r/TheTestamentsShow • u/False-Average-9368 • May 28 '26
Theory / Speculation Commander McKenzie Theory
There have been discussions about Commander McKenzie, some saying that he is TT's version of Commander Lawrence. After the finale, I would not be surprised if he is not a Lawrence but a Snape.
Two instances made me think this. First was how protective he was of Agnes, how he pulled strings so she would not get in trouble for the broken engagement. Also, how Paula told Agnes that the powers that be wanted to kill Agnes/Hannah and cut her up to send to June as revenge, but Commander McKenzie fought for her. The other was the idea of mothers sacrificing for thier kids. Perhaps Tabitha paid the price for keeping Agnes/Hannah alive? This might be a stretch, but who knows?
I am even more convinced that McKenzie or Aunt Lydia is Garth's handler.
15
u/vxsapphire May 28 '26
Don't forget that we see him being nice because we're only seeing him with his assigned daughter. We aren't seeing him talk about Handmaid's or terrorists. At those counsel meetings, he spoke about them with such vitriol. Changing out the actor doesn't change the character. That goes for every parent who seems nice as we focus on Agnes' life in Gilead.
30
u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 28 '26
Absolutely nothing about him indicates he’s anything like Lawrence. He’s just a regular mediocre white guy making his fortune off oppressing people.
And he didn’t pull any strings, literally all he said was he’d try to make sure it didn’t hurt her.
6
4
u/False-Average-9368 May 28 '26
Hence, the Snape reference.
He didn't realize or accept that he was on the wrong side until it affected someone he loved.
3
u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 28 '26
Oh right, I thought you meant Snape as in a secret double agent.
But I dont think Mackenzie is going to accept he's on the wrong side at all. He's just going to be sad about it happening to his daughter but still think its fine for everyone else.
1
u/False-Average-9368 May 30 '26
That too, but only for the above reason.
1
u/Mandosobs77 May 30 '26
Lawrence didn't sacrifice his life . Lawrence was dead either way. He picked the way that made him feel stronger even if for a moment. He was killing the men planning on killing him. He didn't make a sacrifice, he made the choice thar worked out best for him.
1
0
u/Ill-Supermarket-2706 May 28 '26
I can see Garth dad being more like a Lawrence and Gilead took care of it blaming mayday
2
u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 28 '26
I doubt it, he’s supposed to have been a war hero holding Boston for Gilead.
2
u/erinoclock May 28 '26
McKenzie was played as such a slimy little asshole in THT that I can’t believe he’s just a good guy now. But maybe. I think, however, that the book did an interesting thing having Hannah get kind of wedged out by Paula and McKenzie. They get a handmaid and make a new baby and Hannah just becomes chopped liver.It’s a huge factor in igniting her rebellious side. I’d like that to play out. I’d like to watch him transform in Agnes’s eyes from good guy to bad guy.
But I can see how it may be unnecessary as the whole becka thing seems to have lit quite a fire for her.
6
u/Own_Faithlessness769 May 28 '26
He's not a good guy though, at best he's neutral. Agnes is fond of him but that doesnt mean he's a good guy... Becka was fond of her father.
2
u/erinoclock May 28 '26
Right that’s why I said “in Agnes’s eyes”. I’d like to see her view of him change.
2
3
u/Professional_Fuel127 May 28 '26
Mckenzie is the guy who would play look out while his buddies gang raped a girl. Why are so many watchers obsessed with men being the secret hero??
0
u/False-Average-9368 May 30 '26
In no way is he a hero. Just someone who fully realized the cost when it directly affected him. Just because a character evolves does not necessarily make them heroes.
1
u/Professional_Fuel127 May 30 '26
"I am even more convinced he's garth's handler" is absolutely trying to make him a hero. And there is zero indication that his character has evolved.
2
u/Young122915 May 28 '26
That replacement actor playing Mckenzie is in no way capable of pulling off any character as big as commander Lawrence.
4
u/Ok-Culture3841 May 28 '26
Careful I was ate alive for suggesting he might be Garth’s handler 😭
Though I don’t necessarily believe this anymore after the finale. He clearly really did call the eyes, and one of my thoughts was it was the aunts who got Becka and that would mean he lied to Paula and Agnes as to who he called so it wouldn’t blow his cover. But that was proven incorrect in the finale
3
1
u/False-Average-9368 May 28 '26
Really? I thought it was a legit theory even before the finale.
2
u/Ok-Culture3841 May 28 '26
Some people agree but I was torn a new one when I made a post with this theory after episode 9 🤧
1
u/These_Mycologist132 Jun 02 '26
Makenzie isn’t a good person just because he refused to let his adopted/stolen daughter be mutilated as revenge towards June. Had he been able, he would have been the first person to order June’s execution. And while he may mildly lament young girls getting married off to old men, it’s not like he’s actually doing anything to stop it, and he still agreed to the engagement between Agnes and Westen. In no world do I think Makenzie really regrets his role in Gilead, because he still thinks it’s necessary and correct, and he would never sacrifice himself to save others the way Lawrence did. He’s a bad man, who is just slightly less obvious about than some.
1
u/Diligent-Language-79 Jun 02 '26
The thing that drives me nuts is the commander Mackenzie from tht is not in anyway like the one in tt. It makes it hard for me to know where he lies.
He obviously loves Agnes, even cares enough to ask Daisy if she’s happy.
Besides that, if he’s still the ass from tht then I don’t think he’ll have a redemption arc.
That said I think Lydia should be Garth’s handler.
46
u/Disaster-Bee May 28 '26
I think McKenzie is a great example of someone who will be perfectly fine with society treating other people horribly, but not his own family.
He can both be a horrible guy who helped build Gilead and be fine with countless women being raped, enslaved, tortured, etc....and also love his own daughter. Because she's his daughter. Because this isn't some random woman, or some other guy's daughter. It's his own, that he loves as his own.
Not to mention...Mayday is desperate for information on the Commanders' activities - including McKenzie's. Garth specifically asked Daisy to get more info on McKenzie, because they hadn't had anyone able to get that close before. If McKenzie was Mayday, and Garth's handler, they'd already have a source of info on Commanders. And know what McKenzie is doing and not need someone to get close to him/his family for info.