The Handmaid's Tale showrunner explain the shocking death of this character and what it means for the finale

The Handmaid's Tale's penultimate episode brought an explosive ending that left fans shocked and questioning its implications for the season finale. Episode 9 of the sixth season explores the immediate aftermath of June's attack on Commander Wharton and Serena Joy's wedding. The Handmaids took to the streets to kill the Commanders.

It was an exceptionally explosive and bloody episode, featuring bombings orchestrated by the Handmaids on their way to the borders, American planes dropping bombs on Gilead, and a plane with the Commanders exploding mid-air. Two major deaths occurred in episode 9 of Hulu's acclaimed dystopian series, and the show's co-creators Eric Tuchman and Yahling Chang explain what this means for the finale.

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Who died in The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9?

The final scene of The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9 showed a plane explosion mid-air. Commander Wharton and several other High Commanders were on the plane, headed for Washington, D.C., where they were set to plan Gilead's retaliation. June persuaded Commander Lawrence to plant a bomb on the plane, but Nick showed up at the last moment.

Much to June's horror, Nick also boarded the plane. Shortly after takeoff, the plane exploded mid-air as the penultimate episode came to an end. There's no way anyone survived the explosion, which means both Commander Lawrence and Nick, played by Bradley Whitford and Max Minghella, respectively, as well as everyone else on the plane, died.

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What do Nick and Commander Lawrence's deaths mean for The Handmaid's Tale finale?

For anyone wondering if there's any chance that Nick and Commander Lawrence might have survived the plane explosion, series co-creators Eric Tuchman and Yahling Chang stated that they knew early on that Nick and Commander Lawrence would meet their end before the season finale. They revealed this in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, published on May 20, 2025.

Tuchman acknowledged that some fans have been upset, especially by Nick's death, which they understood. However, he also explained why it had to happen, saying:

"Nick has been June's savior and oasis for such a long time on the show. But we have to remember that she's not the only thing in his life, and that he's a commander in Gilead. And if there's one thing the series has shown is there's no such thing as a good commander."

Tuchman further explained that despite the wonderful things Nick may have done for the show's main character, he was still a willful participant in Gilead.

Regarding the significance of the two deaths for the finale, the literal and figurative explosion of losing Nick and Commander Lawrence in episode 9 serves as a climax in the story, paving the way for a sense of "quiet realism" for the finale. Chang said in the same interview with Entertainment Weekly:

"The kind of rhythm and the structure of this season was that [episode] 8, and then twice as much [episode] 9, were sort of these big, epic, kind of mini films with huge climactic explosions. And then 10 has the feeling of denouement."

Chang further said that The Handmaid's Tale season 6 episode 9 brought the "huge, huge moves" that make the story interesting. It provides the chance to give the finale a "sense of that quiet realism of like, well, what happens the next day?"

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Catch previous episodes of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu ahead of the season finale on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.