Moira Strand
The unbreakable bond of sisterhood that defies Gilead's walls.
Moira Strand is June Osborne's best friend since college, and a central figure in the narrative of Gilead. She is already at the Red Center when June enters Handmaid training but escapes before being assigned to a home. She is recaptured and becomes "Ruby", a Jezebel. She seems to have given up hope of ever being free, but on meeting June again regains the conviction to escape to Canada.
Quick Facts
- Character role
- Handmaid; Resistance Member
- Affiliation
- Gilead (forced), Mayday (resistance)
- First appearance
- Early in the narrative at the Red Center
Lore & Background
Moira's journey is defined by her repeated attempts to resist Gilead's control. She is introduced as a fellow Handmaid at the Red Center, where she trains alongside June. Unlike many, she manages to escape before being assigned to a home, demonstrating her resourcefulness and determination. However, she is recaptured and forced into a new role as "Ruby", a Jezebel — a woman used for sexual servitude in a brothel. In this role, she appears to have given up hope of ever being free. Her story takes a pivotal turn when she meets June again; this reunion reignites her conviction to escape to Canada, where she eventually finds refuge.
More in Characters & Roles
Elsewhere in The Handmaids Tale
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