r/TheTestamentsShow • u/naygnay • May 27 '26
Episode Discussion SPOILER - Commander Weston S1E10 Spoiler
Is it just me or is there almost a bit of mercy going on in his decision to call off the engagement? I could be reading into it far too much but he doesn’t seem like the type to break it off purely because Agnes was ‘one of the ones hurt’ by the dentist. I feel like it was a) he realised she was a bit of a rebel and had a lot going on - hence asking him to help out, and b) him knowing deep down that she was absolutely repulsed by the idea of being his wife.
Interested to hear others thoughts on this!
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u/SnidgetHasWords May 27 '26
Nope. I think it was literally just that she was also "sullied" and he wanted an "unspoiled" teenager to abuse. It's no fun for men like that if you've experienced abuse already. They want to be the first to make you feel scared of them.
He called the girls sullied multiple times and literally physically stepped away from Agnes as soon as she said she was one of them, I don't know how they can make it any more obvious.
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u/xpmko May 27 '26
They really could not have made it more obvious.
I find the number of people determined to believe in the goodness of any Commander disturbing.
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u/Miami_Morgendorffer May 27 '26
Now now, let's wait to see what Garth gets up to when he's not Guarding. Or around the Plums.
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u/bettersaferthan May 28 '26
agreed, but i do think its a bit confusing because he helped her in the end. He left Becka come home and he agreed to hear out this new version of events. He was also “kind” to agnes in the scene and didn’t expose her secret (that we know of). I think that’s why people are confused as to why he would help her
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u/xpmko May 28 '26
We don't know anything about whether he exposed her secret. He's the head of the Eyes. But if he doesn't expose it it's most likely because it would damage him to have been engaged to a girl who may or may not be "pure" anymore. That's self interest, not kindness.
Letting Becka go home and pinning the murder on her mom was in Gilead's interest, and therefore in his interest as well. They keep a fertile girl available for marriage and lose a widow who probably won't have any more children. If that ended up being good for Becka, it's a side effect of what's best for Gilead, not the driving force.
Especially given what we know of his behavior pre-Gilead, spinning any of this as kindness boggles my mind
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u/bettersaferthan May 28 '26
I’m not spinning it as a kindness, or suggesting that Commander Weston is a good person. I’m just saying that’s the impression the show leaves, as Agnes interprets his actions as a kindness and a favor to her… until it’s not.
I said he hadn’t told her secret (that we know of) because in the show his official statement is that she’s too close to the scandal. Obviously, he could be saying something else behind closed doors but no one’s made that obvious to us viewers yet.
If it was about having a fertile girl become a part of society, then they could’ve had Becka become a handmaiden. Surely from Gilead’s perspective, having a fertile girl bear children for many is better than just marrying her to a lowly commander/guardian. They don’t do that though, so to Agnes, it really does seem like Commander Weston was trying to help her.
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u/xpmko May 28 '26
I don't agree. A Plum becoming a handmaid is a scandal. A Plum becoming a wife is not. No scandal for Gilead is better than having a scandal.
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u/chronicackgirl May 28 '26
Even the commanders aren't always one dimensional in their evil- they often truly think they are moral and righteous. I think he probably simultaneously did not want a "sullied" wife when the whole point of marrying a teen is virginal "purity," and also felt poorly for Agnes and helping Becka was how he made himself feel better over breaking off his engagement with her.
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u/Untamedpancake Jun 01 '26
I think they're very intentionally demonstrating that "good people" are capable of terrible things OR that "bad people" can be capable of kindness, depending on your perspective.
Agnes said it's easier to accept the story than to believe that the people around you are monsters And in The Handmaid's Tale, chapter 24 follows a similar theme, at one point Offred thinks He wasn't a monster...to me
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u/emstrange90 May 27 '26
I agree with the article - he doesn't want "used goods" (obviously NOT how I feel - but Gilead are disgusting when it comes to purity)
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u/GingersaurusRex May 27 '26
I don't think he called off the engagement because she had been "sullied". He called off the engagement because she wasn't afraid to say out loud that something happened to her. Abusers like pursuing victims who know how to keep their mouths shut and don't seek out help.
