Shocking Return: June’s Mother Surprises Fans in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6!

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***Season 6 spoilers ahead.***

As the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale arrives, we only have one more opportunity to resolve all the series’ plotlines before it concludes. However, if you include the upcoming sequel series called The Testaments, then June Osborne’s tale might still surprise us with unexpected twists, as it has done many times before, and this final season will likely be no exception.

Unexpectedly, a significant character from June’s life made a comeback during the last moments of the season 6 opener, something we hadn’t anticipated.

Following June’s successful efforts in safeguarding Serena and her child from hostile Gilead refugees aboard a train bound for Alaska, our beloved ex-handmaid finally reached safety with baby Nichole by her side. Yet, a brief respite of calm for June was disrupted when a familiar echo of her name resonated within the refugee camp.

Fortunately, the voice wasn’t from an angry critic or someone harboring ill will towards June. On the contrary, it was June’s mother, who had been believed dead for a long time, but miraculously survived Gilead. Now, she is here in person, ecstatic to finally be reunited with her daughter after all these years.

So far, most of Holly Maddox’s appearances have been in flashbacks showing her life prior to Gilead. This is first revealed in the third episode of season 2, when it’s disclosed that she used to practice medicine during the “pre-Gilead” era.

A single look at Cherry Jones’s character post-Gilead’s rise was seen during a presentation at the Red Center, where June and other handmaids were present. The presentation showed images of life in the Colonies, including one of Holly, which saddened June since women typically did not fare well in those regions, suggesting her mother might have perished.

Despite seemingly insurmountable challenges, June’s mother managed to persevere, successfully overcoming the dangers posed by pollution, diseases, and the oppressive regime of Gilead. She wasn’t merely able to flee the Colonies, but she bravely escaped from Gilead itself.

A handful of enthusiastic (and rather hopeful spectators) speculated that it could indeed be a possibility, with one individual proposing that Holly might have actually become part of the Mayday group; however, the reality turns out to be much more straightforward.

In episode 2, it was me who disclosed that Gilead first put me on trial in their makeshift court before June and Luke arrived at my apartment. However, after I found myself exiled to the Colonies, Gilead continued to keep me alive due to my medical skills, utilizing me to care for the aunts and guardians thereafter.

Holly remembers being held captive, watching as her friends were slain, but she clung on to the belief that one day, she might cross paths with you.

Now, here they are reunited once more. However, the question remains: How did Holly end up in Alaska, escaping Gilead’s grasp?

It transpired that the U.S. army freed their colony six months earlier, or what was left of it, at least. As soon as Holly touched down in Alaska, she sought information about June’s fate. However, Gilead had severed Alaska from the internet completely. Allowing only five minutes each week, Holly would use a communal phone to contact embassies in search of June. When that proved futile, Holly stayed in Alaska, employing her medical abilities and keeping her fingers crossed that June would somehow reach her.

In episode 2, a time skip of two months occurs, leading to Holly having a heated dispute with her daughter after June chooses to hand over Nichole to her so she can depart and engage in a struggle against Gilead. For the first three episodes released in season 6, this is the last sight we get of Holly.

Is it likely that Cherry Jones will reappear for significant plotlines in the future, or was her character’s return primarily to resolve a lingering plot point and care for her granddaughter? The upcoming seven episodes may provide clarity, but keep in mind that this is “The Handmaid’s Tale,” not “The Handmaid’s Grandmother’s Tale.” Let’s wait and see.

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2025-04-08 13:04