: While the Commanders boast about reduced carbon emissions and organic farming, the truth is revealed in a whispered conversation—Gilead’s primary export isn't chocolate or oranges, but the fertile women themselves, referred to as "red tags".
The episode uses flashbacks to reveal the backstory of , positioning her as the in-universe equivalent of real-world figures like Phyllis Schlafly . In the "time before," Serena was a passionate activist and author of the book A Woman's Place , which argued for a return to "traditional values" and female domesticity. [S1E6] The Handmaiden's Tale
: Serena is shown as a driving force behind the coup, yet once the Republic of Gilead is established, the very patriarchy she helped build immediately silences her. : While the Commanders boast about reduced carbon