Who Is Daisy in the Testaments? Full Character Guide and Spoilers Explained
By Elena Rostova
The biggest point of confusion for viewers stems from a stark split between the novel and the television series. In Margaret Atwood's 2019 book, Daisy's real name is Jade, and she is eventually told that she is Baby Nichole, the symbolic infant whose escape from Gilead drove entire diplomatic crises throughout The Handmaid's Tale. Readers spent the entire novel watching June's daughter come to terms with her high-profile identity before returning south to dismantle the regime.
Hulu took a fundamentally different path. Showrunner Bruce Miller confirmed in interviews that the production team opted to deviate from Margaret Atwood's novel by making Daisy a distinct, unrelated youth rather than June’s biological daughter. This creative choice preserves the emotional stakes of June Osborne’s ongoing relationship with Nichole from the parent series while giving Daisy her own autonomous motivations. She is not carrying out a destiny ordained by her birthright. She is a radicalized recruit whose hatred of fascism stems from personal loss.
Elena Rostova holds a Master's degree in Public Health Journalism. She covers groundbreaking medical research, holistic wellness trends, mental health awareness, and nutritional science.
