The Testaments

Aunt Lydia shares a nightmare that she frequently suffers. In it, she is in the stadium, wearing the brown gown. She and several other women are holding rifles pointed at a group of kneeling women. The kneeling women do not wear blindfolds, and Aunt Lydia recognizes them. They are smiling. Aunt Lydia and the others fire, but it is she who and topples.

Aunt Lydia returns to her personal narrative, to the aftermath of the Thank Tank and hotel. After she dons the brown dress, she is brought back to Commander Judd, who tell hers that she was only subjected to Level One of their regimen. He reviews many elements of Lydia’s life, including the jobs that she has held, and her professional career, all of which has centered on promoting women’s rights. He comments on Lydia’s age of 53 and notes that she had both an abortion and a divorce, which are now punishable offenses. Finally, Commander Judd says he intends to end the suffering of women, he asks if she’ll join him. Lydia agrees, and he says that she will have to prove her sincerity.

For her first task, Lydia is an executioner at the stadium.