#mark tuello

[bo-kryzze]

THE HANDMAID'S TALE 5.01 "Morning"

[withallthingslove]

June and Nick making the same point about Tuello using Mayday to put civilians in danger

[vampiricalxdata]

[my headcannon that tuello is osblaine’s biggest fan]

luke: you’ve been pining after that n*zi!

*tuello jumps out of the bushes*

[martharaccoon]

I don’t know if Mark still has a thing for Serena but I can just see his face after finding out she’s getting married to a commander AGAIN:

And I just knowwww Lawrence is so done with June at this point. Like wdym get you across the border, we’ve done that many times for you and you still keep coming back 😭

[smoulderingocean]

Tuello is just another government sycophant that is perfectly fine throwing the bodies of other people into the fire, but will never get his own hands dirty or put his own life on the line. He's the embodiment of the war general sending countless young men into the meat grinder of the battlefield day after day without a care in the world. He can sit safely in his broom cupboard or whatever, making plans; plans where innocent people will die, where people in over their heads will die, where nothing of significance will be accomplished, and he himself will never be at risk.

And then after he nearly gets two unskilled civilians in Luke and Moira killed, having to have them rescued by Nick at great personal risk, instead of reflecting upon his constant failures, he has the audacity to threaten Nick (who is constantly putting his life on the line to help) because Nick isn't doing everything Tuello demands in the ways he wants it done, despite the fact that Tuello's a known idiot who gets people killed because he knows nothing of the realities of Gilead while arrogantly thinking that he does.

His desire to take out the commanders who shot down the planes in Gilead airspace -a mission that was so breathtakingly stupid that it's hard to believe he actually thought it was feasible- and using whoever he can to do that just shows what a weak person he is. He failed, big time, and is looking to use others for his own vengeance, not caring how many more people he's going to get killed so long as he gets justice for his own failures.

Both Nick and June were right to call him out. It is a repellent behaviour all too common in government officials who don't in fact give a shit about anyone or anything other than the supposed big picture and their own power.

[thehandmaidsdaily]

more season 6 promo stills

[serenagrey]

THT Rewatch Highlight: Serena & Mark

•

Bonus gif that I think sums up their relationship:

[sometimesoliloquy]

Yeah, but Luke counts for nothing. I mean, so far he hasn't managed to do anything useful.

So I maintain that the message of the show is that only women can make it. But I'm not saying that to say that I agree with the writers' message.

Sure, I get what you’re saying! And agree Luke is pretty much useless in terms of having helped June or the cause, although he would probably tell you otherwise (hi, has he told you about his bombs yet?🙃🫠). But I’d still maintain that there are plenty of men involved, like look at this new plan, they need Lawrence involved for his status/freedom of movement within Gilead, they need Tuello to bring in the cavalry. Granted these aren’t romantic interests but it would seem a little silly for them to be like “see? June doesn’t need a man for her revolution!” just because she happens to be single(?) but literally there are men playing crucial roles! I still agree it’s a direction they could be (but would be reductive and boring imo).

[spockvarietyhour]

[eleanoroliphant]

We love the smell of revolution in the morning.

[longtimeballoon]

Are you worried about your reputation?

I’ve just binged season five and I have so many thoughts. This scene is interesting because it shows that Serena will choose her belief system and submission to patriarchal values over a man who uhh appears to love her and has treated her with respect and as an equal despite everything she’s done.

Nope, Serena would prefer a life of misery and subjugation because she’s morally bankrupt through and through.

- Serena’s attempt to flirt with Commander Lawrence was hilarious

- I feel like the fourth wall was broken for a moment in this episode when Mark asked “are you worried about your reputation” when they were alone together in Serena’s room. If so many fans of the show thought the baby was Mark’s then it would make sense that those in Canada or Gilead would question the paternity too.

- Mark is not a very good spy if he fell for his asset and based on what Sam said in an interview, Mark fell under Serena’s spell pretty early on.

- I noticed that Serena lied to Tuello about her plans to remarry (why?) and then her immediate excitement when she thought Commander Lawrence had requested to see her and Mark looks so dejected. This scene was a lot, the way he pleaded with her after the cheek kiss oh my

- I think that was the end of this soapy storyline but I still wonder if anything will come of it in season 6. I’m kind of hoping so and I don’t know why lol

[bo-kryzze]

THE HANDMAID'S TALE 5.09 "Allegiance"

[glasskey]

Justice THT Style - Part 4 - Tuello

Today I’m going to be discussing Tuello and all his various forms of justice. Tuello’s had quite a journey lately and as his allegiance to June grows, so too his sense of Justice must also change.

