The first two episodes of *The Testaments* confirmed that Daisy was not merely a "Pearl Girl"; she was on a mission. But the question remained: how had she come into contact with Mayday, and what drove her to take such a risk? And, most importantly: what was her connection to June? Well, the third episode answers most of these questions. We finally learn Daisy’s backstory and discover why, for her, living in Gilead was the only option. She had to feign piety to blend in with the crowd, yet, by all appearances, she loathed the State and everything it stood for. Daisy led a vibrant life: she went to school, had a boyfriend, and loved skateboarding. The great dilemma of her life at that time revolved around whether or not she should come clean to her mother about her boyfriend. But everything changed drastically one fateful night.
Daisy’s parents, Neil and Melanie, were kind and loving people. They owned a second-hand clothing store and lived happily in their modest life in Toronto—or at least, that is what Daisy believed. Her mother was curious about her friend Justin, and Daisy tried to avoid answering her questions directly. Later, she confided in Justin that she wanted to be honest with her parents; however, when she returned to the store that very afternoon, her parents were already dead. Daisy could not believe her eyes; she found it impossible to comprehend the reason behind her parents' deaths. They had been shot—but why? Daisy identified the bodies at the morgue; she was too dazed by the effects of the drugs to process everything that was happening.
Creator: Bruce Miller
Stars: Brad Alexander, Hattie Kragten, Nate Corddry
Tim, from Social Services, offered her a cup of tea and informed her that she was free to leave after signing a couple of documents. He asked her to wait for him, and—at that very moment—June walked in. Upon discovering that "Social Services" had contacted Daisy, June deduced that Gilead’s agents were already closing in on her. She snatched the cup from her hand, threw it to the floor, and asked Daisy to come with her. Daisy couldn't grasp what was happening. She was face-to-face with a woman telling her that she was in danger—and that the man who claimed to be from Social Services had been lying to her. June explained that she was a friend of her parents and had visited their shop on several occasions.
She offered to take her to a safe place, and Daisy trusted her. June refused to let her contact her boyfriend or leave the apartment where they were temporarily staying—a restriction that left Daisy feeling frustrated. Finally, June revealed to Daisy that her parents were collaborating with Mayday; unsurprisingly, Daisy was left completely shell-shocked. She refused to believe that her parents had been leading a secret life—one known only to June. Furthermore, she didn't believe her parents possessed the technical know-how to be secret spies. June tried to explain that Neil and Melanie had planned to tell Daisy about Mayday, but that it wasn't easy, as they knew that doing so would put her in danger as well.
Daisy didn't know what to believe, and when June mentioned that she had made arrangements to get her out of the city, Daisy demanded to speak with her boyfriend. Naturally, June couldn't allow her to communicate with anyone on the outside; so, that night—once June had fallen asleep—Daisy slipped away. She walked to Justin's house and held him in a tight embrace, terrified at the thought of ever having to let him go. She didn't know what the future held, so she decided that—for the brief time she had left with him—she wanted to keep him close. Daisy suggested they run away together, but Justin simply scoffed at the idea.
He didn't believe that running away was the solution to the emotional turmoil she was going through; instead, he suggested she speak with the police officers who had been looking for her. She had told him that her parents were, apparently, spies—and that this was what had caused their deaths—but Justin didn't believe her. He suggested that they speak with their own parents first and then decide what to do. Daisy sensed that this wasn't a good idea, so she took some money from his pants pockets, climbed out the window, and left. She met up with June, who was waiting for her. She hugged her tightly and told her that she wanted to help, for she, too, knew firsthand what it was like to endure heart-wrenching agony.
The students from Aunt Lydia’s school boarded a bus to head to Mrs. Judd’s home. She was married to Commander Judd, and the Aunts believed the girls would learn a lesson or two by seeing how well she had adapted to her new life. The Plums were excited at the prospect; they would have the opportunity to reunite with their friend and, furthermore, discover what life was like on "the other side." Daisy was asked to look after Agnes during the journey. Shortly after the students boarded the bus and had traveled a short distance, gunshots rang out.
Daisy focused on keeping Agnes safe, an act that helped her earn the girl's trust. The students were evacuated from the bus and instructed to take cover in a nearby shop. They saw corpses lying on the ground, and the entire episode proved traumatic for the young women. They gathered to discuss the shocking incident, and when Daisy asked them who they thought might have committed it, they responded firmly that it was Mayday—their number one enemy—whom they described as "godless animals." The subject shifted immediately when one of the girls, Hulda, remarked that she had seen a wounded Guardian being bandaged up, and that she had noticed the hair on his abdomen. The girls appeared quite surprised—and even disgusted—by this information.
