The Testaments strongly hinted that Becka would suffer the same fate as in the books after she made an emotionally driven decision in Episode 9. Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale spinoff introduced Becka Grove (Mattea Conforti) as Agnes Jemima's (Chase Infiniti) close friend and classmate at Gilead's girls' academy, harboring strong feelings for her.
Becka underwent a dramatic and tragic turning point in Testaments Episode 9, "Marat Sade," with her shifting from a traumatized, fearful woman to an active agent of violent retribution sparked by her shocking actions that led to a tragic death.
The Testaments revealed that Becka has been engaged to Garth, the son of a high-ranking Commander in Gilead who is secretly part of the Mayday resistance. However, Becka's deepening feelings for Agnes made her dread her arranged marriage to Garth, and the situation worsened when she discovered what her adoptive father, Dr. Grove, had done to Agnes.
What Happens To Becka In The Testaments After Episode 9? The Trailer Seemingly Spoiled Her Fate
What happened to Becka after The Testaments Episode 9 led to speculation that she would die after being arrested by The Eyes, but the official synopsis and trailer footage confirmed that she is still alive following the game-changing events of the penultimate episode.
The Testaments Episode 9 pulled back the curtain on Dr. Grove's predatory abuse as part of Daisy (another undercover Mayday operative working with June), revealing the extent of her diabolical schemes, which involved Agnes. As it turned out, Agnes told Daisy about being sexually abused by Dr. Grove in Episode 8, leading her to fear for the worst that he would do the same thing to her.
However, Dr. Grove remained professional during Daisy's treatment, but she still figured out a plan to expose him by ripping open her blouse and screaming hysterically before walking out of the chamber. Believing that the allegations were not true, Becka confronted Daisy, prompting Agnes to step in to finally tell her the harsh truth about Dr. Grove.
Becka was devastated to learn of her father's abuse of Agnes and other girls. a revelation that hits harder because the TV series portrays her own relationship with Dr. Grove as far less abusive than in Margaret Atwood's novel. In the book, Grove molested Becka throughout her childhood; the series instead depicts a more respectful dynamic.
Following the revelation, Becka realized that her father was the main reason why Agnes had distanced herself from her in the first place. As a result, Becka decided to take matters into her own hands by stabbing her father to death with a pair of floral shears, an act that completely changed the trajectory of her life.
While Becka sought guidance and assistance from Agnes, the latter's parents had a completely different plan: they betrayed both their daughter and her friend by summoning the Eyes (Gilead's police force), leading to Becka's arrest while Agnes tried to intervene.
The official synopsis for The Testaments Season 1 finale revealed that Becka's storyline will continue, and a confirmation that she was still alive by the end of Episode 9, which made sense considering that she was an integral part of the book:
"While Becka faces the consequences of her actions, Agnes and Daisy must decide how far they're willing to go to protect her."
At the 1:49 mark of the official trailer of The Testaments Season 1, a scene involving Becka wearing a wedding dress in what appeared to be her wedding with Garth (or an entirely different man) has yet to be featured in any episode, meaning that this would likely appear in the finale.
In the world of The Handmaid's Tale, forced marriage is considered to be a severe form of punishment for women because it serves as a life sentence of ritualized abuse, pregnancy risk, and loss of autonomy.
While she remained in custody of the Eyes, killing her off-screen would not be an ideal narrative trajectory for such an important character. There was no denying that Becka's mental state had been fragile after learning the devastating truth about her adoptive father and what he did to her closest friend.
Does Becka Die In The Testaments? Book Vs. Show Differences Explained
While The Testaments Episode 9 strongly suggested high-stakes consequences for Becka, including her possible death or severe punishment, one couldn't assume her fate will mirror the novel's time.
In Margaret Atwood's book of the same name, Becka survived much longer because she eventually became Aunt Immortelle and helped the resistance. Becka would later die after hiding in a water cistern as a heroic sacrifice to help Daisy escape Gilead as part of Aunt Lydia's resistance plot.
If The Testaments followed the same trajectory as the book, this would mean that Becka would survive the punishment from the Eyes and be forced to marry Garth or anyone else instead. Some even speculated that she could be physically harmed or lobotomized to keep her at bay.
The book emphasized Becka's sensitivity, prior abuse by her father, and eventual self-sacrifice as an Aunt in the latter part of the story. However, the show removed her personal abuse and instead turned her into a vigilante killer, anchored by her romantic feelings for Agnes, who was later placed in prison with an uncertain future.
There is a strong chance that her death in the show (when it happens) will likely play out differently due to these changes, but many argued that a heroic sacrifice rather than a random death would be more ideal for an important character like her.
In addition, The Testaments Episode 9 delivered another major departure from the novel of the same name, completely changing how Dr. Grove died in the book.
It wasn't Becka who killed Dr. Grove despite his abuse; instead, it was Aunt Lydia who orchestrated his execution following the attempted rape of Aunt Elizabeth. The book version of Dr. Grove was publicly executed after 70 Handmaids tore him apart with their bare hands (yes, it did happen).
Read more about what happened in the game-changing ending of The Handmaid's Tale.
