#osblaine

[bo-kryzze]

THE HANDMAID'S TALE 3.05 "Unknown Caller"

[leavingubehind]

osblaine + hands

[zalrb]

tw:

but...

yeah, idk, unless he kills the person who did or tried to do you harm, does he even love you?

this also goes for nearly killing and helping to kill

[hughesgarnet]

my loves a.k.a. why can't i just ship couples that aren't tragic -- OsBlaine, The Handmaid's Tale Season 4 Episode 09 "Progress"

[glasskey]

Nick & June's Mix tape Vol. 3

With volume 3 comes the battle for Holly, separation and the unveiling of painful secrets. Season 3 was notoriously poor to our 2 lovers with June becoming seriously twitchy without Nick, Hannah or Holly. Gilead is Hell.

What Are You Good For?

Love in Gilead is less than ideal. One day you’re dreaming about a beautiful beach with your beloved and the next he’s been promoted to Top Boy at the local horror show. Granted he looks great in the suit but Nick doesn’t seem to like the new tie, grabbing at it like the tightening noose that it actually is. Fred was obviously pissed about the baby snatching and his “reward” for Nick was to arrange a promotion complete with a quick trip to the front, undoubtedly to die.

I’ve often said that Nick sometimes DOES listen to his better angels and sometimes he takes the easy way out. Granted it’s difficult he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place, but when June asks him to take the high road, hightailing it with her and Hannah for the border, and he doesn’t, it earns him a brutal verbal slap.

“What are you good for?” she demands and I was instantly reminded of S1 when June confronted him with his lowly aspirations: “Is this it? You’re just gonna polish his car and once in a while get a Handmaid pregnant?” In both of these moments Blaine looks deeply shamed, June has shown him that while she loves him she’s also acutely aware of his shortcomings.

It’s a justified blow to his ego, particularly given his newly acquired power and his reluctance to use it for good. As she demonstrates her willingness to risk so much more for freedom, he’s left feeling like a small and suitably chided man, instead of the patriarchal Gilead’s new Big Commander. “You’ll get killed” June says with a cold finality as he tells her that he’s been sent to the front, confronting him with the reality that his unquestioning loyalty to Gilead will now surely cost him his life. It’s madness.

This is one of the only scenes where Nick and June are not depicted in a glowing light, it’s difficult to ignore that Nick is now almost swallowed by the shadows. Over the last 2 seasons, they’ve become one another’s beacon of joy and hope and there’s a palpable air of desolation and sorrow here, as these two bid each other goodbye, possibly forever. The camera reveals Nick and June divided by a wall, Nick unwilling to leave her, his back literally pinned to the wall by the heavy weight of Gilead.

June opens the door, gently reaches around, sensing him waiting, somehow their hands finding one another and she leads him out of the dark hallway and back into her room. Doors often represent entrances to other worlds and here we see June reach across the divide to return him to her side, once again. The lock snaps shut signalling an almost unheard of privacy. There’s a sense of finality in it too, as though it may be the last time these two see sanctuary for a long time, if ever again. It’s no more than 10 seconds of screen time and yet it encapsulates their relationship so perfectly. Nick constantly waiting in the shadows, bound by duty, and June always reaching across the divide to bring him in from the cold.

Nice Girl Like You in A Place Like This

The DC episode ranks right up there with the Boston Globe episode as one of the most important and insightful for this entire series. In Ep 6 June witnesses for the first time the absolute devastation this dictatorship has unleashed on her countries seat of power. Fittingly Fred has selected new wave DC as the location to construct his own personal piece of propaganda in an attempt to force the Canadians to hand Nicole back. June’s depicted glowering with vast angel wings, a monolith of power and holy vengeance. In the middle of Fred’s little directorial debut, Nick strolls in and June does the trademark jaw drop. Fred wants to know what he’s doing there, after all he had arranged for him to be shipped off to the front after the whole holding him at gun point / baby napping thing. Despite Fred’s best efforts though, it seems that not only does Blaine continue to breath, but he’s also shown up to visit his girlfriend.

Now if you thought Blaine looked good in a suit, wait till you see him draped in long, dark, tailor made, hotness. It’s obvious there’s a new kind of swagger to him and as he steps up next to June he brushes her hand and drops the line “Nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” It’s a line lifted from a Scorsese film of the same name and Blaine’s used it to flirtatiously lighten the intensely grim mood. He knows DC is Hell but he also knows June is anything but a “Nice Girl”, she blushes barely containing a smile and he smirks.

