The ending of The Handmaid's Tale differs between Margaret Atwood's original
novel and the Hulu TV series. In the novel:
The story concludes with Offred being taken away by the secret police known as
the Eyes, leaving her fate uncertain
. An epilogue set in the year 2195 reveals that Offred’s story was recorded on cassette tapes, discovered and studied after the fall of the Gilead regime. This epilogue suggests that Gilead eventually collapsed, but it does not clarify what ultimately happened to Offred herself
. In the TV series (Season 6, the final season):
The series expands beyond the book’s ending and provides more closure. After
years of struggle, June (Offred) chooses to stay in Gilead to continue
fighting and rescuing others rather than escaping to Canada with her baby. The
final episodes show the Handmaids rising up, attacking Commanders, and a
rebellion brewing against Gilead’s regime
. June’s story ends with a sense of resistance and hope for change, though the fight is ongoing. Serena Joy also finds a new life outside Gilead, and the show closes on the possibility of Gilead’s downfall
. In summary, the book ends ambiguously with Offred’s capture and an academic epilogue, while the TV series concludes with a more active rebellion and June’s continued resistance against Gilead’s oppression