Daisy thought that if she added a little "spice" to the conversation, the girls might finally come to trust her. She added that most adult men she had seen had body hair. The girls wondered why this was the case, and Daisy instinctively replied that it was genetic, though she quickly added that it was one of God’s mysteries. They asked her how she had obtained that information. Daisy replied that she used to go to the beach just like everyone else; men there typically went shirtless, so seeing bodies was a fairly common occurrence. He added, moreover, that the hair extended even further down—at which the girls blushed.
A week after the incident, the Plums went on their outing exactly as originally planned. Commander Judd’s wife—Penny—was euphoric upon seeing her friends. She showed them her home, meticulously decorated, and boasted about her husband’s collection of exclusive wines. She tried to convey the impression that her married life was idyllic—that the Commander allowed her to decorate the house exactly as she pleased, and that, lately, she had been feeling unwell in the mornings, which she hoped was a sign from God.
To the Plums, Penny’s life was perfect—picture-postcard perfect; but what was it *really* like behind closed doors? Hopefully, we will find out soon. Commander Michael Judd paid a visit and praised the bravery the girls had demonstrated the previous week. He explained that Mayday had attacked them simply out of envy for their wealth—a wealth consisting of "clean air, clean water, and young, fertile women." The outside world, according to him, harbored nothing but filth and hatred; his eyes soon settled on Daisy, and he remarked that Gilead believed in welcoming God’s children, no matter where they came from. They asked Daisy why she had come to Gilead, and she replied that she wished to serve God’s will and that she had nothing left in the place she came from. The Commander welcomed her to her "new home"—and, well, Daisy couldn't have hated it more.
We soon discover that Agnes’s Guardian (the one she had a crush on) was collaborating with Mayday; Daisy spoke with him in secret and asked if they were, in fact, responsible for the attacks. Apparently, it was supposed to be a rescue mission—though it doesn't seem as if things went according to plan. Daisy surreptitiously handed him the map of the school she had drawn, hoping that—whatever his plan might be—it would not endanger the girls.
Daisy didn't mince words, branding Mayday a "disastrous botch job" for having put both the young women and herself at risk in the name of their mission. She reminded the young man that she was risking her life by infiltrating the school and that they could not afford a single mistake. Daisy told him she wanted to speak with June, but the young man didn't seem to know who she was referring to. This came as no surprise, given that Mayday was a massive organization, and its members were not expected to know every single one of their fellow members. Daisy realized that she was completely alone—a revelation she found utterly devoid of comfort. Meanwhile, Agnes noticed that Daisy had taken her seat on the bus ahead of everyone else; she likely suspected that Daisy harbored feelings for her Guardian—and, evidently, she was not amused.
The last time—and perhaps the only time—that Daisy and June met, Daisy asked June why Gilead was pursuing her. They had already murdered her parents, so what else could they possibly want? June revealed to Daisy that Gilead did not intend to harm her, but rather to reclaim her, as they believed Daisy belonged to them. Daisy struggled to grasp June’s point, given that her parents had never been to Gilead; therefore, there was no actual link between that authoritarian state and herself.
It was then that June made the major revelation at the end of the third episode of *The Testaments*, stating that Neil and Melanie were her adoptive parents. She had been born in Gilead, and her parents had smuggled her out. Daisy found it difficult to process the truth; she could not believe that Neil and Melanie were not her biological parents. June recalled that when Daisy first left Gilead, she cried incessantly; however, Melanie did not give up. She sang songs from musicals to her, and eventually, at one point, Daisy calmed down. For this reason, June wanted Daisy to know that Neil and Melanie would always be her parents; they had raised her and did whatever was necessary to protect her. When Daisy asked June how she knew this story, June explained that Melanie had told her on several occasions.
For a brief moment, Daisy blamed herself for her parents' deaths, but June made it clear to her that this was not the case and told her never to think that way again. Before leaving, June assured Daisy that Mayday would always have her back and that they had been watching over her the entire time. If you have read the book, you already know the story; however, judging by the episode, one can deduce that there is a bond between June and Daisy that will undoubtedly prove crucial to the events yet to unfold. Furthermore, June’s priority has always been to get Hannah out of Gilead, so Daisy could play a pivotal role in that plan. Could that be the reason he was asked to remain constantly by Agnes's side? Is Agnes, in reality, Hannah? Well, we will soon get the answers.
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