The 5 Most Important Moments From The Handmaid's Tale's Grim Trailer

One of the earlier moments in the trailer shows a large group of handmaids kneeling in some kind of square. They seem to be soaking wet and holding rocks in their fully extended hands. The scene must be a clear reference to the season one finale, when the handmaids are ordered to stone Janine to death. Offred, aka June, leads the crew in an act of defiance: she holds her rock out with an extended arm, says, "Sorry, Aunt Lydia," and drops the rock.

This seems like the perfect "eye-for-an-eye" punishment: force the handmaids to hold the rocks they've cast away. Make them feel the weight of that decision. Have you ever held something with a fully extended arm like that? It's surprisingly tough.

With June's departure at from the Waterford household at the end of season one, we're going to go ahead and assume that tension is high. Mrs. Waterford is likely devastated by losing her grasp on "her" baby, while the Commander is probably upset to have lost his sort-of mistress.

But there's more to consider: we know the Commander hasn't exactly been playing by the rules, and it seems like his bad behavior may finally be catching up with him. In fact, Serena says in the trailer that it'll be hard to convince anyone that they're not part of the Resistance. Which begs the question: will the Waterfords even survive the season?!

This one's a real thinker. In one moment, we see June wearing an all-gray outfit that doesn't seem to match any of the Gilead garb. Could it be? Has she really escaped? Is she in Canada now? Before you go getting too excited, there are a few things to consider.

First and foremost, why would the trailer show June living in freedom? Isn't that, like, a surprise you'd want to save for later on? This is why I think the moment in question may not be what we think it is. Perhaps June has been sent to another community in the greater nation of Gilead (if that's even a thing) where this is the customary garb. Or maybe this is just a dream. There's also a chance it's a flashback; like, maybe this is June in captivity before Gilead becomes the community we see in the present day.

There are a lot of possibilities, but I would err on the side of pessimism. After all, the cast and creators of the show have said over and over that this season is much darker than season one. June is not getting away that easily.

I'm not entirely sure who this guy is, but I can bet he's not good news. "I will find every person involved and then they will be punished," he says in the trailer. Given the fact that the handmaids' act of defiance in season one doesn't leave much mystery in terms of who's involved, this is mostly likely referring to another event.

Could the members of the Resistance have planned a secret attack on Gilead? It's not out of the question. That would mean the foundations of the society are beginning to crack. But with every act of in subordination comes the inevitable crackdown.

It seems like the trailer is teasing this crackdown as well. In one scene, we see Aunt Lydia using a megaphone to talk to a bunch of handmaids who are at death's door. They're all set to be hanged as Aunt Lydia lectures them. It's possible she's giving them an ultimatum, and I would assume this is something that comes after the whole Janine situation is settled. If the handmaids continue to act out and push back, those in power will have to take extreme measures in order to maintain the status quo.

Seeing as the trailer also seems to show a funeral scene, here's my best guess: the handmaids plan some major act of resistance that really ruffles some feathers and pisses off some major higher-ups in Gilead. The leaders identify who was involved in the incident and execute them as an example. This is what happens if you don't obey. But this kind of decision could ultimately backfire. If the handmaids are pushed to their breaking point, who knows what hell will break loose?