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[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from The Handmaid’s Tale series finale, titled “The Handmaid’s Tale.”]

The Handmaid’s Story‘s creator Bruce Miller at all times knew how he was going to finish the collection. A key location element modified alongside the way in which and he didn’t know what number of seasons it could take to get there, or that Margaret Atwood would write a sequel novel in 2019. However he knew that when the present reached its ending, June’s story would circle again to the place it started, however with new perspective.

“That is positively not a narrative the place you get what you need more often than not — or the place June will get what she needs. It’s a narrative about learn how to dwell with the issues you’ll be able to’t get,” Miller explains to The Hollywood Reporter concerning the collection finale.

The 2017 pilot of the Emmy-winning Hulu collection had launched viewers to Elisabeth Moss as June, the lady readers first met as Offred in Atwood’s best-selling 1985 novel of the identical identify. The pilot flashed again to June being separated from her husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and daughter Hannah (Jordana Blake) earlier than reintroducing her as a handmaid, sporting a purple cloak and white bonnet, whereas sitting in a windowsill within the dwelling of Gilead Commander Fred (Joseph Fiennes) and his spouse, Serena Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski).

Viewers who listened fastidiously may hear a click on earlier than June then mentioned in voiceover: “A chair. A desk. A lamp. There’s a window with white curtains, and the glass is shatterproof, but it surely isn’t operating away they’re afraid of. A handmaid wouldn’t get far. … My identify is Offred. I had one other identify, but it surely’s forbidden now. So many issues are forbidden now.”

Now with the collection finale that started streaming on Tuesday, viewers perceive that clicking sound was a tape recorder and that voiceover was a present-day June. Within the collection ender, aptly titled “The Handmaid’s Story” and written by Miller and directed by Moss, June is once more sitting in that Waterford windowsill after revisiting the stays of the Boston dwelling that burnt down halfway via the collection. Besides now, Gilead’s occupation is over and Boston is free, and June is starting to file the story we’ve been looking forward to six seasons.

However which means this story has reached its finish, and June (and viewers) didn’t get the reunion they’d been hoping for because the begin: The dystopian collection doesn’t finish with June reuniting together with her oldest daughter, Hannah. It ends with June persevering with to struggle for her.

“When [Atwood’s sequel novel] The Testaments comes out, sure issues — that June’s not dying, [her daughter] Hannah continues to be in Gilead. There’s an entire different guide about that story,” Miller explains of how the collection finale units TV’s Gilead universe on its subsequent course; Miller, additionally creator of The Testaments, started engaged on that adaptation forward of the ultimate season, with Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang showrunning season six. “You recognize the tip of the novel and why leaving you unfastened ends continues to be satisfying since you really feel like, ‘This girl continues to be round. She made it this far,’” he provides. “If she didn’t make it any additional, that’s okay, however what a narrative of her making it this far. It’s the story of girls via historical past.”

The finale does — reward fucking be! — ship the extremely emotional mother-daughter reunion between Janine (Madeline Brewer) and Charlotte, facilitated by a revolutionized Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) with Naomi’s (Ever Carradine) consent; whereas Serena is handed a destiny left open to interpretation, as she is as soon as once more a refugee with out a dwelling for her and son Noah. After the lethal penultimate episode with the Excessive Commander deaths of Nick (Max Minghella), Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) and Wharton (Josh Charles), the finale up to date viewers that Gilead will proceed to fall throughout the once-United States and that June will probably be among the many resistance, preventing undercover till she will get Hannah out. Luke vows to do the identical.

Following up on The Hollywood Reporter‘s oral historical past on the blazing success of the collection and the way it will launch The Testaments, THR spoke with Miller and Moss in separate conversations edited beneath about how they delivered a passable but lifelike ending to the beloved, well timed saga whereas additionally establishing the sequel collection, which is at the moment in manufacturing. In that close to future, Aunt Lydia is the starring character and Chase Infiniti performs Agnes, which we all know is the Gilead identify given to Hannah, June’s daughter.

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Bruce, you latterly advised me that this can be a story about dwelling with what individuals can’t get and the way they survive. Earlier than Margaret Atwood got here to you together with her plan to jot down sequel novel The Testaments, had been you planning on reuniting June (Moss) with daughter Hannah? Or did that appear like an excessive amount of of a neat ending for this world?

