What to remember about ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ before the sixth and final season premieres

Blessed be the return.

After being off the air for nearly two and a half years, The Handmaid's Tale will finally roll out its long-awaited sixth and final season starting on April 8. A lot went down within and beyond the walls of Gilead in Season 5 of the acclaimed Hulu series, so here is everything you need to remember about it ahead of the Season 6 premiere.

What is The Handmaid's Tale about?

Based on Margaret Atwood’s renowned 1985 novel of the same name, The Handmaid's Tale is set in a dystopian near-future America in which the government has been overthrown by violent religious fanatics. In what is now called the Republic of Gilead, plummeting birth rates have led to a barren autocratic class enslaving fertile women as concubines, called Handmaids, forcing them to bear children for them.

Created by Bruce Miller, the Emmy-winning series stars Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne, a former book editor who becomes one of the millions of women forced into sexual servitude under this new totalitarian regime. Following a failed attempt to flee Gilead with her husband, Luke (O-T Fagbenle), and their daughter, Hannah (Jordana Blake), June is separated from her family and assigned to the home of Gileadean leader Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) and his wife, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski), to serve as their Handmaid. Over the course of its first five seasons, the harrowing drama follows June as she attempts to tear Gilead down from both beyond and within while also trying to save her daughter and reunite with her husband.

SEE 'The Handmaid's Tale' team on sixth and final season: 'The war's not over, but the fight continues'

What happened at the end of Season 5?

Following an attempt on her life at a memorial service for deceased American pilots, June becomes the target of yet another attack when a pickup truck with a Gilead bumper sticker runs her over in front of her Toronto home. Luke manages to save her right before the driver can kill her, and he kills the driver in the process. After learning that the police have issued a warrant for Luke's arrest, Luke and June run for their lives, hoping to escape via a train shuttling other refugees out west. June and her second-born child, Nichole, make it onto the train, but Luke chooses to stay behind to ensure their safety and is arrested at the train station. As June grapples with her husband's sacrifice wandering through the train, she encounters two surprising co-passengers: Serena and her newborn, Noah.

Meanwhile, in Gilead, Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) arranges for Janine (Madeline Brewer) to be posted in the home of the soon-to-be-married Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) and Naomi Putnam (Ever Carradine). That posting, however, proves to be short-lived as the news of the attacks on June and continued harsh treatment from Naomi prompt Janine to lash out at her new mistress. Unwilling to beg for Naomi's forgiveness, Janine is apprehended by a pair of Eyes, much to the dismay of Aunt Lydia, who vows to make them "pay for this." Elsewhere, Nick (Max Minghella) returns to Gilead after visiting June in Canada and agreeing to be the U.S. government-in-exile's inside man in exchange for June's safety. Convinced Commander Lawrence is responsible for the assassination attempts on his lover, Nick storms the high-ranked official's wedding reception and strikes him, causing him to be thrown in jail.

Which awards has The Handmaid's Tale been nominated for and won?  

Bolstered by its sociopolitical message and glowing reviews for its debut season, The Handmaid's Tale was an instant awards magnet. Out of 13 total Emmy nominations for its maiden installment, it parlayed eight into wins, prevailing for series, writing, directing, actress (Moss), supporting actress (Dowd), guest actress (Alexis Bledel), production design, and cinematography. With its series win, it became the first streaming show ever to win a series prize at the Emmys. It then steamrolled through several of the top guilds, notching the highest honors at the Directors, Producers, and Writers Guild of America Awards. It also received bids for its cast and Moss at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and bagged multiple prizes at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, including Best Drama Series and Best Drama Actress for Moss at both.

For its subsequent four seasons, it amassed an additional 63 Emmy noms and seven victories, including three for acting, all in guest, for Samira Wiley (2018), Cherry Jones (2019), and Whitford (2019). It also landed multiple more citations at all of the major guilds, as well as at Critics Choice and the Globes.

What can viewers expect from Season 6?

While the cast and crew of The Handmaid's Tale have been largely tight-lipped about what's to come next on the dystopian drama, they've promised that viewers can expect to finally witness the revolution they've long been promised.

"I think you get to see everyone fight back with some grit this time, that's all I'll say," Amanda Brugel, who plays Rita, told Screen Rant in March. "Fans have been waiting for a really long time, and they've been really patient, and the payoff will be amazing. Just hold on to your [hats]. It's going to be the revolution that we've all needed."

The trailer for Season 6, which was released on March 19, backs up the star's tease as it shows June spearheading an all-out resistance against Gilead. "Rise up and fight for your freedom!" the heroine shouts. "We use all of our friends, everyone and anyone who hates Gilead, to finally declare: Enough."

At the show's PaleyFest panel on March 26, fans saw a sneak peek of a scene in which Aunt Lydia reunites with a pivotal character.

Here's the official logline for Season 6: "June’s unyielding spirit and determination pull her back into the fight to take down Gilead. Luke and Moira join the resistance. Serena tries to reform Gilead while Commander Lawrence and Aunt Lydia reckon with what they wrought, and Nick faces challenging tests of character. This final chapter of June’s journey highlights the importance of hope, courage, solidarity and resilience in the pursuit of justice and freedom."

SEE 18 Emmy contenders premiering before the eligibility deadline this spring

When does The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 premiere?

The first three episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 will drop on Hulu on April 8. After that, episodes will drop weekly on the streaming platform on Tuesdays through the series finale on May 27.