Fred and Serena can’t help but notice it and Fred’s seething with jealousy. There’s a close shot of Serena’s false finger clenching, a sign of the love lost between her and Fred, that contrasts directly against Nick and June’s hand brushing. Exchanges between Fred and Nick reek of power and control. Fred directs Nick to do his bidding, maneuvering him across the stage and verbally leashing him by calling him son, once again reducing him to a subordinate. Fred makes June kneel down for the camera, and Blaine looks away unable to watch. Unbeknownst to Fred, this will be the last time he ever exercises this type of control over Blaine.

This is Your One Chance

Here we got our epic movie moment for the series, It was like Gone with the Wind and Dr Zhivago all rolled up into one big romantic snow globe. June runs out to meet Nick her hair and cape fluttering behind her freely, a stark contrast to the DC handmaids brutally silenced. It demonstrates the freedom she feels he brings her. Nick, however seems to want nothing to do with June’s gamble on the Swiss that involves him laying his neck on the line and entwining himself in yet another Governments manoeuvrings for power. I, for one could hardly blame him; the last time he got involved with politics he ended up in the bottomless pit that is Gilead and he’s been unsuccessfully digging his way out ever since.

Add to this the fact that the last time he tried to help June, a multitude of people risked their lives and most certainly died, and you have one understandably reluctant Commander. But he’s helpless, she forces him to look in her eyes, tears streaming down her face and tells him that it’ll be his one opportunity to truly show his love and fealty for his daughter.

Now while some may doubt that Blaine ever showed up to speak with the Swiss, I can guarantee that this little exchange ensured that he did. The fact is, Blaine is a sucker for the loyalty card and once June played it, it was a done deal. Scenes are cut and included for a reason and as we know, in The Handmaid’s Tale, even the smallest scene is there for a reason. Show runners went to the effort of showing Blaine at the embassy being called to give information; he showed up, albeit reluctantly, and despite the fact that it all went sideways, writers still wanted you to know that. Unfortunately the reality is, he just couldn’t face her after it did all go to shit, and as a result he beat a hasty and somewhat cowardly exit to the front.

He knew the Swiss would soon tell her he’d been part of the Sons of Jacob who’d been integral to the inception of Gilead, something he’d kept hidden from her for some time now, and she’d be suitably mortified. June IS devastated, she looks out on the glowing playroom once filled with happy children that lies noticeably empty and silent. It reflects her isolation and sense of abandonment; perhaps the family she envisioned with Blaine was just a fantasy.

DC was an episode designed to illustrate the total destruction of all of our personal and societal freedoms under Gilead. To properly demonstrate this writers pulled the rip cord on any emotional support June may have previously had, this included breaking her and Serena up and having Nick leave her somewhat high and dry. It was essential to illustrate Nick was manipulated and part of the Gilead machine from the beginning. It was difficult to watch, given his devotion, but from the moment I saw him cloaked from head to foot in black, practically swallowed by his uniform, I knew it was inevitable that at least for now, Gilead pulled the strings.

In our next 2 Nick and June Mix tapes I’ll be covering Season 4, which was somewhat kinder to the Osblaine fans. Back soon.

[secretlovelygarden]

[toldyouthings]

for season 6 about nick!!!!!!!!!! (this is what bruce miller said)

[osblainefan84]

OMG!! A compilation of their "I love you"

🥹

[saveyoua-seat]

Nick & June + I love you(s)

The Handmaid's Tale

[manus-multae-cor-unum]

osblaine x illicit affairs

it's been ages since I've made a GIF-set, please excuse this mess!

[dystopiandramaqueen]

Me: I will ignore celebrity culture and live a normal life

Max and Lizzie:

[bo-kryzze]

JUNE OSBORNE & NICK BLAINE 2.12 "Postpartum"

[wishfulimaginings]

If Nick and June are not endgame, I'm going to be very depressed.

[zalrb]

I'm returning to a Nick and June vid that I've had in my drafts for a while and at the time, I don't think I adequately articulated how much of a meltdown I had over this moment

because the longing and the angst and the tension is so palpable? And because Nick is actively fighting against his instinct to kiss her. to physically demonstrate his matter-of-fact "I love you" from a few seconds before? And because June was holding her breath, waiting for that physical demonstration and Nick successfully stopping himself leaves her flustered and dazed and disappointed? And because in season 1 when he didn't stop himself from kissing her before she went to Fred and she whispers "it only makes it worse" they at least had the catharsis of their consensual, mutual passion but here they have to go without it?

Honestly, I find it one of their most romantic moments.

