‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 5 Trailer: June Faces the Music, Serena Joy Avenges Fred (VIDEO)

Things are not looking good for June Osborne in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 trailer, newly released by Hulu. Among the many threats laid out in the clips is perhaps the most chilling realization that Serena Joy Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski) is growing more powerful in Canada.

“Serena has the world behind her,” June (Elisabeth Moss) says in the trailer. “She’s bringing it here, Gilead.” But it’s clear both the women are afraid of what the other is capable of. June is alarmed by the threat Serena poses to the world at large (“she will always be dangerous”), and Serena fears for her personal safety following June’s vicious (read: cathartic as hell) murder of Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes).

“Don’t you dare try to tell me you can protect me from her!” a sobbing Serena tells Sam Jaeger‘s Mark Tuello. And she’s right to be scared. Earlier in the trailer, June admits to Luke, “I killed him, and I loved it so much.”

Here’s the logline for Season 5: “June faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose. The widowed Serena attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead’s influence creeps into Canada. Commander Lawrence works with Nick and Aunt Lydia as he tries to reform Gilead and rise in power. June, Luke, and Moira fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah.”

Hulu

Outside of the June/Serena showdown that will clearly be the main arc of Season 5, we get the first glimpse of Mckenna Grace as Esther Keyes, still in the hands of the always eery Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), Moira (Samira Wiley) reacting in horror to June killing Fred (“she tore him apart!”), Rita (Amanda Brugel) delivering a sage warning, and Nick (Max Minghella) and Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) still in cahoots in Gilead (featuring a particularly bloody moment for the newly minted Commander Blaine).

And in the most exciting Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and June teasers we’ve seen in a long time, the couple seems to be gearing up to go back into Gilead together to liberate their daughter, Hannah. Viewers also get the first look at one of the season’s incoming new characters, Lily (Christine Ko), a former Martha and Gilead refugee who has become a leader of Canada’s resistance movement. Check out the full trailer for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, above.

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'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 5: June vs. Serena in New Teaser (VIDEO)

Viewers may notice there’s no appearance from Alexis Bledel‘s Emily. Bledel will not be returning to the series; she announced in May 2022 that Season 4 was her last. She said in a statement to USA Today that she’s “forever grateful” for her time on the show.

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 premieres Wednesday, September 14. The Emmy-winning drama is produced by MGM Television and executive produced by Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, Rachel Shukert, Sheila Hockin, John Weber, Frank Siracusa, Steve Stark, and Kim Todd. The series is internationally distributed by MGM.

The Handmaid’s Tale, Season 5 Premiere, Wednesday, September 14, Hulu