BRUCE MILLER It felt prefer it was tying it an excessive amount of in a bow. Given the place we began with June, that appeared like an entire different part of her life. This present was about June and her daughter and her husband and the way she misplaced every little thing, and the way she has progressively been pulling a variety of that again collectively. It’s The Handmaid’s Story, not Hannah’s Story. It’s centered on June’s journey from handmaidness to freedom. The query of how she rebuilds her household felt like an entire different step, which we’re seeing is much more sophisticated than simply, “Let’s all go to Alaska.”

We spent the season with June at first pondering, “I can mud off my fingers and say, ‘I’m completed.’” [If she stayed in Alaska with her mom and daughter Holly], that’s what that may appear like: The neat ending. But it surely didn’t find yourself like that. June threw herself again in — she couldn’t stroll away from her daughter, Hannah. I believe they are saying it within the guide: There’s loads of tales from individuals who get their children again. These are the one-in-a-million tales we at all times inform. I wish to inform the story concerning the 999,000 individuals who don’t get their children again. They should undergo life and dwell, and it’s not straightforward. June is an efficient instance of somebody who doesn’t ever take the simple method out, however that is as exhausting as issues get on the planet and also you see what that does to someone.

When Margaret mentioned, “I’m writing The Testaments and this may increasingly affect what you do on The Handmaid’s Story,” she advised me that she gave you a really small no-kill checklist: Aunt Lydia, and June’s two daughters, Hannah and Nichole/Holly.

MILLER Sure, a really small one. Lydia is a fucking cat. She has 900 lives, which is strictly how these individuals survived in these type of regimes by being excellent at stepping barely out of the way in which when the shit begins to fall. Ann [Dowd] has taken that character in so many alternative instructions and proven us doorways to components of her previous and persona that we haven’t opened but. Aunt Lydia [by the end of The Handmaid’s Tale] is simply beginning to understand that possibly Gilead was mendacity to her, and possibly it isn’t simply her “particular women” who should be free. Ann has constructed that slowly, fastidiously in a plausible method over time. Margaret and her are fantastic buddies. It’s an incredible pleasure to have the ability to proceed that character [in The Testaments]. If you happen to have a look at what occurred simply on this final season — Lydia’s on the finish of a rope after which she’s again already in energy by the tip, which is completely her!

Margaret got here to me as quickly as she was having the inkling [of writing The Testaments], so it was very early for me to get the knowledge. She let me know because the creator of the world that issues is perhaps shifting a bit of below my ft. The present went previous the guide, The Handmaid’s Story. So I used to be making an attempt to give you an ending that match properly and positively I used to be enjoying with a variety of the issues that she talked about doing in The Testaments. However that is known as The Handmaid’s Story. It’s not June’s Story. It’s her time as a handmaid. And on the finish, the ultimate episode is that she’s not a handmaid anymore in any method, form or type. She’s no one’s handmaid: She’s Onjune.

ELISABETH MOSS I didn’t have the duty of writing [the ending], however I perceive and I’m conscious that that was the most important problem: The Testaments has Hannah not get out. That was positively one thing we might have performed with for the tip of Handmaid’s; June possibly getting her out. However we needed to transfer in the direction of the sequel that had been written. Now, I don’t assume that was a foul factor. However was it the factor that was in all probability most current? Yeah, I might say so.

Lizzie [Moss goes by “Lizzie”], do you know after season three that due to The Testaments [which released in 2019] that this present was going to finish otherwise?

MOSS It was earlier than I learn it, as a result of I spoke to Bruce about it. Then I learn it and it was positively like, “In order that received’t be our ending.”

Bruce, you will have advised me you at all times knew how the collection would finish. So, had you at all times imagined the ultimate scene can be June saying these phrases that started her story? Was that in your preliminary pitch for a way you needed to adapt the collection?