[hughesgarnet]

mini rant about Luke on June being in Canada vs Nick on June being in Canada

i absolutely HATE Luke for violating June's privacy when she explicitly said she didn't want him there. that's very selfish of him. it really irked me when he said "but at least now I know everything" -- girl this isn't about you wtf -- and for him to say that maybe they can just move on? the lack of empathy angered me so much. the way Moira, June's best friend, needed to tell him to be patient with June...? isn't that a given, knowing your wife suffered (for a lack of a better word) for seven fucking years? you didn't have to know what happened to her to be able to empathize with her -- that should be a given, considering you love her! but no, it's not about June, it's always about Luke, him, and how he lost his wife and his daughter, how he failed to save them.

luckily my anger was replaced with heartache on how Nick loves June so much. even being married off to a Wife, he still thinks of her and how he can help her. i nearly cried when he said he put some stuff together about Hannah for June because he knows she will always look for her despite being free. i love how Nick loves June unconditionally -- always making ways for her to be free, even knowing he won't see her again. that subtle nod he gave June when the Marthas were aiding her and Nichole to get out; other guys would kill for a chance to say goodbye and botch up the escape plan, but Nick didn't do that.

I'm not saying Luke has to be a fucking spy to be a decent lover to June but being empathetic and patient with her is the least he can do and HE CAN'T EVEN DO THAT. so yes, I'm team Nick 😾👎

[glasskey]

THT True Love and Double Trouble Remix Part 3

Welcome to the 3rd and final part of this remix. In the context of this love triangle Luke is the equivalent to the “home body” or the “boy next door”. For years and years now, in classic love triangle scenarios these slouchers have been “getting the girl” based on the lame-assed rule of “first dibs”. However our heroine isn’t beholden to anyone, SHE makes the rules, and as the infamous Dawson / Pacey / Joey love triangle taught us; the so called “diamond in the rough” is the everyday man’s worst fucking nightmare.

LUKE

Because Luke is the everyday man he presents a perfect vehicle for demonstrating the casual chauvinism experienced by women as a normal daily occurrence. Luke is a homebody with a desire for a wife and an idyllic family, and with this comes all the dynamics of it’s traditionalist ideals. Luke represents the average middle class male persona; educated but self-entitled and somewhat willingly complacent in his efforts to change his or societies attitudes to gender roles and dynamics. As such, the infringements of June’s initial freedoms are concerning rather than alarming and certainly not enough to motivate him into direct action. In Atwoods text Luke actually enjoys some of these restrictions of June’s former freedoms, as they allow him to assert his dominance, thus bolstering his own sense of self confidence. This character aspect has been somewhat downplayed in the series, but we do still see signs of it.

In Atwood’s text, Luke taunts Holly making light of her action against the patriarchy, in the series we see echoes of the two at loggerheads when Holly voices her disapproval of June and Luke’s marriage. Holly’s perception of Luke is as a trap of conventional traditionalism, a direct obstacle between June and her independence. Holly embodies the fight against a patriarchal society and the definitive independent woman. As such she is captured, enslaved and most likely killed off during the inception of Gilead. Moira also voices concerns that Luke will leave her if she cannot produce the child he so desperately desires, leaving June wondering; what if he sees her as primarily a walking womb? June’s insecurity at his faithfulness and her own abilities to provide a child cause her to continuously apologize, and minimize her own anxieties. Ultimately it allows him to take control, determining when they run and enabling his passivity to leave her trapped.

When June returns home she is far from the affectionate, compliant wife he once knew. She is distinctly uncomfortable in a world that somewhat acquiesces to Gilead’s will. She is enraged, vengeful and hypervigilant. After waiting many years for her return, Luke seems determined to “love whoever she turns out to be”, it seems almost defeatist to “let her go” after all this time. However he’s constantly challenged by the person who’s returned to him, and while there are moments of connection they’re tenuous and it’s doubtful that pre Gilead, he would have ever chosen to marry the woman he now knows.

Prior to Gilead’s inception the nature of the physical connection between Luke and June ranged from flirtatious to affectionate. Upon returning from Gilead, physical contact between Luke and June ranges from cautious to violent and finally settles back into a friendly affection. In contrast scenes of unrestrained climactic sex seems to have been reserved almost exclusively for Nick Blaine, drawing a sharp line between the two. In S5 we witness a spontaneously passionate sex scene between Luke and June, but the lighting and positioning hurtles you back to Nick and June’s heated, passionate exchange at the Boston Globe. As June turns away from Luke, it’s difficult not to conclude that June is reliving a distant precious memory. It’s a moment of passion triggered by their mutual hatred of Serena rather than any loving desire for intimacy. In the fading cold light he lies exposed as she remains covered, his attempt to reach her has failed once again.

