“The human race it at risk. What is important is efficiency. All remaining fertile women should be collected and impregnated. By those of superior status.”— Guthrie
Commander Guthrie is a minor character in the TV series. He serves as a Commander in Gilead, as well as an early member of the Sons of Jacob. He held a position as a corrupt transportation minister in Gilead, as well as a field commander.
Story[]
After the coup d'etat[]
Nick is driving Commander Pryce, Commander Waterford and Commander Guthrie. The three men are discussing solutions for the decreasing infertility rates. Pryce initially states they must treat "these girls (i.e. the remaining fertile women) respectfully, in a Godly fashion", but Guthrie and Waterford reject this as "window dressing" and ineffective. They eventually decide that all remaining fertile women should be collected to be impregnated by men of superior status during The Ceremony, factually enslaving them.
Waterford describes Guthrie to Nick as "a great field commander" who "took New York" and "has God in his heart, even if his mouth is sometimes a bit blasphemous". [1]
Some time later, Pryce and Nick are watching Guthrie being led by two guards into an office building of the Eyes. Nick reports to a pleased Commander Pryce that Guthrie has been sleeping with his last two Handmaids and is skimming from the transportation budget, according to his aide and his Martha. After instructing Nick to report all future activities of Fred Waterford, Pryce concludes "We are going to clean up Gilead".[1]
Guthrie's current status is unknown; however, given that Pryce seems confident that Nick's evidence against him is easily verifiable, it seems fair to assume he was punished in some way.