Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, episode 3!
A surprising character from June Osborne’s past has just returned in the premiere episode ofThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6, and here’s who she is and why she is back. Thehistory ofThe Handmaid’s Taleis full of June being separated and reuniting with characters, with this happening with Nick and Luke multiple times throughout the past few seasons. However, one of the characters whom June has been separated from the longest has just found her way back to her, startingThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6 off with a bang.
The Handmaid’s Taleseason 6 picks up right whereThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 5 ended, with June and Serena Joy headed away fromwhat is left of America due to increasing Gileadean influence. On the train to Alaska, the rest of the passengers become privy to Serena Joy’s true identity, with them chasing the Waterford off the train. After Serena Joy makes the jump, June is left by herself once again. However, this doesn’t last long, as she arrives in Alaska and is quickly greeted by a familiar face.
Where June’s Mom Has Been In The Handmaid’s Tale
& How She Got To Alaska
In Alaska, June is surprised to find her mother, Holly Maddox. June hasn’t seen her mother since before Gilead took over, with them immediately catching up and talking about what they have been up to. AlthoughHolly had been previously seen in flashback episodes, June knew that her mother had somehow ended up in the Colonies, with her being presumed dead. Holly explains that she was sent there after being tried by Gilead, but she was left alive due to her medical knowledge. Holly helped take care of Gileadean forces in the Colonies, buying her time to stay alive.
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Eventually, her colony was liberated by the United States. She made her way to Alaska, one of the fewplaces that was free from Gileadean control. Once there, she learend that Alaska had been cut off from the internet, meaning that she couldn’t investigate what had happened to June. Thus, Holly decided to stay in Alaska, with her using her medical knowledge to help Gileadean refugees and the resistance. This is where June found Holly, with her mother reading June’s name on a document of incoming refugees and running to her.
Who Plays June’s Mother In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6
InThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6, June’s mother is played by Cherry Jones. Cherry Jones is the same actress who portrayed Holly in previous episodes ofThe Handmaid’s Tale, although her role in the first three episodes of season 6 is much bigger than ever before. Previously, June’s mother had appeared in a few flashback episodes, revealing that Holly was a feminist who worked at an abortion clinic. Although she has only been a background character so far, it is nice to see Cherry Jones get some time to shine inThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6.
Cherry Jones was born on July 08, 2025 in Paris, Tennessee, and has had a variety of acting roles in movies and TV shows. She has appeared in popular movies likeErin Brockovich,Signs, andThe Eyes of Tammy Fayeas well as beloved TV shows likeThe West Wing,24, andSuccession.Cherry Jones even won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series forThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 2, episode 11, “Holly.”
Why Has The Handmaid’s Tale Introduced Holly Now?
Introducing such a massive character in the final season ofThe Handmaid’s Taleis an interesting move, with many fans asking why she is appearing now. Bythe end of season 6, episode 3, June has decided to leave Alaska, with her leaving Holly with her mother. It could be that Holly Maddox’s only role in the series is to take care of Holly Osborne, allowing June to get back in on the action.
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However, it is also possible that Holly Maddox’s role could grow in the future ofThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6. Holly’s medical knowledge and knowledge of Alaska could play a vital role, allowing her to help June and the resistance. She could also just serve as a thematic parallel to June, with her motherhood to June reflecting June’s motherhood to her own daughter. There is a lot of potential now that Holly Maddox has been introduced, with her existence being one of the biggest reveals inThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 6.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Cast
The Handmaid’s Tale is a television adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel, released in 2017. It is set in a dystopian future where a woman is compelled to live as a concubine under a strict fundamentalist theocracy.