I truly sympathize with Luke, to me it makes perfect sense that he would TRY and reconnect with June. That he would hope against hope that despite many years of separation and her obvious love for another man, that he might be able to salvage his marriage somehow. Throughout season 4 and 5 we witnessed a man clinging to the past, the moments he connected with June were when he spied the remnants of the woman he once knew, or when hopes of Hannah returning were raised. Maybe, just MAYBE, he hopes, he might be able to get back the family he lost on that icy road so many years ago. Throughout S4 and 5 Luke showed a deepening awareness of June’s altered perception of both him and their relationship. He expressed regret that he’d failed her as a partner and made ill-conceived attempts to redeem his short comings, he tried desperately to hold onto her and the dream of his family…..but it all seemed for naught.

As June bade him farewell at the train station we saw her pivoting from Ep 9 where she told him to let her go, to telling him to come find her. But the borderline disconnection of the last 2 seasons made it seem either like a sentimental goodbye, or an unrealistic attempt to suddenly reconnect these two characters fully. I was moved by the “goodbye’s”, but the “I love you’s” and “come find me’s” left me confused. Had I missed something? Had some immense edit had taken place to save air time?

Both Luke and Nick are cautionary tales but in decisively different ways. Luke is privileged and well educated, he works in a white collar job and he chose a passive role, doing little or nothing to act, at the inception of Gilead. He represents the willful ignorance and complacency of men who assume that power comes at no personal cost. He is a demonstration of men’s responsibility to, not only change their own gender biased beliefs, but be pro-active about changing those around them. In contrast Nick is poor, unemployed, with no higher education and he chose an active role. His position has a great deal to say about the ease of manipulation by the wealthy ruling class. His servile and initially diminutive role of action turns the larger wheels of power for Gilead, as Serena said: “we wouldn’t be here without him”. Both Luke and Nick illustrate the incredible destruction caused to ALL, by both the active practice and social complacency of gender bias. Both challenge our perceptions of guilt and innocence. The Handmaid’s Tale is known for its painfully accurate social commentary, and the inescapable truth is that whether passive or active, both of these roles can be equally devastating.

In S5 we see Serena confronting Luke with the reality of his inaction, provoking a rage filled response. Luke is seething with hatred for Gilead, but there is also an undercurrent of immense guilt and self-loathing for his own apathy.

Luke said nothing, did nothing, ran too late, lost his wife, lost his daughter…….there are consequences. Nick joined the Sons of Jacob, he took part in a right wing regime and he lost his country, his freedom, his daughter and the woman he loves……..there are SO many consequences.

Both of these men signify a journey that male attitudes and society at large must take in order to unstack the deck. Throughout the seasons we’ve seen both Nick and Luke’s painful personal journey of enlightenment, regret and their ultimate choice to change. It’s no coincidence that they BOTH now reside in the “purgatorial” Big House…..it’s time to show true sacrifice and pay the piper.

There seems to be a tendency to attribute a mantel of innocence to Luke for his passivity during the inception of Gilead, furthermore the idea that he’s EARNED some sort of expected devotion through the role of husband and provider. Ironically this attitude reflects the very archaic traditionalism that The Handmaid’s Tale kicks against time and time again. As Holly said, “now’s not the time for settling down, now’s the time to fight.” so when push comes to shove, if either of these boys want to tag along with our rebel, they’d better get ready to gear up and go underground. Rebellion waits for no man.

In story telling great lovers have something that for lack of a better term, could be referred to as “calling cards”. They act like talismans of their deep connection, and Nick and June have a LOT: their hand brushing, foreheads touching, ever present glowing lights, when Nick calls her name, her gasp and eyelash flutter at the mere mention of his name, and the touching of June’s neck. These “calling cards” seem so very conspicuously absent in Luke and June’s relationship, and as the seasons roll on, this is harder and harder to ignore.

The end result is that watching Nick and June fall in love, is like watching two people GENUINELY fall in love for the first time. Regardless of whether this portrayal is the result of June’s overly romanticized narration is irrelevant, the fact remains that Nick Blaine is quite literally being visually described as “the love of her life". In comparison the audience is fed somewhat ordinary glimpses of her life with Luke. The Handmaid’s Tale moves in circles, depicting the turning of seasons and as such June swings back and forth between these men. The end of the shows seasons always somehow cruelly reuniting and yet separating her from Nick. The rule of chances state that the wheel of fortune must finally turn differently this time. But I don’t trust these writers, I never have, they’re erratic and brilliant and you can never trust genius to be predictable. Whether Nick and June end in tragedy, sacrifice or victory is yet to be seen.