At Aunt Lydia’s academy for premarital training, two young girls, Agnes and Daisy, will forge a connection that will alter their lives in profound ways. This is the central theme of the new television adaptation, The Testaments, inspired by the novel of the same name by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, which serves as a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.

While The Handmaid’s Tale explored the oppressive regime of Gilead that deprived women of their rights amid a global fertility crisis, The Testaments shifts its focus to the young women being prepared for marriage at a prestigious school within this same society.

Aunt Lydia, portrayed once again by Ann Dowd, is responsible for overseeing these future brides. The institution enforces strict obedience, often justifying its harsh methods through a supposed divine mandate.

Dowd shared with ABC News that the conclusion of The Handmaid’s Tale sets the stage for Aunt Lydia’s transformation from a feared and uncompromising enforcer to a character who confronts the grim realities of her actions in Gilead.

In The Testaments, Aunt Lydia’s attention transitions from the handmaids—women forced into servitude to bear children for elite couples—to the young girls of powerful commanders, referred to as Plums, and aspiring aunts training to become missionaries, known as Pearl Girls.

According to Dowd, “At the conclusion of The Handmaid’s Tale, she finds herself on her knees, seeking forgiveness and truly beginning to understand the impact of her actions as pointed out by June Osborne. She can no longer deny her culpability.”

“She is devastated and humiliated by what she has allowed to happen to girls she once cared for.” Dowd elaborated that facing this truth leads to a significant personal breakdown for Aunt Lydia.

In The Testaments, Dowd emphasizes a softer portrayal of Aunt Lydia. “We see a more compassionate and vulnerable side of her, one that has undergone substantial change,” she remarked. “This evolution is evident in The Testaments.”

The series presents a coming-of-age narrative set in Gilead, taking place four years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, as opposed to the 15 years later timeline of the original novel. The story predominantly revolves around Agnes MacKenzie (played by Chase Infiniti), who is revealed to be the daughter of June and Luke, known as Hannah in Gilead.

“Agnes is essentially Hannah, now grown, living in a household of high-ranking commanders,” Dowd explained.

Infiniti, who gained recognition for her role in One Battle After Another alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, is expected to further elevate her profile with her portrayal of the devout and obedient Agnes.

Aunt Lydia pairs Agnes with Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a Pearl Girl from Toronto who has her own hidden agenda for attending the academy.

The release of The Testaments occurs during a period of significant global unrest, reminiscent of the climate during the original airing of The Handmaid’s Tale. Dowd praised Atwood as “remarkable,” noting her ability to draw parallels between her narratives and historical events rather than predicting the future.

Amid recent changes to reproductive rights in the United States, Dowd sees reflections of the themes in both The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments manifesting in contemporary society. “Imagine living in a world where women are denied the ability to read and write, where their sole purpose is to be a subservient wife focused on raising children,” she said. “This limitation on women’s roles reflects the troubling dynamics of the patriarchal society we currently navigate.”

She recounted a moment from her time on The Handmaid’s Tale, recalling the night before the 2016 election when she could no longer bear to watch the coverage. “The next morning, I opened the paper to find Trump had won, and I reached out to Elisabeth Moss, expressing my concerns. She responded with a powerful reminder: ‘Don’t let the bastards grind you down,’ written in Latin. It resonated deeply with me,” Dowd recounted. “We must remain vigilant and actively participate in advocating for change.”

The first three episodes of The Testaments are set to premiere on Disney+ at 6 p.m. AEST.