Why is The Testaments holding back a game-changing The Handmaid’s Tale secret?

by

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Testaments book and its TV adaptation.

In the oppressive world of Gilead, secrets are valuable – they’re a form of power. However, revealing a secret to the wrong person at the wrong moment can have devastating consequences, far worse than simply being silenced.

As a huge fan of Margaret Atwood’s work, especially The Handmaid’s Tale, I was thrilled to dive into The Testaments, the sequel. And let me tell you, there’s a major new secret revealed in that book that bookworms like me are absolutely desperate to find out!

The first book centered on June Osborne and her experiences as a Handmaid forced into servitude. The second book shifts focus to tell the stories of three women living within Gilead’s complex social structure.

The most famous of the three is Aunt Lydia, known for her significant part in The Handmaid’s Tale. The others are Agnes, a woman being considered as a wife for a Commander, and Daisy, who secretly enters Gilead.

Want to see this content?

This page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA. Before it loads, we need your permission because reCAPTCHA may use cookies and similar technologies. By selecting ‘Accept and continue,’ you’ll allow reCAPTCHA to load and function as intended.

The three characters are all linked—to each other and to June’s life story. As the novel The Testaments progresses, it becomes increasingly obvious that secrets connect these two characters to June, and that they are likely her daughters. The television adaptation of The Testaments seems to be heading in the same direction.

But life in Gilead is never straightforward, and honestly, what I’ve really noticed is how much these shows add to the world Margaret Atwood built in the books. It’s like we’re getting so much more of the story now.

The novel The Handmaid’s Tale hinted at a possible pregnancy for Offred, but the TV series continued the story, eventually showing her giving birth to Nick’s baby. By the series’ conclusion, Nichole Osborne had been secretly taken to Canada to protect her from Gilead.

But what of June’s other daughter?

Despite six seasons of struggle, June wasn’t able to save Hannah, and Hannah grew up as the daughter of someone within Gilead.

After the last episode of The Handmaid’s Tale aired, showrunner Eric Tuchman called the outcome “heartbreaking.” He explained that the decision not to reunite certain characters was difficult, especially knowing how much viewers wanted that to happen. Tuchman said this unfulfilled desire was a major motivation for the main character, June, throughout the entire series.

The show didn’t conclude when it seemed like it could have because a series based on The Testaments was already in development. That book features a final scene where June is reunited with her daughters. Those daughters are actually Agnes and Daisy, who viewers will know as Hannah and Nichole.

When asked about the connection between the two characters, Atwood intentionally remained ambiguous, noting that the book only hints at a relationship without ever directly stating it. She told Time magazine, “We’re fairly certain, but it’s not confirmed.” However, the timeline fits, and the story reveals that both characters share a common mother who was once a Handmaid.

Now that the TV series The Testaments is actually happening, Margaret Atwood appears more willing to reveal details. According to showrunner Bruce Miller, Atwood herself suggested the baby character Nicole be referred to by that name in the show, strongly hinting at a family connection that fans have long suspected.

But what about the show itself? Is it confirmed on screen that June gave birth to Agnes and Daisy?

The first three episodes contain clues, with the biggest being the return of Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne. She appears in flashbacks, showing up to Daisy after her adoptive parents are killed – and it’s revealed those parents were secretly involved with Mayday.

The first time we see June again, it’s paired with Agnes’s voiceover: “I hadn’t figured out who my mother was yet—my real mother. I’d find out soon enough.”

After these initial hints, the story focuses on what’s happening in the present, and June isn’t connected to Agnes anymore. We do see her again, though, when Daisy remembers things from the past.

Someone who hasn’t read the books might assume Agnes is June’s child, because Hannah’s story was so central to the original series. But the connection between June and Daisy might not be as obvious initially, especially since the show starts by focusing on June’s recent loss of her parents.

In episode three, June shares that Daisy was actually born within Gilead. She also recounts being present when Daisy was secretly taken out of the country. June remembers Daisy being very young and terrified when she first escaped, constantly screaming. A resistance group called Mayday then took Daisy in the night to a couple named Neil and Melanie, who weren’t expecting her.

June sure does know a lot about Daisy, huh.

If Agnes and Daisy really are June’s daughters, why doesn’t the story simply state that at the beginning?

The most likely reason for this twist is to surprise viewers who haven’t noticed the hints. It would be a shocking reveal for those fans, and it also makes the bond between Daisy and Agnes much more meaningful this season. Discovering they share a mother makes social differences seem less important.

Considering how beloved the first book is, there’s likely a specific reason why the sequel hasn’t revealed all its secrets right away.

I think what really makes this story gripping is the possibility that everything we think we know isn’t true. It would be such a shock to readers familiar with the book to discover that either or both of those girls aren’t actually June’s daughters, like we’re all expecting. It’s a twist that could really throw everyone for a loop!

During a recent conversation with TopMob, Miller and producer Warren Littlefield hinted that they might not fulfill every request fans have for the story’s direction.

Are they secretly planning to cut us off completely? Even if they don’t, there’s a lot of conflict and story potential in this situation. After all, secrets are powerful, not just within Gilead.

You can start watching The Testaments on Disney+ beginning April 8, 2026. A Disney+ subscription starts at just £5.99 per month.

Don’t miss The Testaments! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

David OpieFreelance Writer

I’m a big fan of David Opie – he’s a freelance writer who covers TV and movies for lots of cool places like TopMob, Indiewire, and Empire. What I really appreciate is his dedication to LGBTQ+ representation; he’s a frequent speaker on panels and always pushes for more queer stories in media. He’s also really into comics, animation, and horror, just like me! Honestly, his dream of a Buffythemed Rusical on RuPaul’s Drag Race* is a dream of mine too. Before writing, he was a Deputy TV Editor at Digital Spy, and he actually studied Psychology in college, which I think gives him a really unique perspective.

Read More

2026-04-08 14:36