The Pearl Girls are perhaps the most intriguing addition to Gilead in The Testaments. Each week, the dystopian series expands on the world of Gilead, first introduced in The Handmaid's Tale. Now, many fans are curious to know about the Pearl Girls, who feature prominently. Lead character Daisy (played by Lucy Halliday) is posing as a Pearl Girl, sparking questions about their role in the rigid religious regime.
Who Are the Pearl Girls?
Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Testaments TV show and the novel by Margaret Atwood.
The Pearl Girls are missionaries for Gilead, spreading the gospel of the regime and urging others to join the extremist religious society. As Daisy suggests in her narration, most Pearl Girls were former runaways who were given a home by Gilead and converted. They are even more zealous than the Plums and others because they are new to Gilead and trying to prove their devotion.
Agnes (Chase Infiniti) also notes that Pearl Girls aren't to be trusted and will report you to the Aunts if you step out of line, as these newcomers must be beyond reproach. In the novel, it's revealed that Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) conceived the idea of Pearl Girls.
Daisy's Infiltration
Daisy was helped by Mayday, June (Elisabeth Moss), and Rita (Amanda Brugel) to disguise herself as a Pearl Girl and infiltrate Gilead. She pretended to be a homeless runaway, was picked up by the Pearl Girls, and became a missionary to re-enter Gilead. Thus, Daisy was smuggled through an unofficial border with Garth (Brad Alexander) as her handler.
Within Gilead's hierarchy, Pearl Girls are below Plums and are expected to become Econowives or Marthas at best. Daisy's inclusion among the Plums, with Agnes as her guide, is highly unusual—a fact not lost on the school girls. Audiences will have to continue watching to see how Daisy's role as a Pearl Girl unfolds.
The Testaments airs on Disney+ and Hulu on Wednesdays.
