*Warning — Spoilers for ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ season six to follow*
Tuesday’s episode of the hit Hulu series saw Commander Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) reveal the rebel group Mayday’s plan to bomb Jezebel’s brothel, a hub where high-ranking commanders engage in extramarital affairs. The attack would wipe out all of the high-ranking commanders inside.
Nick’s loyalties have been a recurring enigma throughout the series. He constantly saves June (Elisabeth Moss) in secret when her rebel plans go wrong, but also continues to put on a front by showing support for his fellow Commanders.
Nick had been at Jezebel’s to receive a map of the brothel that June and Moira (Samira Wiley) left behind in a safe when they went undercover as maids to scope out the location. The safe also contained letters that all of the women in the building wrote in secret to their loved ones.
Nick’s father-in-law, Commander Wharton (Josh Charles), had caught Nick there and was quick to judge him for cheating on his wife (Wharton’s daughter Rose). However, Nick explained that he was there as a spy, telling Wharton that he had discovered Mayday’s plan.
June later overheard Wharton discussing what Nick had told him to his fiancée, Serena Joy.
Many fans of the show were quick to turn to X to express their disdain for Nick over his supposed betrayal.
“Nick could easily say ‘sorry sir, I gave in to temptation, I’ll apologize to Rose and it won’t happen again, I had to try harder at work blah blah blah.’ Him reporting Mayday was a choice he harmed hundreds of lives,” one post read.
Another X poster agreed, writing, “I AM SO MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW COULD HE?! I AM BESIDE MYSELF!!!!!”
Other commenters brought up Nick’s behavior in the past, admitting that they weren’t surprised by his selfish actions.
“Is anyone surprised Nick ratted on June?” one person wrote. “Keep in mind Nick has had over 5 years to get Hannah and bring her back to June but he never did because he wanted June to have a reason to keep coming back. Notice tonight when he asked her to go to Paris, he never once mentioned Hannah. He never had any plans on helping June and Hannah reunite. He just wants June for himself. I hate this for June and I’m disappointed in Nick.”
“I dont get why people are surprised by nick’s betrayal,” another person wrote on X. “Its always been clear he chose gilead because outside of it he was nobody. he never cared about the women suffering inside it, he only cares about june. he’s never been the good guy the fandom paints him as.”
However, not everyone was against Nick’s decision, with a few people claiming he did what he had to do in order to survive.
“Nick has done so much to help June but has left himself exposed. He did what he needed to live. But this is the first time Nick hasn’t came through like a hero to June.. I hope she understands his pov,” one X post read.
The remaining four episodes of season six of The Handmaid’s Tale will be released Tuesdays on Hulu, before concluding on May 27. The final season premieres in the U.K. on May 3 on Channel 4 and on Amazon Prime Video.
