, sarcastic, and spoke back, acting as a brutal, literal interpretation of "if thy right eye offends thee, pluck it out".
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Was Janine's baby a shredder?

Janine nurses the baby for a few months and then transfers to a new Commander. Although Angela appears to be in good health and without malformation at birth, Ofglen later reveals that Janine's baby was a "shredder".
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Why are Marthas not Handmaids?

Social Standing: Marthas hold a higher status than Handmaids, but their lives are still characterized by limited autonomy and oppression. Not Handmaids: Marthas are not Handmaids, as they are not fertile and are not used for procreation. Without sin (adulterer, thief), but infertile. Unwomen who can't get pregnant.
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Who does Nick marry in Gilead?

Nick leaned into his role as a Gilead commander after that rejection out of a lack of any other safe path forward. He also had a son on the way with wife Rose (Carey Cox), the daughter of Commander Wharton.
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What does "blessed be the fruit" mean?

"Blessed be the fruit" is a standard greeting used by Handmaids in The Handmaid's Tale to mean "hello". It is a religious, euphemistic phrase rooted in biblical fertility, aimed at encouraging, celebrating, or hoping for a handmaid to become pregnant (the "fruit" of her womb). It is commonly met with the response: "May the Lord open".
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Why did Eden jump to her death?

Eden has a potential chance to save her own life by “renouncing her sins”, and Nick begs her to do so. However, the young Econowife chooses to die a martyr's death via drowning along with her lover, but not before reciting 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to herself and Isaac.
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Why do Gilead wives wear blue?

In The Handmaid's Tale, Wives wear teal-blue to signify their high status, purity, and role as "helpmeets" in Gilead's rigid hierarchy. The color directly symbolizes the Virgin Mary, highlighting an obsession with infertility and pious motherhood, while creating a distinct, oppressive contrast to the Handmaids' bright red.
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What did they do to Moira's feet?

The Aunts tortured Moira by beating her feet with steel cables, the punishment for a first offense. The punishment for a second offense was beating the hands. Aunt Lydia reminded the women that hands and feet did not matter for their purpose.
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Why don't econowives like Handmaids?

And, as Offred states later, “The Econowives do not like us,” meaning Handmaids, undoubtedly because within the class structure of Gilead Handmaids are more privileged—though “privilege” is a relative term in a society that treats most women as property.
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Who impregnated Janine?

It is rumoured that the real father of Janine's baby is not Commander Warren, but her doctor, due to Warren's infertility, and Warren's Wife secretly arranged this to get a child. Janine goes into labour and Offred, Ofglen and several other Handmaids attend the birth to support her.
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What is the punishment for not killing Janine?

For endangering her daughter, Janine is sentenced to death by stoning, but the Handmaids tasked with the "Particicution" refuse to kill her, and she is sent to the Colonies instead. As the first one to talk back at the stoning, Ofglen #2 has her tongue cut out.
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Why did Nick turn bad?

But he became very disillusioned after witnessing Waterford's first Handmaid commit suicide, so much so that he joins the Eyes deceitfully as the only way to use Gilead's system against its own. Prior to Gilead, Nick appeared to be an outwardly emotional person.
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