The Handmaid’s Tale season 3, episode 8 recap: Unfit

The Handmaid’s Tale finally gives us some Aunt Lydia flashbacks–and yes, she was still a grouchy ‘ol lady.

The Handmaid’s Tale gives us a little insight this week by showing us Aunt Lydia pre-Gilead. And while most of us were hoping to see a nicer, kinder woman who was beaten down by Gilead, it certainly wasn’t the case. In fact, she was just as mean and brutal, which proves to be rather disappointing, I’d say.

But before we get into all things Aunt Lydia, let’s talk a bit about how June and the other handmaids despise Ofmatthew now. And why shouldn’t they? Because of her tattletale behavior, Hannah’s Martha was killed and now June is left in the dark about her daughter’s whereabouts and status.

Naturally, Aunt Lydia blames June for all of this and says that if she didn’t try to pull what she did, Frances would still be alive. As a result, June had to sit in the center of the shame circle while everyone made her feel bad for her actions. But this is June we’re talking about and she quickly turns the tables and shifts the focus to Ofmatthew. Based on a comment Ofmathew made about pregnancy being more difficult this time around, June singles her out and says that Ofmatthew doesn’t want the baby, forcing Aunt Lydia to put her into the circle instead.

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You don’t mess with June, hasn’t everyone learned that by now?

Heading back to the past, we learn that Aunt Lydia was a fourth-grade teacher in her past life. I guess she sort of kept the same profession? As the episode continues, we see Aunt Lydia grow close to one of her students and his mom who convinces her to start dating. And when she does and it backfires, Aunt Lydia is pissed. In fact, she goes buck wild on the vanity mirror in her bathroom which, I’ll be honest, was a bit frightening.

Blaming the mother for putting her in this situation, Aunt Lydia not only removes the child from her class but reports that his mother is “unfit”, and gets him taken away from her and into a foster home. Geez, she really was just as horrible pre-Gilead, wasn’t she?

Back in present-day, June tries to learn from Commander Lawrence about Hannah’s whereabouts but he won’t bite. Not after the stunt she tried to pull the other day anyway. So, what does June do? Just make him feel bad about how he has trapped his wife in this horrible world, and how he could save her if he wanted. The Handmaid’s Tale loves to keep it real, I’ll give them that.

Later on, June is confronted by Aunt Lydia who is eager to get her out of the Lawrence household, but something else catches June’s attention–Ofmatthew. Apparently, Ofmatthew thinks that Lydia and June are talking about her and she loses it. To be fair, June goes out of her way to confirm Ofmatthew’s suspicions, but her reaction is a bit extreme.

From there on out, Ofmatthew attacks Janine, sticks a Guardian with a shard of glass, and then becomes the tail-end target of his gun, but all the while, she has one too, and she’s pointing it right at Aunt Lydia (what was that strange nod from June, by the way?). Before she can cause any more damage, Ofmatthew is taken down and dragged out of the store, as an expressionless June watches closely by.

New episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale premiere every Wednesday on Hulu!