In season 4, when Fred was at the top of everyone’s shit list, we were finally given a proper introduction to Mark Tuello (YAY). As a character he seems to have an almost Teflon like quality, he’s likeable to the point of being cuddly, and even when he does fuck up he seems to redeem himself without so much as a scratch. I love Tuello, he’s extremely layered and I’m always on board for the onions in any cast of characters. Tuello is, for all intents and purposes, the Nick Blaine of Canada. They both occupy positions of power and judgement and like Blaine, Tuello acts like a light in the dark whenever June needs to find safe harbour.

As a diplomat it’s expected that Tuello’s sense of justice is strictly procedural and in season 4 he bargains with Fred to acquire him as an asset. But he’s a complicated guy, Tuello feels Junes rage and frustration, he knows Fred is a POS who doesn’t deserve immunity and a quiet house in the suburbs. He knows full well that by handing over Fred to Gilead he’ll be sentencing him to death, but regardless he marches him with firm righteousness across the border and does just that.

The similarities between this and Blaine's walk with Fred through the woods seemed to foretell the partnership between these two men in delivering justice that was at last cemented in season 5. With both men Fred stops mid walk to rage indignantly at them, only to be brutally rebuffed each time. I am not joking when I say the very SECOND I saw Blaine jump out of that truck and flash those suspenders (sweet mother of Mary) I knew their partnership would come to pass.

Like Blaine he’s not really one to revel in retributive justice, but in this case he was happy to partake and in season 5 he stopped by Junes’ house to give her an unexpected pat on the back for her murderous endeavours. Tuello also seemed to have an intimate knowledge of what this would ultimately cost June personally…..the figurative second grave.

Tuello may be truly benevolent, but every move he makes is a precise and purposeful attempt at the restoration of democracy to a broken country. Tuello likes Blaine, he honestly believes he is an “honourable man” and he’s truly awed by Nicks love for June. He’s a romantic and he simply can’t understand why Serena would go back to Fred or why Nick didn’t run away with June. He’s visibly heart broken when Blaine professes that he feels worthless and I was utterly convinced in that moment that Tuello would need to light the way, if Nick was ever to hope to make it back to June.

As romantic as he may be, he’s no fool, he makes Nick sign a contract and he intends to hold him to it. Nick Blaine is a HUGE asset to Tuello, ultimately taking the place that Fred would have occupied as a source of information about the inner workings of Gilead, this may mean that Nick is in for a long haul as a double agent. Tuello is ultimately a real messenger of peace; his kindness towards Blaine, his repeated attempts to help Serena, his attempt to rescue Hannah and his warnings about New Bethlehem, all testify to this. Everything about Tuello is designed to command respect, but in his case its done with a kind word and a contract instead of a noose. Tuello has been constructed to be almost father figure like in nature. There’s something wonderfully comforting about his presence; he has a voice that could read you off into a blissful slumber and he’s rarely seen dressed in anything but a well tailored suit.

Tuello is remarkably cool headed in most situations, even those that should send him into a tail spin. I’ve only seen him get slightly flustered once or twice, the most notable being when June neglected to make an appointment and surprised him jogging. To be fair, no one looks their best clammy and gasping for breath, and lets face it their last encounter didn’t really end on a high note.

While I’m thrilled to have Tuello along as an ally, I’m acutely aware that everything about him screams (in a warm caramel voice) the virtues of restorative justice, and I’m wondering how well our lovely diplomat will fair once he’s seen some actual corpses swing. Tuello, like Blaine, may want to stick to the rule of moral and law, but I fear that as Gilead seeps across the border, he may quickly come to realise that stronger methods will be required in order to restore peace. Next time I’ll be discussing the use of Tokens in THT. What are they and what do they mean? See you then.

[warningsine]

[heronroseeros]

why have tuello and serena had this unspoken chemistry for the entire show. and why is it so intense. god this show is so good.

[trademarkblue]

re watching 5×10 and realizing what an osblaine stan Tuello is.

Totally agree!

Earlier in the season, when Tuello meets Nick on the bridge to discuss Nick working with him, if I recall correctly, Tuello makes the focus more about Nick being able to see his daughter.

But in 5x10, he sees clearly how much Nick loves June and how he would do anything for her. Of course he could exploit this, but Tuello seems genuinely touched by it. And during Nick’s “I’m nothing” moment, Tuello is so real with him and quick to remind Nick of the truth about his own worth. Tuello has seen for himself how important Nick is to June, so he can confidently remind Nick of this.

The final confirmation though seems to be that magnificent moment as June and Luke are about to board the train to escape Toronto. June pointedly steps away from Luke to ask Tuello to please let Nick know that she and Nichole are okay. Tuello’s expression is soooo sweet and hopeful there, like he’s thrilled to be hearing this and to be a part of delivering Osblaine news. 💕