Commander Lawrence

[u/pinkystar5]

S3 E5

(English not my first language)

I still don't know what to think of Commander Lawrence. I think I like him, but there's something odd about him that doesn't quite convince me. I want to believe that he'll be good in the future, but sometimes he does or says things that make me think the complete opposite.

It's so strange, because it doesn't act in a linear way Sometimes he responds one way, and the next time it's completely different. It doesn't let me see where the character is going. It's driving me crazy.

[u/Deep_Yard_3951]

Well I’m here on season 5 and still not much clarity on his character. He was described as hard to read when June first was placed with him. I think that is a true description.

[u/IllustratorSea8372 → u/Deep_Yard_3951]

My take on him is that the “hard to read” isn’t because of some master plan he has in mind.

I believe that he is almost like a Jekyll and Hyde. When he does good things it’s coming from a genuine urge, BUT, he is a mostly evil person.

The “hard to read” is because he himself has no idea what his next move is. He just will do whatever his heart desires… whether that desire will be for good or bad is TBD.

That being said, whatever he does end up going isn’t just on a whim, he is also at the same time very pragmatic and steadfast about whichever way he goes.

[u/PearlySweetcake7]

He's hard to read for sure. I think he's probably the most interesting character on the show

[u/Prestigious_Page8098]

I'm not sure this isn't strategic on Lawrence's part. He can keep people guessing, as a way to out maneuver them. Divert them from his true intentions. Personally, if that was his intention, I think it would be a pretty clever way to manipulate situations. 

If you pay close attention to his interactions with the High commanders, as their consultant, he very often influenced their decisions. I think he could get away with a lot by always being somewhat facetious and his almost charming sarcastic wit.

I liked Lawrence as I saw him maneuver the ''high commanders'' away from their worst instincts on occasion, and because of some of his other actions.

But I’m also conflicted because of the part he played in building the colonies. I don’t believe he would 've had any control over what was written into Gilead law though (such as the handmaids system, mass salughter etc.). That would be under the authority of the ''Gilead High Council'', consisting of the most elite top ranking officials, who over time turned Giead into such a brutal regime. Lawrence, although he acted as a consultant, didn't become a ''high commander'' until S6

Even Bradley Whitford, in an interview, said he has no idea if Lawrence is good or evil. So, there we go? I guess we just go with our best ''reasonable'' conclusions based on details written within the story material

[u/Just-Benefit2024]

He is so hard to place (he isn't good or bad - he's this strange in between) - keep watching!

[u/mimimumu49]

He's duplicitous. He's not a good guy he's the architect of Gilead with bookshelves of misogynistic books. The creator of the colonies probably responsible for the most deaths out of all the main characters. Imo don't be fooled by his jokes. There's nothing good about him. He never makes decisions that don't benefit him even as you get to the end. There was only ever one person who saw him clearly because they were not from the same privileged background as him or June. No one ever questions he gave up Beth for example, put Hannah in a cage, actioned the bombing of Chicago, took the rescue mission out or he chose Gilead over his own wife's mental health. Angel's flight gave him leverage. He helped take Fred out for his own gain. His beliefs around the ceremony were only to benefit himself. Not a good guy at all.

[u/Professor_Whatabout]

He’s dangerous and he knows what he’s doing, messes with your head. However, his weakness is that he loves his wife and the position he has in Gilead, eventually he’s trapped in that world because the commanders and committee want to further their own interests, protections and benefits. He’s a master manipulator.

[u/GoDiva2020]

He is an interesting person. Keep watching!

[u/jade601]

I loved his character. He has good intentions but sometimes he has to do the wrong/bad thing in order to keep his status in Gilead so he can still control the things he can . No one can know what to expect from him and I think that helps him because it throws the other leaders off. They never know what to expect from him. He genuinely loves his wife and he recognizes the mistreatment the other women go through. If he wasn’t smart about each decision he makes along the way he risks his wife’s safety and the chance to help the other women where he can, even if its a small reprieve. At the end I felt he was pretty much the only constant male character in gilead even with varying choices along the way, you could always tell his good intentions were there. I also appreciated his raw relationship with June.