MILLER Sure, it was in my pitch as a result of it’s actually the story of the guide. It was how you concentrate on her as a personality from the start. What’s that voiceover? The place’s it coming from? From the start, I used to be pondering, “So what we’re watching is that this field of tapes that somebody discovered, simply dramatized.” But it surely’s this field of her story, her story of being a handmaid. So I mentioned that what I actually needed to do was that once you get to the tip, you’re feeling such as you understood what you simply noticed and what it was as a full piece. I’m hoping that it felt satisfying as an ending for this story.

MOSS What I linked to with June in the beginning was the identical factor I linked with on the very finish. She has this high quality of desirous to survive, not solely as herself, however to create a greater future particularly her youngsters but additionally for the subsequent era. That’s her purpose in life. I noticed that in episode one, in that first script. I bear in mind calling my mother and telling her that. And it’s the identical factor within the final scene.

For no matter purpose, I’m not a stranger to doing work that in some way finally ends up changing into part of the zeitgeist or changing into related in a really current method. These aren’t selections that I’m essentially making on goal. I’ve simply gravitated in the direction of materials that’s, for me, private. This story was private and my job is to inform the private aspect of issues, the human aspect of issues. When it then goes out into the world and turns into political or one thing on such a bigger scale, I’m grateful and moved by that.

Lizzie, after we spoke in the beginning of the ultimate season, you mentioned this ending was true to Bruce’s imaginative and prescient, however that the situation shifted. Now I perceive why the situation was so necessary.

MOSS The unique concept was that June would possibly go to that cabin within the woods [that Luke and June hid out in near the border] from [a flashback in] season one, episode seven. June, Luke and Hannah had been making pancakes — we name that the “pancake episode.” Initially, the concept was that June was going to return there. And truly, earlier than we began taking pictures, we established that cabin was nonetheless there. However then Bruce wrote a distinct location, and I believe it’s so significantly better.

Initially, it was written that June goes and sits on the entrance steps of the Waterford home. And I mentioned, “I would like her to go inside. I believe it could be a lot extra highly effective if she goes into that room.” So I talked to Bruce and requested, “Can we go inside the home?” And he mentioned, sure. He cherished it, and so he wrote it so June goes inside the home.

MILLER I actually needed the ending to be June again and type of reclaiming Boston. That outdated neighborhood was taken away from her, so reclaiming it and going again there’s the tip of that a part of her story. She’s again in the identical place, however in a really totally different place.

Within the guide, she data [the tale] in a cabin in Maine and buries it within the floor. Lizzie and I had talked about that and we may have completed that right here, together with her going again into Gilead on the finish. However a lot of the present had a way of place and was so linked to Boston. Seeing her stroll again via these streets and people locations now as a free individual is one thing that, as Alexis Bledel’s character says, was inconceivable. And look, it occurred. So we must always alter what’s attainable and what’s inconceivable.

I perceive the finale scripts had been redacted for the solid, who had been solely aware of their components within the episode. Did you, as director, shut the set when filming this ultimate scene to maintain it below wraps?

MOSS I did shut the set. To not preserve it secret, however largely as a result of I wanted the set to be a really quiet area that day. While you’re taking pictures the ultimate scene of a present, it tends to draw some consideration. So it was truly me as a director defending my actor, who’s me. I wanted to have the ability to do my job that day, which was a really troublesome job of ending a collection as an actor and pulling off that ultimate second. So I closed the set for that purpose. I additionally closed the set for the ultimate scene contained in the aircraft in episode 9 [Whitford and Minghella’s final scene before Lawrence and Nick’s deaths].

MILLER It was an enormous factor to rebuild this [Waterford house] set. It’s important to make a dedication to the stuff you really need, and for Lizzie as director and me as a author and each of us as government producers, this was one of many issues. Budgets are shrinking in Hollywood; our present isn’t any exception. While you get to the tip of a present, you don’t have cash flying round, so we needed to be cautious with what we deliberate as a result of we weren’t going to have the ability to choose something up afterwards. So we thought very lengthy and exhausting from the start of the episode to ensure we protected that. You scale back the price by giving [production designer Elisabeth Williams and her team] numerous lead time. However they’d a variety of enjoyable constructing the home interiors once more. [The hallway to her room] goes up and down — there’s a step up after which a step down. It appears like a [claustrophobic] funhouse staircase.