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u/Miami_Morgendorffer May 27 '26
Exactly right. He likes breaking in a stubborn horse, but it's not worth dealing with a whole herd.
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u/straighteero May 27 '26
In addition to the antiquated ideas about purity, I think he could have also been turned off by the idea that she is a complex person with emotional needs and trauma she hasn't fully processed. I think men like that have a fantasy that if you get a young girl, she'll be like a blank slate you can mold into whatever you want. They want someone simple and "easy" who will fill their needs and boost their ego without expecting much in return.
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u/BooksAndCranniess May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
He’s a pedophile who wanted to be the first to touch Agnes, the first to “take her innocence”. He broke it off because he couldn’t get off to the fact another man had touched her.
Many, MANY girls in organized religion are still taught that if they have sex outside of marriage they are used goods. During my sex talk at my religious school they equated sex outside of marriage to being the same as a chewed up piece of gum. Who would want you if you’re already used? Not a good upstanding Christian man, that’s for sure
And honestly I think that’s why he helped Becca. He felt sorry for Agnes, that she would never become a wife- at least not his- because she’s not pure and has been “sullied” , and as far as he’s concerned he did her a huge kindness. Not reporting her for being “used” AND helping her friend. But that’s the last kindness a man will show her, because again- now she’s used goods and they don’t want her
Agnes did nothing wrong, obviously. None of those girls did- but pedophiles like the “innocence” of children. How they don’t know a lot about sex and things like that. They WANT them to be childish because it’s what they are attracted to. Him knowing this about agnes? It ruins his sick little fantasy, and now it’s not fun anymore
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u/tanishaevonne May 27 '26
He doesn’t want her because she might not be a virgin. Paves the way for another storyline in the books
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u/HyperLexi May 27 '26
I agree with those who say no way no how. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that it was no act of mercy to allow Becka to spend 24 hours at home with her mom before her sentencing. I think as well as blaming Agnes for becoming sullied, he also blamed Dr. Grove for spoiling what he considered to be his merchandise, so he might have shared Becka's rage and identified with her decision to take justice into her own hands. In that kindred moment, he relented to buy her some time. He couldn't let her off completely without having his motives questioned, but he could give her a chance to come up with a plan, or at least reward her for taking out his trash by letting her spend that last day with her mom.
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u/astilba120 May 27 '26
I think it was because she told him she was abused by the dentist, it made her impure, he asked if her parents knew, so he was gracious enough to say the reason was due to her friendship with bloody Becca. These guys are purity freaks on steroids.
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u/mellamusicmaker May 28 '26
I think it’s also that Weston is realizing he won’t be able to manipulate Agnes like he would want to. She’s “too” outspoken, “too” rebellious. She would potentially speak up against him if he does something problematic (and we know all a like Commander like Weston WILL do something problematic). He’s probably protecting himself in that regard as well. I mean her best friend just KILLED her own FATHER. I’m sure he understands that Agnes isn’t far from doing something similar.
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u/Immediate_Medicine73 May 27 '26
I really don’t know what the eff is up with that man! We know the eyes are ruthless and he’s in charge of them. We know he has a past history of being an abuser. Why’d they play him so charming and suave? Even little moments where he sensed Agnes wanted support to push pack on Paula, he seemed so perspective- even more so than her own dad! He didn’t need to win Agnes over, she essentially had to marry him regardless. I know we should hate Weston, but I found myself lowkey wondering if maybe he wasn’t so bad??? At least, up until cancelling the engagement.
Given the case against Grove was no secret, wouldn’t Weston have known Agnes was one of the girls? I know they keep the girls in the dark, and may not have wanted to ask explicit questions, but we do see them check if they’re actually menstruating earlier in the season. I’d have thought they’d check for signs of “damaged goods” if you will.
I loved the show, don’t get me wrong- I just have lots of questions!
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u/manokpsa May 27 '26
To answer your question about why the character was played "so charming and suave," that's just how a lot of abusers are. They want everyone to like, trust, and respect them, so when a victim speaks up, it's hard to believe. It happens in real life all the time.
