When it comes to redemption arcs, there was one most of us didn’t see coming in The Handmaid’s Tale series finale. It was all about Naomi Putnam-Lawrence, and now that arc needs to continue in The Testaments.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for The Handmaid’s Tale series finale.
While there was a lot of focus on redemption for Commander Lawrence and a question about Serena’s possible redemption in the final season, nobody likely expected another Wife to get a chance to redeem herself. Naomi Putnam-Lawrence spent most of the season continuing to back the idea of Gilead until a turn at the very end.
There isn’t enough time to tell if this is a true redemption arc starting, though. The good thing about this series is that some of the storylines can continue in The Testaments. After all, we know Aunt Lydia will return and continue her redemption arc, so that opens the door for Naomi to as well.
Naomi realizes she needs to give Janine her daughter back in The Handmaid’s Tale
Since Janine gave birth, Naomi has been protective of the baby. While Janine called her Charlotte, Naomi called her Angela, viewing her as an angel given to her by God. It was clear deep down that she knew the use of Handmaids was wrong. She was literally stealing another woman’s child, but the Gilead regime justified it.
During the sixth season, things started to change. Commander Lawrence took a liking to Angela/Charlotte, and this led to Naomi potentially realizing that everything that had gone down in Gilead was wrong. Maybe Serena’s words also helped with that, but I do believe it was Lawrence’s push to have Naomi read to Angela every night was the thing that pushed Naomi to do the right thing.
As Janine was delivered back to the Americans, Naomi came out of the fog with Janine’s daughter. Mother and daughter were reunited, with Naomi making it clear that she wouldn’t come after them again. This was her way of seeking redemption.
The Testaments needs to continue this redemption arc
If you have read The Testaments, you’ll know that Aunt Lydia gets a huge redemption arc. She has realized that Gilead has been wrong for some time, and she works to protect the young girls who are training to become Wives (and some of them Aunts).
The Testaments TV series can continue this. While Naomi isn’t mentioned in the book, there’s nothing to stop the show from keeping the character in. This would allow someone else for Lydia to turn to for support, as Naomi is sure to be forced to marry another Commander, since I guess they could all assume that Lawrence was a victim and not a member of May Day.
It’s important to see that Naomi gave Charlotte back to Janine as just the start of her redemption arc. That move likely came from Lawrence’s sacrifice, but Naomi wouldn’t have done it had she not accepted that Gilead was wrong. Naomi has always tried to be the Queen Bee out of the Wives, and she could play the game by pretending to be on their side to gain their confidences and then using that to help Lydia and others take down Gilead from the inside.
The Handmaid’s Tale is available to stream in full on Hulu.