Gileadean forces arrested Max Minghella's Commander Nick Blaine at the end of The Handmaid's Tale Season 5, but as Season 6 kicks off on Hulu, fans may be a little foggy on why he was put behind bars.
The dystopian thriller is back for its sixth and final season, with its first three episodes now streaming.
In Season 6, Nick is put on the hot seat as his alliances are questioned, and his future is questioned within both Gileadean society and the Mayday resistance.
Why Was Nick Arrested In The Handmaid's Tale?
Fans may remember that one of the key plot points from the last season of The Handmaid's Tale was the arrest and incarceration of Max Minghella's Nick Blaine. '
The character was put behind bars during the Season 5 finale. Gileadean forces took him in for physically confronting the dastardly Commander Lawrence at his wedding.
Season 5 was one of conflict for Nick as he balanced his past connections to revolutionary figure June Osborne with his rising ranks in Gileadean society. Nick let his past alliances show through during the series finale, as June became the target of the Gileadean secret police known as the Eyes.
Nick begged Lawrence (who was overseeing the operation) that June was not hurt; however, his pleas fell on deaf ears, as she was beaten within an inch of her life, leaving Minghella's character furious.
That is when Nick finally agreed to work with the U.S. Government in Exile representative Mark Tuello and serve as a spy within the Gileadean ranks.
After taking on his new mission, Nick confronted Commander Lawrence, punching him and being pulled away from the Eyes.
Nick was then sent to jail, where his new Gileadean wife, Rose, visited him. She complicated things even further by questioning his faith, telling him their marriage was done, as he was not over Rose yet.
Nick stayed in that cell between Seasons 5 and 6. The latest episodes began to move the character's story forward after his dramatic attack on Commander Lawrence, paving the way for what is sure to be a dramatic finish.
What Happened to Nick In Handmaid's Tale? Season 6 Updates
Nick was not kept behind bars for long, but that does not mean the character is not still living in a prison of his own making.
Season 6 of the hit streaming thriller picks up Nick's story as he reckons with his future, either as part of the revolution against Gilead or as a recommitted member of the Gileadean cause.
This starts with the character being escorted from jail with little consequence for his actions from last season. He now resides in New Bethlehem, gifted a seaside estate where he can live under the purview of his father-in-law, High Commander Wharton.
Despite his new surroundings, Nick's crisis of faith continues to plague him. This internal turmoil comes to a boiling point early on in Season 6, as Mark Tuello gives the character a cell phone to provide information on the Gilead regime to the U.S. government.
While Nick is initially ready and willing to do the spying needed by the Mayday cause, he does not stay that way.
In Episode 6, Nick is confronted by his high-ranking father-in-law. After a brief conversation between the two, Commander Wharton resorts to subtly threatening Nick.
He essentially tells his son that he made the attack on Lawrence go away, and Nick needs to check his priorities, or he is going to have more significant problems than spending a couple of days behind bars.
This leads Minghella's Hulu character to throw his new burner in the fireplace, essentially severing his ties with the resistance cause and, in turn, his feelings for his beloved June.
That does not last long, though, as Episode 3 again sees June crying for help from her former lover. While, at first, he does everything to avoid her getting in contact with him, Nick is eventually pulled back into June's life.
The pair meet for an impassioned chat in No Man's Land, where they both (despite each now being married to other people) admit their feelings for each other.
