The first three episodes of The Testaments are now streaming, leaving viewers with more questions than answers. The sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, based on Margaret Atwood's novel, follows three women embedded in Gilead's society: Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy. A major secret from the books—that Agnes and Daisy are June Osborne's daughters—remains unconfirmed in the TV adaptation so far.
In Atwood's novel, Agnes and Daisy are revealed to be Hannah and Nichole, June's daughters from The Handmaid's Tale. The book ends with June reuniting with them. However, the show has yet to explicitly confirm this link, despite hints scattered throughout the early episodes. Showrunner Bruce Miller revealed that Atwood herself suggested naming baby Nicole on screen, seemingly confirming the familial connection.
Elisabeth Moss appears as June in flashbacks, notably to Daisy after her adoptive parents are killed. Agnes narrates, 'I didn't know who my mum was yet. My real mum. That would come soon.' Yet June does not appear in relation to Agnes in these early episodes, leaving the connection ambiguous for viewers unfamiliar with the books.
The delay in revealing this secret may stem from the show's expanded narrative. While the original novel ended with Offred potentially pregnant, the series continued, showing Nichole smuggled to Canada and Hannah raised as a daughter of Gilead. Showrunner Eric Tuchman described the inability to reunite June with Hannah as 'heartbreaking,' but noted that The Testaments was already greenlit, allowing that reunion to occur in the sequel.
