In the Season 1 finale of Hulu’s ‘The Testaments,’ a poignant kiss between Agnes (Chase Infiniti) and her best friend Becka (Mattea Conforti) has left viewers questioning the nature of their relationship. The moment occurs as Agnes comforts Becka just before Becka’s wedding to Garth (Brad Alexander), a man Agnes herself had a crush on. While Becka has explicitly expressed romantic feelings for Agnes, Agnes has not acknowledged them, instead focusing on supporting her friend through a traumatic situation.
Infiniti explains that Agnes may not fully understand Becka’s feelings due to Gilead’s repressive environment. ‘I think Agnes just doesn’t understand what it looks like. She knows that a “gender traitor” in Gilead is bad, but just like how nobody in Gilead teaches these girls anything, she doesn’t really know what that means,’ Infiniti says. ‘I think her interactions with Becka and the emotions that Becka is feeling for Agnes, I think Agnes just views it as Becka loves her, just like Agnes loves her. And whether or not it’s in the same way, she just knows that that’s her person in life.’
Becka’s marriage to Garth was arranged after she killed her sexual predator father, Dr. Grove (Randal Edwards). Becka’s mother took the blame and was executed, leaving Becka vulnerable. Agnes intervened by revealing Becka’s abuse to her own fiancé, Commander Weston (Reed Diamond), who then facilitated the marriage to save Becka from the Eyes. Conforti notes that Becka is unaware that Garth is a Mayday operative, which could offer her support. ‘She doesn’t know that Garth is a part of Mayday. She doesn’t know that she could really find some support within her own hesitations about Gilead within Garth,’ Conforti says.
Becka chose Garth because he seemed the safest option, willing to relocate so she could stay near friends and not expecting a traditional marriage. Conforti adds, ‘She also knows that Agnes is in love with him, so I think in some capacity being involved in their relationship is allowing her to remain close to Agnes, too.’ The kiss, while ambiguous, underscores the deep bond between the two girls in a world of oppression.