I can’t consider one other director who filmed themselves within the ultimate scene of a long-running collection.

MOSS That’s a superb query. That will be a enjoyable reality to search out out. However this solid, this crew has made me a greater director. They made me a greater actor. They made me a greater producer. That put up crew made me higher at what I do due to them. Each time I’ve been speaking with [season six showrunners] Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang I inform them how I miss collaborating with them. I don’t see why we couldn’t sooner or later come again and do one thing. What’s so nice concerning the panorama now’s that we may do one thing in just a few years if we needed to. There’s nothing saying we will’t. There are not any guidelines anymore. However I do assume the place we finish it’s proper. They did a superb job of wrapping it up.

MILLER Lizzie did such an incredible job. In these final couple of episodes, she pulled out new parts of her efficiency as June. It’s wonderful to try this, six seasons in. That scene together with her and Serena [where June forgives her in the finale] is among the finest work [she and Yvonne have] completed.

It was very pure [for Lizzie to direct and act in the final episode], I believe as a result of we had been speaking about it for a very long time. You’d think about it being a really inner state of affairs, however she was as communicative with the crew as she at all times is. It was a gaggle effort so for Lizzie, it was that collective expertise she loves. I believe there’s only a few individuals you’ll be able to examine to, simply on the quantity that the present rests on them. Along with directing and being an government producer who’s ingrained with the present — creatively, she works on so many alternative ranges — I believe it makes it simpler in that ultimate scene. Each Lizzie and I we’re actually assured about it. We knew what it was going to be. I wasn’t even there. I used to be very glad for her to do it on her personal. I knew she’d get it proper, and he or she did.

Lizzie, had been you listening to your self [from the pilot] as you had been saying your ultimate traces?

MOSS I noticed about 10 minutes earlier than we shot it that I needed to guarantee that after I was talking the ultimate voiceover it matched the unique voiceover from episode one. I wasn’t certain if I needed to try this or not, however I noticed that I wanted to match my mouth to [the pilot words]. We’re establishing the ultimate shot of the collection, and I went on the Hulu app on my telephone to episode one, and I simply performed it over and again and again and memorized it within the cadence that I mentioned it. I advised our script supervisor that I can’t get one phrase incorrect. This needs to be word-perfect. Then we did it, and it matches virtually completely. There’s a slight cadence change, when my physique’s going again and I lean ahead, that we had been in a position to repair in put up. However what’s within the finale is my voiceover from 9 years in the past.

Bruce at all times advised us this present was June’s story, so she survives. Even nonetheless, the viewers wasn’t certain she’d make it via. I rewatched the pilot and realizing what you simply mentioned, that’s wild and really meta.

MOSS Oh, that’s superior. [Using the pilot voiceover] is an concept that I had and I didn’t know if it could work, after which it ended up working and it’s so cool as a result of there’s one thing barely disconnected about it that’s actually fascinating. I believe virtually subconsciously as an viewers member, you’re feeling the meta nature of it, particularly when she says, “My identify is Offred.” And the [tape recording click] is within the pilot. After the door slams, you hear the press.

MILLER The clicking of the recording in the beginning, we put within the pilot. So we now have been occupied with this specific second since then.

I additionally don’t know that there’s one other IP that bought a sequel halfway via, which then tasked the present with touchdown the aircraft however preserving the world open.

MILLER That’s the important thing right here. I’m going to should beg some flexibility. More often than not, once you’re adapting a guide, the one that wrote it isn’t persevering with the books. Generally they’re with Recreation of Thrones. However more often than not, it was a guide written up to now. On this case, there are nice issues about having Margaret round that outweigh the issue of her having the ability to change her world a bit of bit when she needs to. In fact she will do this.

However I believe the way in which to take a look at The Testaments is that The Testaments guide is a sequel to The Handmaid’s Story guide, and there are issues which can be totally different between that and the present; timeline issues that find yourself mattering since you need it to be constant inside the TV world. So [as creator of The Testaments], I’m making an attempt to make a sequel to the TV present The Handmaid’s Story and make that work cleanly. There are issues that truly contradict from the guide to the TV present, however every adaptation needs to be its personal factor.

