Things get tense in Gilead in the penultimate episode of Hulu’s ‘The Testaments’ as Daisy’s one choice unravels everyone’s best-laid plans. The previous episode ended with Agnes confiding in Daisy about her and Hulda being assaulted by Becka’s father, Dr. Grove. It makes Daisy’s blood boil to discover that even when Agnes told Aunt Lydia about it, nothing was done to make the dentist pay for his actions. So, Daisy decides to inflict some Gilead justice of her own. However, neither she nor anyone else could have imagined that it would happen in such a shocking and drastic manner. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Daisy Becomes a Plum
In the aftermath of discovering Dr. Grove’s actions, Daisy ponders the idea of justice. In her world, an eye for an eye would make the whole world go blind, but in Gilead, an eye for an eye is the rule. And when in Gilead, live by Gilead’s rules, so Daisy comes up with a plan. When she received her period, she decided to keep it a secret, because she knew that it would make her eligible for marriage, and she didn’t want to be married off to some old Commander. But she also knows that once the Aunts know she has had her period, they will arrange a trip to the dentist, and that’s when she will have her chance. So, she rings the bell to declare her stepping into womanhood, which pleasantly surprises everyone.
The next day, when the Plums come to school, Becka talks to Agnes about how they seem to have grown apart, especially since Daisy came into the picture. When Becka calls the Pearl Girl Aunt Lydia’s spy, Agnes assures her that’s not the case, and the fact that she takes Daisy’s side makes her uncomfortable. And then, Aunt Estee walks in with Daisy, revealing that she has had her period and is now one of the Plums. Violet’s clothes are brought out for her, the girls help her dress, and Becka pricks her while fixing her pin. When they leave the class, Agnes wonders why Daisy decided to come forward after telling Shunnamite she wanted to keep it a secret.
Daisy says she decided to rip the band-aid off because the Aunts would find out eventually, and in all this, Becka realizes that she is the only one who didn’t know about this secret everyone else shared. Aunt Estee calls out to Daisy, revealing that they are going to the dentist. Daisy knew it would happen, but she didn’t think it would happen so soon. Agnes and Hulda are also concerned for her, and Agnes offers to join Daisy since she has no family. Since Becka has no idea what her father did, she sees Agnes’ offer as another sign that her friend has grown closer to the Pearl Girl.
Daisy Decides to Make Dr. Grove Pay
Agnes’ presence is comforting for Daisy as she tries to calm her nerves outside before being called into Dr. Grove’s office. During the checkup, he points out that the Canadian doctors did a poor job with her fillings. His every move makes Daisy flinch, thinking that this is when he will finally do something untoward, but it never happens. When it’s time to go, Daisy creates a scene. She tears her own clothes and runs out, screaming for help. She accuses Dr. Grove of touching her, shocking everyone around her. Later, when the Aunts question her, she does not hold back from giving details about what happened. When Aunt Vidala tries to say she may be confused, Daisy points out that she comes from outside Gilead and knows sin when she sees it.
When it becomes clear that Daisy is not going to back down from her statement, Aunt Lydia has a word in private with her. She wonders how Dr. Grove could have been so reckless as to tear her blouse, knowing full well there were witnesses outside his office, but she has chosen not to think about it further. She assures Daisy that justice will be served. When Daisy leaves the office, Aunt Estee is on her knees, crying that she let such a thing happen to Daisy. She fiercely apologizes to the girl, who is reminded that the Aunts are human, too. Later, Agnes checks in on her, wondering if the Aunts believed her or dismissed her claims like they did Hulda’s. Daisy says that she made things pretty clear.
It makes Agnes say that Daisy is not a Pearl Girl, or at least not like the other Pearl Girls who will do anything to fit in. Daisy, on the other hand, just risked everything. When she wonders why Daisy came to Gilead, Daisy becomes defensive. She points out that Dr. Grove hurt Agnes and Hulda, and Agnes adds that he hurt Daisy, too. Right? Later, when Agnes gets home, she almost has a panic attack while hiding behind her bed. Meanwhile, Aunt Lydia meets with Commander Judd, and it is decided that Dr. Grove will not be punished until after Becka’s wedding, because why ruin her life for his actions. It also turns out that Judd had heard rumors about the dentist but had dismissed them. Now, he seems more dejected that, by punishing Dr. Grove, they will be losing a great dentist.
Becka Takes Matters Into Her Own Hands
At Becka’s home, Becka, her mother, and Garth wait for Dr. Grove, who is unusually late. When he comes home, he is not in a good mood and reveals everything that happened, knowing that there is no point in hiding, as Becka and Garth would find out soon enough. The next morning, Becka attacks Daisy for lying about her father, but Agnes takes her away and tells her that Daisy is not lying. When Becka wonders how Agnes could know that, the latter reveals that the same thing had happened to her, too. This leaves Becka broken-hearted, and she spends the rest of the day crying. Meanwhile, Daisy and Garth have a conversation. When he asks her how she is and if Grove really hurt her, she comes clean about the whole thing.
Garth is appalled by the fact that she lied, but she points out that if she hadn’t done it, he would have continued to hurt other girls, and someone needed to step up for them. Later that evening, as Becka has dinner with her parents, she asks her father if what’s being said about him is true. He says he never touched that Pearl Girl, which makes Becka realize that while Daisy may have lied, Agnes wasn’t. At night, Becka takes the shears with which she cuts the stems off roses and plunges it in her father’s chest while he is in the bath. Then she wears a Martha’s clock and hat and takes a bus to Agnes’ house. Agnes is awoken by Zilla to see a bloodied Becka outside her bedroom. It is clear what Becka has done, especially after she calls it “divine justice.”
It also seems to Agnes that her friend is not herself, so she deals with the situation delicately. With Zilla’s help, she has Becka cleaned up. In the bath, Becka talks about how she did “God’s work” for Agnes, for whom she would do anything. She talks about how the shears felt when she stabbed her father, and then asks Agnes to run away with her, like they’d talked about earlier, even if it was in jest. Agnes replies positively to all of it. But when they are all dressed up and head towards the door, Agnes’ parents show up. It turns out Agnes told them everything, believing that her friend needed help. Garth shows up to take Becka away. Agnes thinks they are taking her friend to the hospital, but then the Eyes show up, throw her in the back of the van, and drive away as she continues to call out for help.
Read More: Who is Garth’s Father? What Happened to Him in The Testaments?
