‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Cast Unpacks Nick’s Shocking Episode 6 Decision: ‘We Make Mistakes Under Duress’

Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 6, Episode 6.

In an effort to evade Commander Wharton’s (Josh Charles) iron hand, Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) makes a “complicated” decision in Episode 6: “Surprise” that costs the lives of dozens of women who have been forced to live their lives at Gilead’s brothel Jezebels. But does the high-rank officer deserve some grace in what appears to have been a tricky situation? Elisabeth Moss and Max Minghella weigh in.

“I think he makes a decision in a moment of total panic; he’s not thinking straight at all, and I don’t know how many people would be thinking straight with a gun to their head, you know?” Minghella told TheWrap. “We all like to believe that we’re going to be the most right version of ourselves. And Nick probably would like to think he’s always going to be the best version of himself, but it’s not always the case. Often we make mistakes under duress.”

In a surprising, or maybe not so surprising turn of events, Nick revealed Mayday’s mission to free all the women at Jezebels to Wharton (Josh Charles) after the high-profile commander grilled him over visiting the brothel, which was revealed to him by Commander Bell. Even though Nick shared that he’s been performing an investigation into supposed strange activity going on in Gilead — a lie he used to cover up for the inside work he’s doing for June (Elisabeth Moss) — Wharton’s skepticism didn’t let up and ultimately he gave up the plot. Plus, Wharton was already squinting his eyes at Nick over the sudden shooting and then-death of an eye, which only made matters worse. By the end of it, June, who was hiding out in Serena’s New Bethlehem home, learned about Nick’s actions after overhearing a conversation between Wharton and Serena.

Moss said June can’t give forgive Nick, nor will she show him any grace.

“Absolutely not, she can’t forgive him. June has done some questionable things, but she has always done it in the interest of the good guys. I mean, except for Eleanor, [Commander] Lawrence’s his wife, and that was maybe on the edge,” Moss said, referring to when June let Lawrence’s wife die from an overdose in Season 3. “I believe that was a little bit of a gray area. A reminder, she was going to tell on [June], and she wouldn’t have been able to get all those kids out. Yeah, so in the decision of, do you get a bunch of these kidnapped children, these stolen children back to their families and to freedom.”

She continued: “Nick is responsible for the deaths of these innocent women and he didn’t need to do that, and he does it to protect himself. It’s unforgivable, and I I think June knows that.”

As far as how well Nick can be trusted going forward? Well…

“Look, can anybody by trusted in these extreme circumstances?” Minghella questioned. “I think the decisions that he makes in this season are not the product of considered thought or strategy.”

Like his decision to reveal the Jezebel mission to Wharton, Minghella said Nick’s decision to murder the eye was just as stressful.

“I think this is the first time in this season that he feels conflicted,” Minghella explained. “I think that that conflict is not towards Gilead as a system. I think it’s towards his family and his obligations, and I think that he feels torn between the child he has coming. And a wife that he does genuinely care for, and father figure that he genuinely feels protected by, and a relationship that has caused a tremendous amount of strain. And I mean, it’s impossible. I mean, there’s no way to convey six seasons of the journey between these two characters, but it’s caused a lot of stuff. It’s not complicated. It’s not uncomplicated, and I think that that’s the thing that he’s struggling with more than ever.”

“The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 6 releases new episodes Tuesdays on Hulu.

The post ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Cast Unpacks Nick’s Shocking Episode 6 Decision: ‘We Make Mistakes Under Duress’ appeared first on TheWrap.