Still from the show (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

5 worst villains from The Handmaid's Tale

Modified Apr 15, 2025 02:43 GMT

The Handmaid's Tale stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, and Samira Wiley among others. Based on the novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, the dystopian series is about a theocratic and totalitarian society. It looks at how fertile women are subjected to child-bearing slavery, abuse, and punishments at the hands of the autocratic leaders.

The Handmaid's Tale won critical and commercial acclaim for its direction, social commentary, and performances, especially that of Elisabeth Moss. The show has themes of religious fanaticism, social hierarchy, women’s subjugation, and more. It also has many villainous characters who inflict terrible suffering upon the women. Here is a list of five of the worst villains in the series.

Disclaimer: The article is based upon the author’s opinions.

Serena Waterford, Fred Waterford, and other villains from The Handmaid's Tale

1) June Osborne

Played by Elisabeth Moss, June is present throughout all four seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale. She slowly transforms from a protagonist to a shady character in the series.

The trauma she suffered in Gilead because of the separation from her husband and child and the loss of her autonomy and identity, makes her an anti-hero figure. She is someone who wants to take down theocracy by all means, even if it means causing danger to herself and others around her.

June believes her actions are justified because the world is bad and needs revenge, a reasoning used by many villains. Her decisions have led to the death of certain people and the suffering of handmaids in The Handmaid's Tale.

Her lack of remorse and her cold demeanor make her a dangerous villain in The Handmaid's Tale. This is also a reflection of how the social order in Gilead turns good people into villains.

2) Aunt Lydia Clements

The Handmaid’s Tale introduces Lydia (Ann Dowd), the head of the Handmaid system and in charge of disciplining the ladies and their indoctrination. She is so indoctrinated that she believes in keeping women in line and institutionalizes r*pe, brutal physical punishments, and keeps the handmaids subservient under altered Bible teachings.

Her character is not only evil but nefarious, because she uses the Lord’s name to keep control. She is under heavy delusion and believes that her actions are justified. Even though she cares for some of the women under her care, she is unable to let go of her own fundamentalism.

3) Commander Fred Waterford

Fred (Joseph Fiennes) from The Handmaid's Tale is one of the most evil characters in the show. June suffers a lot under his care, and Fred believes that he is all-powerful because he is among the Sons of Jacob. Although he behaves like he is just and kind, he hides his brutal nature underneath.

His list of sins is long in The Handmaid's Tale as he is the creator of Gilead and the Handmaid system. He is also responsible for mutilations of women, their r*pe, and for his own wife’s physical punishments. He even tries to have a relationship with June and makes advances towards her. Fred is a sadist who likes to torture those people who are underneath him.

4) Commander Warren Putnam

Even though Warren has a minor role in The Handmaid’s Tale, he is an important character to the overall storyline. His character underscores how men benefit from the system immensely and women have to pay the price. Played by Stephen Kunken, Warren is cruel and a serial r*pist, who justifies his actions under the garb of religion.

He is also purely evil in The Handmaid's Tale because of his treatment of Janine. He makes her believe that he loves her and would leave his wife to start a life with her. However, when Janine realizes that she has been used by him, she exposes his infidelity and takes her own life, making Warren get his hand amputated as punishment.

5) Serena Joy Waterford

Played by Yvonne Strahovski in The Handmaid’s Tale, Serena is one of the most notorious villains in the series, who only has her own interests at heart. She is the author of A Woman’s Place, which builds the foundation of Gilead in The Handmaid's Tale. She has theocratic beliefs, and while she is pushed out of the power structure because she should be a subservient woman, Serena does not stop her mayhem.

Her cruelty in The Handmaid's Tale begins when she becomes obsessed with the idea of her handmaid producing a child for her. Serena Joy forces June and Nick to sleep together, mistreats June, threatens Hannah’s safety, and refuses to treat mutilated handmaids with respect. She also forces Fred to r*pe June so that she can go into labor.

Viewers are welcome to go through the list and check out the various villains in The Handmaid’s Tale.

About the author

Deeya Aakriti Haque is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda. She has been writing for over 2 years in the field of entertainment. Previously, she was associated with Vistara's in-flight magazine and covered various topics including lifestyle, pop culture, literature, beauty, and more.

She holds a Bachelor’s in English Honors from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a Master’s in English from Delhi University. Deeya sets herself apart as a pop culture writer through her in-depth research and unique perspective, often including intriguing pop trivia in her articles.

She admires the actress Jodie Foster for her acting prowess, perseverance, and elegance. Apart from not being busy writing about the latest trends, Deeya loves watching movies, particularly horror and psychological thrillers, and listening to classic 80s American music.

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