If you’re a devoted fan of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and have faithfully followed the series, chances are, you have taken sides—perhaps you have even declared yourself ‘Team Luke’ or ‘Team Nick.’ The shocking finale, where Nick meets a dramatic end, left many fans in disbelief. Inspired by the vibrant online discussions and commentary surrounding Nick’s character, I found myself compelled to explore my own unique perspective on his character arc.
Nick Blaine is an enigmatic figure from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian narrative, “The Handmaids Tale.” In a world where fertile women are treated as commodities, Nick stands at the intersection of power and vulnerability, the intricacies of his character unfolding gradually across the series.
His journey to Gilead is almost a quest. He is a man seeking an escape from his previous life. A life where we see him having trouble holding down a job. A life in which we see he is prone to lashing out. It’s a life he needs to escape from. Nick needs stability and purpose as opposed to the unpredictability that he has been used to. He ultimately becomes entangled in the Gilead regime’s machinations. His interactions with the other characters expose the power dynamics at play, revealing Nick’s adaptability as he manoeuvres through conflicting loyalties.
Throughout six series of “The Handmaids Tale,” we see Nicks evolution shaped by relationships and roles in Gilead. When we first encounter him, meticulously polishing Commander Waterford’s car, he epitomises the stoic demeanour expected of a devoted servant in the Republic of Gilead—a regime that reduces women to reproductive roles and strips away their rights. As the Commander’s driver, Nick carries out his duties with unwavering attention, skillfully manoeuvring through the corridors of power with a poker face that reveals little of his inner thoughts. Beneath this façade lies a man burdened with secrets and contradictions. A man wth many complexities.
As the series unfolds, Nicks role expands beyond mere survival. His strategic manoeuvres within the regime’s hierarchy hint at a keen intellect and a knack for survival—a survivor whose allegiance remains fluid, guided more by pragmatism than ideology. His decisions, often vague and morally ambiguous, reflect the gray morality of a world where survival necessitates compromise.
Nicks initial meetings and interactions with Offred, the protagonist of “The Handmaids Tale” are markedly different. They are underpinned with curiosity and yet with an element of restraint. The evolution of his relationship with Offred appears to manifest into a forbidden romance fraught with peril. But is it romance? Each stolen moment of their time together is a fragile defiance against the regime’s suffocating control. Their bond becomes a sanctuary amidst the brutality, a testament to human resilience in the face of dehumanising oppression.
When we see Nick and June’s clandestine rendevouz begin, we see a deeper side to Nicks personality. He has gone from a dutiful man, fulfilling his role as Commander’s driver to a man grappling with duty and conscience, as well as the moral dilemmas that present themselves. Nicks periodic involvement in the resistance movement against Gilead adds a layer of complexity and nuance to the compliant exterior that we saw at the start.
We also see Nick in a relationship with Eden, a young woman who is married to him. He has no choice in the marriage, Gilead “gives” him a woman. It’s clear from the start that he has no love for his wife. The marriage is a Gilead formality, part of the rules and regulations that he must abide by. The relationship falters for a variety of reasons. Nick continues to have June in his thoughts. He also feels Eden is too young. While he appears to respect Eden, he doesn’t love her. The faltering of this relationship sends Eden crashing into the arms of another, and ultimately to her death.
Nick’s character arc in The Handmaid’s Tale serves as a poignant exploration of identity and agency in a totalitarian state. His journey from anonymity to reluctant heroism underscores the series’ exploration of power, control, and the resilience of the human spirit. In a world where hope is a scarce commodity, Nick Blaine emerges as a compelling figure—a testament to the complexities of loyalty, love, and resistance in the face of overwhelming adversity.
But I have questions, so here goes.
Question One: Nick is a Commanders driver and an eye, later becoming a commander. Where does his loyalty lie?
He is a driver. He is an Eye. Then he becomes a Commander. We also learned in series three, that he was a soldier in the crusade to get Gilead up and running. Also in season three, when June wanted Nicks help to get Nichole kept in Canada, the Canadians refused to use his information as he was not to be trusted. In series four, we see him out “in the field” in Chicago leading the attack. In season five, we learn that Nick turned down the chance to get out of Gilead with Mark Tuellos help. In Season six, we see him tell Commander Wharton all of June’s ‘Jezebel’s’ plan. The “clues” have been there from the very beginning. It is evidently clear that his loyalty has consistently been to Gilead.
Question Two: Why does he consistently lie to June about aspects of his work and that he was married? (although he told her later)
This is one of those questions where there are many possible answers. Did he not want to put June at any more risk? Is he protecting himself and his family? It is almost an unanswerable question.
Question Three: Does he love June or was it lust? Were they both grabbing at something that Gilead took away from them.
This is the biggie for me and the one that the internet gets its knickers in a twist over. I have never believed it was ‘true love.’ I’m convinced that June and Nick’s relationship epitomised raw, undeniable lust, or maybe an element of trauma bonding. June and Nick were both clutching at something that Gilead stole; the need to be wanted. Nick was the ‘fantasy.’ Nick was the ‘doing what I need to do to survive’ as June told Luke on the tapes. Nick was the ‘clandestine excitement’ that she had; something to look forward to in a dismal world of no rights.
June had her ‘happy ever after’ with Luke, the father of their child. Luke was the person that was a consistent figure throughout “The Handmaids Tale.” Luke was the one that she went back to after the trauma of Gilead and her escape. Luke was the one that she worked with to try and find Hannah. Luke was the one that she consistently said, “Im so happy to see. your face.” Luke was fighting for her every day.
In the finality of series 6, Serena Joy tells June, “If he (Nick) ever thought he had a real choice, he’d have chosen you.” This statement says volumes and sums up everything. This tells June that Nick would not have chosen her. Nick never had a choice. It tells June that she was never going to win with Nick. It tells June that Nick chose duty over her. It tells June that Nick would likely ‘relay any of her plans’ to Gilead as he was working for them.
The Handmaids Tale is not, and never was a love story. It was never about “June and Nick.” It was never about “June and Luke.” It was about a dystopian nightmare and one woman’s fight for her survival and her child.
The Handmaids Tale is “Team June.”