You left June — and likewise Luke, and certain Rita (Amanda Brugel) and Moira (Samira Wiley) — nonetheless on the market within the ether of this TV universe preventing in opposition to Gilead. Moss is an government producer on The Testaments, however there’s no phrase about an onscreen function. What would you say to people who find themselves hoping June will present up in The Testaments?

MILLER That’s a superb factor to hope for. I hope she reveals up there, too. She’s nonetheless doing her job, nonetheless doing what she was doing in The Handmaid’s Story. Luke and Moira are nonetheless on the market someplace, ringing the bell to get Hannah again. The fantastic thing about having watched The Handmaid’s Story is that you just perceive there’s this enormous operation of people who find themselves on the market who care and who’re risking themselves to get to reunite with their youngsters. The individuals in The Testaments present don’t really feel that. However from experiencing Handmaid’s, there’s this complete operation. So is June influencing The Testaments? Completely. She’s on the market. She’s making an attempt to get Hannah again. Will we see her? I might like to see her. I really like Lizzie Moss, she’s superior! She’s very concerned behind the scenes.

MOSS You’re simply going to have to observe the present. [Moss is currently filming the forthcoming Apple series Imperfect Women.] I received’t be there [on set of The Testaments], which is totally different as a producer. However I can’t not be fingers on. I don’t know learn how to do it another method. And it definitely feels fingers on, given the quantity of emails!

So if we weren’t going to get Hannah again, did you at all times know you had been going to present Janine Charlotte again? Thanks for that!

MILLER Oh, my gosh. Sure. One of many issues I at all times thought is that little lady seems to be a lot like her. We had talked from the start, and a variety of it was about constructing Naomi and Janine to the purpose the place that may occur. Constructing to the place Naomi is aware of the one factor about Janine is that Janine is absolutely robust, which she must know when she’s [giving her daughter back]. Hear, I hope June does get Hannah again. However I’m hoping that individuals really feel like that is the ending to Janine’s story [that she deserves]. The truth that I’m not going to have the ability to work with or see Maddie Brewer every single day is inconceivable to say out loud.

MOSS Ever wasn’t in that scene initially, and I requested if she may very well be there. I actually needed her to be part of it. I felt that it was actually necessary that Naomi is the one who fingers Charlotte over to Janine. I felt like that was a narrative for Ever and for that character that wanted to be her ending within the present. That Janine scene simply kills me.

May there be a spot for Janine within the background struggle in The Testaments?

MILLER I might be thrilled. I believe you must think about that every one these persons are within the background nonetheless preventing to avoid wasting these women you see in The Testaments. Combating, preventing, preventing. As calm as it’ll appear in Gilead, as candy and human and exquisite as Gilead is in The Testaments, that there are individuals pounding on the partitions from the surface — and also you’ve met these individuals.

One character who might not be in that struggle is Serena. I perceive you had a distinct ending for her than the one which we noticed.

MILLER I don’t consider “what individuals deserve” and all that stuff, however I needed to kill her. As a result of I believe she was such a horrible individual and being lifeless on the aspect of the highway utterly anonymously [after she was pushed from the train in the beginning of the season] would have been a becoming finish. I needed to be satisfied to not throw her off that prepare, together with the child.

Wow.

MOSS Bruce did inform me his ideas and he advised me that he was toying with sure issues. I’m not the author, and I respect the function of the author very a lot. So he advised me what he was pondering and I believed, “Okay, that’s fascinating. Wow, that may be type of loopy if she didn’t make it.” However in my coronary heart, I actually needed to see her survive as a result of I’m Serena’s largest fan. I’m her largest supporter and defender. I would like her to dwell. I simply assume she deserves that, and I believe Noah [her son] deserves that.

MILLER If it was Eva Braun and it was Hitler’s child, what would you do? I don’t assume anyone would hesitate. However I really like what we ended up doing as a result of what I actually needed for a lot of the characters is to get precisely what they needed and see what occurred. June bought a ton of what she needed and a ton of stuff she didn’t count on, together with Emily[‘s return], together with reuniting with Luke, who she thought was lifeless in the beginning of the present. Serena’s story actually appears like the tip of Serena’s story, that she is somebody who’s by no means going to confess that she did incorrect. However you’ll be able to see how holding onto the phantasm that she did proper is getting very, very troublesome. I really like Serena. I really like her to the purpose the place I’m a lot extra mad at her as a result of she ought to know higher.

