The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 once again ends with a refugee relocation, this time to Hawaii – but how safe is the island, and where else can they go?
The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 finale tragically ended with June and the other refugees from Gilead fleeing to Hawaii from Little America due to the hostility of the Canadians – but is Hawaii a truly safe refuge? With Gilead constantly gaining power, it doesn’t seem like much of North America is free from its influence, as the country’s external support is becoming stronger with each passing day. While Hawaii may be safe for June and the others for now, the refugees will probably have to relocate again in The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, with few places left for them to go.
In the universe of The Handmaid’s Tale, Gilead is a powerful military and geopolitical force, with the power to not only impose its will by force but also by subversion. As season 5 has shown, some Canadians have begun to support Gilead in Handmaid’s Tale, with the theocratic country’s sympathizers continuously growing throughout the season. Since their initial takeover of the United States, Gilead’s power has continued to grow, giving refugees fewer places to flee to. Although Canada initially sympathized with the Gileadean refugees, letting many live in Little America, Canadian citizens have started pushing back against the country’s intake of Gileadeans, causing it to be unsafe for people like June. Although the refugees are currently en route to Hawaii, the state may not be able to withstand Gilead for long, meaning that they might have to move again. With that in mind, here are possible locations the refugees could go, as well as how much power Gilead has over the areas as of The Handmaid’s Tale season 6.
How Safe Is Hawaii In The Handmaid’s Tale?
Hawaii is one of the first options Luke and Moira mention when trying to flee in The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 finale, as it is currently out of Gilead’s control. What’s left of the American government is still in charge of Hawaii, meaning that the state is willing to take in Gileadean refugees. While Hawaii may be safe for now, it probably won’t be that way for long though. The American government has been incredibly weak since Gilead’s takeover, and now that they are on course to lose the support of Canada, the Americans could be in an even worse position in The Handmaid’s Tale season 6. The American government is now fending for its own, and spreading its sparse resources among thousands of refugees could cause the country to finally break. Gilead’s army is incredibly powerful, taking down three American planes without breaking a sweat in season 5, meaning that they could easily take over the islands of Hawaii. Now that Gilead’s sights are set on Hawaii due to June and Serena both moving there, Hawaii probably won’t be safe for long.
How Much Of North America Does Gilead Control?
Since the stars of Gilead can be traced back to a coup of the US government, it makes sense that that’s where most of Gilead’s power is centralized. In 2019, the official The Handmaid’s Tale Twitter account released a map of Gilead’s control over North America, giving the best summary of what territories it controls. Currently, the Northeast is the most loyal to Gilead, while Southeast and Northwest are still in conflict. The Colonies (irradiated areas Gilead sends prisoners to) take up most of the Midwest, while rebels have control of most coastlines.
While Gilead controls a significant chunk of America, there are still areas that are free from Gilead’s control. For the majority of the series, Canada has been a safe haven for refugees, although that seems to be changing. Mexico is still firmly controlled by anti-Gilead forces, with ambassadors having previously visited Gilead. Mexico isn’t mentioned frequently in The Handmaid’s Tale, although it’s bordering of The Colonies most likely makes it a difficult place to escape to. Things seem to get better past Mexico, with Central America being seemingly untouched by Gilead’s influence.
Where Else Could June Go In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6?
Although it would be difficult to cross oceans, it seems that most other continents would take in Gileadean refugees if possible. Most of The Handmaid’s Tale’s world sees Gilead in a negative light, with several European countries even sanctioning Gilead. However, sending in support to Little America seems likely, as Gilead has control of much of the weaponry formerly controlled by the US. Luke mentions going to Europe in the season 5 finale, meaning that it’s a possibility, but it seems unlikely. Australia, Asia, Africa, and South America haven’t really been mentioned, meaning that June and the others are going to have a hard time leaving North America. While Hawaii is safe for now, by the time The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 rolls around, it could be a very different story.
