What will happen to Naomi Putnam in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5?
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With everything that’s happened to Commander Putnam in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, we need to know what’s coming for Naomi.
Caution: This post contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, Episode 6.
We knew from the promo that someone was going to die in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, Episode 6. The trailer set things up to look like it was going to be Luke or June, but in the end, Nick killed a Commander.
After learning that Esther was pregnant, Aunt Lydia went to find out how. The timing pointed to Fred’s wake, which suggested Warren Putnam. Esther confirmed that, but she didn’t sleep with Putnam out of choice. Putnam raped her, and Lydia couldn’t stand for that.
At first, it looked like Commander Lawrence wouldn’t do anything, but he did speak to Nick. There was supposedly a late-night meeting with other Commanders, and they all agreed that Commander Putnam would be sentenced to death for the rape of a handmaid. It’s not like Putnam denied it all. He believed he was in the right because Esther was all but officially assigned to him.
Nick carried out the execution in front of everyone, including Mrs. Putnam. Now we have questions about what will happen to Naomi in The Handmaid’s Tale*. Is there a place for widowed mothers?
Will Naomi marry Lawrence in The Handmaid’s Tale?
We know Lawrence has had time to grieve, but High Commander MacKenzie has made it clear that Lawrence needs to remarry. He isn’t going to marry just anyone, but there is a Wife now available.
It’s unlikely that Naomi will be given much time to grieve. She’s a woman, and her husband didn’t go out on good terms. We’ve seen how Serena Joy was treated, and she was pregnant. Naomi is likely to be cast aside or recycled in some sort of way as quickly as possible.
Will this lead to her being married off to Commander Lawrence? It won’t be what she wants initially, but it will lead to her getting to keep a high position among the Wives. However, Lawrence isn’t likely to want this. He doesn’t follow all of Gilead’s teachings. Why would he want a wife who does?
Maybe neither of them will get what they want, especially if they want to keep their current positions. This could also be the start of some sort of redemption arc for Naomi as she realizes what Lawrence has always been up to in The Handmaid’s Tale.
MORE: Will Commander Lawrence remarry in The Handmaid’s Tale?
What do you think will happen to Naomi in The Handmaid’s Tale? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Handmaid’s Tale airs Wednesdays on Hulu in the U.S. and on Crave in Canada.