Why are men in Gilead sterile?

Infertility in The Handmaid's Tale is not caused by one factor, but rather a global environmental crisis—including pollution, radiation, chemical contamination, and biological warfare—that severely damaged human fertility. While Gilead blames women, the narrative heavily implies that men are largely responsible for the low birth rates, as sperm is highly vulnerable to environmental damage.
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Why are most men sterile in The Handmaid's Tale?

In The Handmaid's Tale, infertility is a global, environmental crisis affecting both men and women, caused by pollution, radiation, and chemical exposure. Although Gilead promotes the ideology that only women are infertile, the series and novel hint that many men—particularly the ruling Commanders—are sterile due to these same environmental factors.
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Why are handmaid's mouths sewn shut?

In The Handmaid's Tale (specifically Season 3), Handmaids in Washington D.C. have their mouths secured with metal rings to symbolize extreme, enforced silence and total oppression. This visual, created for the show, represents the ultimate removal of their voice, treating them as objects rather than people.
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Why can none of the Commander's wives have babies?

Most babies have birth defects, are still born, or miscarry. But they don't test mens sperm, just the women. Most of the commanders and wives were married long before Gilead, and infertility as a couple was established. Therefore, handmaids, who had birthed healthy children already, were used.
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What happens to handmaid's when they can no longer have kids?

Handmaids have three chances to get pregnant in three different households during two year assignments. If, after the third time, they are not able to produce a living, healthy baby, they will be sent off to the Colonies to face certain death.
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4 Causes of Male Infertility

Can Wives become handmaids?

June is a handmaid because 1) she had an affair with a married man 2) divorce is not legal in Gilead, so in the eyes of Gilead she was an unmarried mother carrying on a long term affair. Fertile wives are at risk of becoming handmaids if they do anything sinful/illegal.
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What happens to a wife if a commander dies?

Wives and daughters

When a Commander dies, his Wife becomes a Widow and must dress in black until/unless she remarries.
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Do the wives and commanders sleep together?

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Gilead's ideology suggests commanders and their wives generally do not have regular sexual relations, as sex is strictly for procreation and wives are often deemed infertile. Commanders frequently sleep in separate rooms from their wives, using the "Ceremony" with handmaids to conceive.
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Is Serena's baby actually Waterfords?

Noah Waterford is a character in The Handmaid's Tale. He is the son of Serena Waterford and Fred Waterford.
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Are the marthas fertile?

Most Marthas seem to be infertile, low-ranking, and/or unmarried women; events in season 3 ("Chicago Women") suggest Marthas to be Unwomen who still appear to be "useful" for domestic tasks due to their pre-Gileadean occupation.
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Why are the Marthas not handmaids?

That makes June an “adulteress” in their eyes and subject to the Handmaid system. Women become Marthas in Gilead if they are infertile, older, or considered unsuitable for roles like Wives or Handmaids—but still useful to the regime. Their role is subservient, but many quietly resist from within the system.
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What happened to Moira's baby?

Moira gives birth to a boy named Gavin as a surrogate and gives him to the new parents (the Watsons) who eventually move back to England with him. She mentions to June that she is being paid $250,000 upon the birth of a healthy baby. Moira mentions that Gavin's parents sent her a card on Gavin's six month birthday.
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What disability does Nick's wife have?

Genetic condition of congenital hip dysplasia in Rose

To clarify for everyone, she and Nick are NOT related and she has a genetic condition called Congenital Hip Dysplasia! The condition was never mentioned in the show itself. Showrunner Bruce Miller confirmed it in a interview that he did.
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Is Serena Waterford fertile?

In The Handmaid's Tale, Serena Joy is initially considered infertile by Gilead's standards, necessitating a handmaid. However, she later becomes pregnant with her husband Fred Waterford's child (Noah), proving she is fertile. It is heavily implied that Fred was actually the infertile party and his fertility improved over time.
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Why do Gilead wives wear blue?

In The Handmaid's Tale, Wives wear shades of blue or teal to symbolize purity, serenity, and their high status in Gilead's hierarchy, while reflecting their role as "helpmeets" for their husbands. The color is heavily associated with the Virgin Mary, signifying traditional motherhood and holiness, while also separating them from other classes.
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Why do wives not like Handmaid's?

Many Wives become bitter and resentful; many of them are also jealous of the Handmaids due to their ability to conceive and the fact they must share their husbands with them.
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Who does Nick marry in Gilead?

Commander Nicholas "Nick" Blaine was Rose's husband, June Osborne's lover and the father of Holly and an unborn son in The Handmaid's Tale. Formerly a Guardian and driver serving Commander Fred and Serena Waterford, he served as a Commander in the Gileadean military stationed in Chicago.
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What does "blessed be the fruit" mean?

"Blessed be the fruit" is a, standard, restrictive greeting used in The Handmaid's Tale to mean "hello," functioning as a fertility blessing aimed at encouraging handmaids to become pregnant. It is deeply rooted in biblical, Catholic, and, specifically, Luke 1:42 ("blessed is the fruit of your womb"), highlighting the regime's focus on forced reproduction.
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Did Elisabeth Moss gain weight?

Elisabeth Moss announced she was pregnant with her first child in January 2024, which naturally resulted in weight gain. While viewers previously discussed her fluctuating weight in relation to roles, there is no evidence of significant, unusual weight gain outside of this pregnancy and potential role preparations, with many praising her for maintaining a natural appearance.
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Are Mormons allowed to do oral before marriage?

No, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) are not allowed to have oral sex before marriage. The church’s Law of Chastity strictly prohibits all sexual activity, including oral sex and intense sexual touching, outside of a heterosexual marriage between a man and a woman.
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Is Nicole actually Nick's daughter?

Holly Osborne, temporarily named Nichole Waterford, and Nichole Holly Osborne, is the biological daughter of Nick Blaine and June Osborne.
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Do the wheelers keep Serena's baby?

Over time, the Wheelers strip Serena of her autonomy; they deny her a phone, confine her to their home, and arrange in-house medical care to control her. They make it clear that their plan to keep both Serena and her child, replicating Gilead's treatment of Handmaids.
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What does a king call his wife?

The wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was Coretta Scott King (née Scott; 1927–2006). She was an influential author, activist, and civil rights leader who married him in 1953 and founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change after his assassination in 1968.
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Does a commander dying go to the graveyard?

So yes, a commander dies, goes to the graveyard, procs death triggers... then immediately triggers a special action allowing its owner to choose: leave it in the grave or move it to the command zone.
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Who notifies the family when a soldier dies?

In the U.S. military, a dedicated two-person team—usually a Casualty Notification Officer (CNO) or Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO) and a chaplain—personally notifies the primary next of kin at their home, typically between 5 a.m. and midnight. This team is in dress uniform and ensures the family is informed, in person, within 24 hours of a service member’s death.
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