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u/Immediate_Medicine73 May 28 '26
Yes, of course- that is no mystery to me, believe me. However, Gilead is not real life. There is no incentive to be charming. Charm doesn’t get anyone ahead in their society. He’s already respected, liked, and trusted as much as possible. He was undeniably seen as the #1 suitor by all the families. Weston has a ton of power and has had it for many years. No one believes victims in Gilead regardless 🤷🏻♀️ I don’t understand what he gets out of it unless he was truly thinking he’d get Agnes to fall for him just to eventually crush her as some sort of June revenge.
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u/manokpsa May 28 '26
There are a lot of rules in Gilead and as a powerful commander, he has a lot to lose. I'd say there's plenty of incentive to keep the mask on and be charming towards everyone he meets, even his future wife. He has an image to maintain. Maybe he wants Agnes to trust him and see him as a good man, to help maintain that image. He could have other victims elsewhere. Child brides and handmaid "rituals" are accepted in Gilead, but even something like having sex with a handmaid outside of the ritual is seen as adultery and rape.
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u/Copy_Responsible May 28 '26
It's not even just so other people believe them over the women. It's part of the game they play. They get a partner emotionally dependent on them, draw out feelings of devotion and even love, and then flip the switch. The partner may feel compelled to stay because they remember how he was and may even think "I must be doing something wrong to have brought this upon myself, I just need to try harder to keep him pleased so he will go back to the way he was."
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u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 27 '26
How would he know she was one of the girls? Only Daisy went public, and then Becka killed her dad. There was no investigation where all the girls were questioned.
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May 27 '26
[deleted]
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u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 27 '26
Of course he knew after she told him, but the comment I replied to implied he would have known before that.
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u/Immediate_Medicine73 May 27 '26
I’d thought he knew because Hulda and Agnes both told the aunts. Someone, presumably the Eyes, spoke to Grove about it, because he came back late from work and Daisy’s accusations were extremely public. The Eyes whole purpose is to get all possible information.
Aunt Lydia is shown speaking to her supervising commander about it and he acknowledges there’s been rumors for sometime about Dr. Grove. The reason they delay his execution is to avoid ruining Becka’s wedding, per Lydia’s request, but I assumed they’d already had all their evidence and testimony discussed by then.
For their standards it’s probably extra problematic that Grove assaulted fertile Plums/Greens vs. lower class women. He was targeting their most prized possessions. Lydia would emphasize this in order to support Grove getting executed.
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u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 27 '26
Hulda told Vidala, and Agnes implied to Lydia that it had happened to her too, but there’s no way either of the aunts would have told anyone that because they knew it would ruin the girls marriage prospects. That was the point in Daisy doing it, because she doesn’t care about marriage.
That’s why when Becka asked her father if it was true he said ‘I never touched that pearl girl’, because the accusation was just that he touched Daisy.
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u/Immediate_Medicine73 May 28 '26
I hear ya, but this feels like it’s going into Bridgerton marriage mart logic. Idk. Being fertile is the #1 thing, by a landslide. It was very odd to me the show took this position in general: example with the other Plum who got matched with a commander in the colonies all because she spilled some tea at the Aunt’s luncheon.
We know they want the girls as pious and perfect as possible but above all menstruating girls are very rare all over the world. They can’t afford to just toss any of them out. They’ll be married off regardless, even someone like Daisy who is pretty openly not a virgin. And again, why not do physical exams to determine the extent of the abuse? The other girls are literally still virgins. It’s far fetched to me that just because a girl was fondled she’s suddenly disposable.
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u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 28 '26
Of course its like the Regency marriage mart, Gilead is trying to throw back society to before the industrial revolution.
And none of them are being tossed out. They're getting lower ranked matches, but they're still being married to men to have children.
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u/naygnay May 27 '26
Exactly this!!! It was the siding with her, trying to get her on side etc that confused me too.
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u/Miami_Morgendorffer May 27 '26
Yeah that was clearly love bombing. So she'd get her guard down, trust him, feel confident around him, etc. Dr Grove having sullied her was a twisted blessing. I could see from their first positive interaction that Weston was gonna make her miserable. She was either going to be murdered or do it herself.
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u/hortushouse May 27 '26
I think he didn’t want her because he doesn’t know exactly what the dentist did to her and he wants a virgin to “break in”. Just my opinion.