The Handmaid's Tale's Commander Wharton sets his sights on Serena – but what's his endgame?

The bride was revealed to be none other than Serena Joy, who became a widow in season 4 when Commander Fred Waterford was led into No Man's land by Nick, before being hunted down and killed by June and a group of handmaids.

Praise be, indeed.

And while the groom was kept hidden during the service, it was The Good Wife’s Josh Charles, whose casting was announced last year without any detail of who he’d be playing, who could later be seen carrying Serena over the threshold.

He’s since been revealed to us as Gabriel Wharton, a High Commander who splits his time between Washington and New Bethlehem, a so-called liberalised version of Gilead devised by Commander Lawrence, which Serena, its global ambassador, hopes will "set Gilead back on God's path of light".

But that's not all.

Wharton is also Nick’s father-in-law, which is far from ideal given the former driver's numerous derelictions of duty in service of June, who is once again part of a full-scale rebellion against the regime.

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And it’s a role Wharton clearly takes seriously, impressing upon Nick, who he’s not entirely sold on, what he expects from him as the husband of his beloved daughter Rose and father to their unborn child.

But we quickly learn that it's not just Nick he's watching closely. Serena, too, has his full attention.

From the moment they first speak in season 6, he lavishes praise on her, complementing her physical appearance, which she's initially somewhat taken aback by, before eventually warming to his gaze. But he also lauds her intellect, describing her address to a group of foreign dignitaries scoping out New Bethlehem as "thrilling", which is a tried and tested way to win Serena over.

As someone who played a critical role in helping to establish Gilead and has always envisaged herself as occupying a seat at the top table, his high praise takes on an aphrodisiac-esque quality and their connection rapidly deepens.

When she arrives at Rose's house with a pie, it is Wharton who greets her, not his daughter, who is resting. But she can't help but smile, almost as if she was hoping to spend the afternoon with him instead.

They then take tea together and sample the baked confection, as Wharton once again says all of the right things.

"Never gotten used to being waited on by Marthas,” he admits. “I was always the cook in my house, I taught Rose."

How very modern indeed.

Talk then turns to New Bethlehem and their efforts to refine Gilead’s rougher edges.

"Your faith in these reforms is a real credit to the place, Lawrence is very lucky to have you out there selling it," he adds, continuing to heap praise upon Serena.

When she confesses that she is grateful to "have a voice", something that was stripped away from her before in the Gilead of old, he claims that he would never have done such a thing.

"If I may, a better man would have encouraged your influence,” he responds.

So far, so progressive-ish (it is Gilead, after all).

And before long, they're enjoying an evening stroll together, their unspoken courtship developing further, which is when he really turns up the heat.

Warton confesses that when he first laid eyes on her at a gathering for high-ranking officials and their wives some time ago, he felt shame for "coveting another man's wife", particularly in said man’s presence.

"I was too shy to approach you, but I did wish I was the one dancing with you that night," he says while reaching for her hand and asking her if she'll dance with him. And after a muted resistance, she accepts his offer of a slow waltz, right there in the street.

In any other context, it would be a sweet moment. Two people who have suffered the loss of a partner finding love again later in life is something we would typically champion.

But this is Gilead, and they are... well, they’re them.

Yet, while Serena appears to be drawn to Wharton for genuine reasons, and not just because he’s a High Commander – though that’s certainly part of the appeal and a means of survival in Gilead – you'd be forgiven for doubting his intentions.

Perhaps his flattery is entirely sincere. Whether you consider Serena an out and out villain, just another victim, or a combination of the two, her achievements are impressive and, despite what she has endured, she "looks no worse for wear", to quote Wharton.

But then again, is he showering her with compliments and attention with a view to controlling her further down the line, when disentangling herself will become far more difficult?

Is Wharton love-bombing Serena?

"You're just like the rest of them," she screams in the trailer, indicating that yes, that will indeed prove to be the case.

He is a High Commander after all, so it's hardly surprising. While reform is needed right now to prevent Gilead's total implosion, his sole aim is undoubtedly to restore its iron grip, and that is where Serena comes in.

In order to convince the rest of the world that they're serious about changing, they need her. Serena's story, intellect and way with words are already playing a vital role in burying the sins of Gilead’s past and spreading the word of New Bethlehem – and she's only been there for five minutes. Imagine what she could achieve in five weeks, months, years.

Wharton knows that, and you’d think Serena, as sharp as she is, would have cottoned on to that too, however convincing he may be, and however great the impact of her own trauma may be, which could well be clouding her judgement.

Perhaps she has and like we said previously, she’s all too aware that being married to him will have its benefits.

But what will she have to surrender in return? What will it cost her?

In Gilead, there's always a price.

"Part of what was interesting to me... was to play a character and work on a character's brutality and... highlight his brutality by his kindness,” Charles told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview.

"That someone that you see has a brutality... like you have in many other characters in this show, but what separates his brutality is I feel he's very kind and thoughtful and very true to his beliefs.”

But as we’ve seen time and time again in Gilead, the regime’s unwavering faith in its worldview always comes at the expense of others, and Serena looks set to bear the weight of that once more.

However much they try to dress up Gilead in New Bethlehem’s clothing, there will never truly be a space at the top table for the likes of her. For any 'her'.

But will Serena finally learn that lesson before it really is too late?

The Handmaid's Tale airs on Hulu in the US, and Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

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