Spoilers for the finale of The Handmaid's Tale below.
Blessed be the fruit, indeed.
Today, after six seasons, The Handmaid's Tale came to an end with the finale airing in the US on Hulu. While UK viewers - watching on Channel 4 and Amazon Prime video — will have to wait a little longer to see the finale, those who have seen the show were treated to a very unexpected cameo.
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Viewers who've made it all the way to the end were treated to an appearance by Alexis Bledel, who — as Elisabeth Moss walked around her former Gilead neighbourhood — returned eight years after her last appearance, saying 'Blessed be the fruit' and shocking June, along with audiences.
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Bledel unexpectedly left the show at the end of season four. The series explained her absence in series five, claiming she'd gone back to Gilead to fight and find Aunt Lydia, after saying goodbye to her wife and son.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about the cameo, Bledel revealed: 'It was an immediate yes. It felt right to bring closure to Emily’s journey and offer the audience a sense of completion. Bruce [Miller, the series creator who wrote the final episode] put together such a kind and talented group, and so many of the original crew were still there in season six. The production runs like a well-oiled machine — everyone brings their best. I’m excited to see what they create in [sequel series] The Testaments.'
In the show's finale, Emily and June took a walk around the neighbourhood (as they had many times in previous series) where Bledel's character revealed she had been a Martha for a Commander and she had managed to keep contact with her family. 'They're the reason I'm fighting,' she says.
The appearance ended with an emotional dream sequence, where June imagines they women were never in Gilead and sees the two of them — along with Moira (Samira Wiley), Janine (Madeline Brewer), Rita (Amanda Brugel) and killed handmaids Alma (Nina Kiri) and Brianna (Bahia Watson) — together and singing karaoke in a bar to 'Landslide' by Fleetwood Mac.
The Handmaid's Tale airs on Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.
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