However to see June forgive her in the long run felt prefer it gave the viewers permission to just accept that as properly.

MOSS That scene additionally kills me. I believe it’s stunning. I couldn’t learn [Serena’s ending] with out crying. I can’t watch it with out crying. Yvonne’s efficiency is magnificent. Every single certainly one of these actors is on the high of their fucking recreation this season. And he or she did it in a single take. That complete speech when she’s speaking to the newborn. I get chills speaking about it.

MILLER Circling again to their performances and the brand new issues all of them introduced out within the ultimate episode, all of them did distinctive work. It’s unfathomable that they might have these moments that you just actually really feel are utterly new and see totally different sides of the characters on the final minute.

MOSS Yvonne had the concept she needed to get to this place of acceptance and place of peace on the finish. It will have been very straightforward to chop that scene shorter, however after we had been within the edit I protected it as a result of Yvonne needed her character to search out peace. You see this peace on her face the place she realizes Noah is all she wants. That’s all Serena ever needed: Having a child. I believe her ending is my favourite ending within the collection. It’s so good.

Did Alexis Bledel [who left the series after season four] want convincing to come back again or was she excited when she bought the decision from you?

MILLER We had been each thrilled that it would work out. I believe she was actually excited after we talked. The one factor that was exhausting was the logistics to get her up for the time we wanted. However no, it was not exhausting in any respect, and it wasn’t exhausting to determine to attempt to see if she was going to be obtainable. It was nice having her again that day — besides she cried and hugged individuals each 4 ft, it appeared emotionally troublesome! But it surely was fantastic to see her and Lizzie get proper again into it in any case that point. It’s like watching the fucking Yankees bullpen every single day with these guys. They’re so good.

MOSS Bruce talked to me about bringing her again some time in the past, earlier than there was even an overview or script. I believe I mentioned to him on the time, “You understand now that you just’ve advised me that, we now have to do it.” It’s not the best factor on the planet to name an actor and be like, “Are you able to come again for this one episode?” They’re busy. However I used to be like, “She has to do it.” I get very captivated with these items! And he or she needed to do it from the start. She didn’t want convincing in any respect. My first official scene on day one [on set] was with Alexis. So it meant rather a lot to get to work together with her once more.

Have been there characters alongside the way in which who you thought-about killing however let dwell?

MILLER No, I don’t actually give it some thought that method. I believe, do they find yourself in some place the place they might die or not? By definition, the handmaid advised this story. She needed to dwell to the tip, so the story is about her dodging explosions and stuff. That’s a part of the story. However the different individuals — I don’t ever wish to kill anyone, however I do know that if I used to be on this group of individuals and Janine died, I might by no means get well. if Janine died and Alma [Nina Kiri] died, I might by no means get well. TV individuals die willy nilly. When individuals in your life die, it adjustments you. I don’t know that June can be the identical June if these individuals would have all been killed off. One of many causes these persons are in her recollections is as a result of they didn’t die.

MOSS I hope individuals see the positivity [in the ending]. The ultimate piece of music that performs over the credit is so hopeful. The piece of music [we chose] is from season 4, when June tells Luke that she’s pregnant. It’s a lot concerning the future and the longer term being brighter, and the subsequent era having a greater probability. So the ultimate determination that we made on the collection is concerning the future.

Does that imply we must always discover hope in June and Luke’s ultimate dialog? As a result of it was ambiguous.

MOSS Sure. I don’t assume I used to be so ambiguous! I positively felt like there was hope in that future after I was standing there with him. We had this concept to play it like they had been flirting with one another, like they’d crushes on one another. Like, did they virtually return to the start? There’s such a round nature to the finale and completely I believe there’s a variety of hope for the 2 of them. However I believe they should type of begin once more.

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The Handmaid’s Story is now streaming all episodes on Hulu. Learn THR’s complete oral historical past on the collection and mini oral historical past on the penultimate episode.