The previous episode of The Handmaid's Tale season 6, episode 8, "Exodus," had an explosive ending that was both surprising and gratifying. In a crazy turn of events, Aunt Lydia lets June and the handmaids go to execute their plan for the revolution, which sets her character up for the spin-off, The Testaments. So where do we go from here? We'll find out in this week's new episode! Here are all the release details you need.
When to watch The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9, "Execution," premieres Tuesday, May 20, 2025 on Hulu. You can start streaming the penultimate episode of the final season (what!?) at 12 a.m. ET. The east coast release time allows for those of us in other parts of the country to actually start watching Monday night. Meaning, this evening! We shared all the release times based on time zone below:
- East Coast: 12 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 20
- West Coast: 9 p.m. PT on Monday, May 19
- Midwest: 11 p.m. CT on Monday, May 19
- Mountain: 10 p.m. MT on Monday, May 19
As mentioned above, somehow the final season of the dystopian drama has completely flown by and we've already reached the penultimate episode. That means the season and series finale are next Tuesday, and I don't know if I'm ready for it.
What to expect from the penultimate episode on Hulu
With The Testaments spin-off in the works, that does likely mean that Gilead won't fall completely. No spoilers here, but the republic does still exist in the novel the show is based on. But how will June, Luke, Nick, Moira, and Janine's story end? Hopefully we get concrete answers on those by the end of The Handmaid's Tale.
So what can we expect to see next in the penultimate episode? Well when we left off, the handmaids were able to get their hands on some of the high-ranking commanders and killed them. Thankfully, that does include the disgusting Commander Bell, who was obsessed with Janine, a la June. Their plan to take advantage of Serena and Commander Wharton's wedding worked, and now Aunt Lydia is not in their way.
Though if you remember, there was a Guard there ready to shoot any of the handmaids at Aunt Lydia's order. But when she let's them go, you can see him leave in the background. There's going to be consequences there because I'm sure he's going to go and tell someone. Will the handmaids have time to move onto the next phase of their plan, whatever that is? The synopsis for The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9 proves it definitely won't be easy:
"As Gilead unleashes its full power against the resistance, June faces her greatest test yet. She walks a fine line between survival and rebellion, while the authorities tighten their grip with ruthless efficiency."
There's also the fact that Serena has her son Noah have nowhere to go after the disater that is her wedding night. Where does she go now? Also with the episode titled "Execution," does that refer to the execution of a plan... or people on the Wall? Gah! The promotional images suggest everyone who's trying to bring Gilead down will be involved in this episode, and we can't wait to see what happens. Check out more photos below!
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 releases new episodes Tuesdays on Hulu.