Pearl Girls in The Testaments and their rank in Gilead explored

Here’s everything you need to know about the Pearl Girls’ role in The Testaments

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The Pearl Girls are perhaps the most compelling new addition to Gilead in The Testaments, reports the Mirror.

Each week, dystopian drama The Testaments further develops the world of Gilead, building upon the totalitarian regime that audiences first encountered in The Handmaid’s Tale.

Now, numerous fans of The Testaments are eager to learn about the Pearl Girls, who feature prominently in the series. Lead character Daisy (played by Lucy Halliday) is operating undercover as a Pearl Girl.

Many viewers are curious about their function within Gilead and how they fit into the overall framework of the uncompromising religious regime.

Here is everything you need to know about the Pearl Girls in The Testaments.

A girl in white looks at a girl in purple as they sit on a coach

Pearl Girls were runaways who became converts (Image: DISNEY)

Who are the Pearl Girls in The Testaments?

The Pearl Girls serve as missionaries for Gilead, spreading the doctrine of the regime and encouraging others to join the extremist religious society.

As Daisy reveals through her narration, the majority of Pearl Girls were formerly runaways who were taken in by Gilead and subsequently converted.

The Pearl Girls display even greater fervour than the Plums and others, owing to their recent induction into Gilead and their desire to demonstrate their commitment.

A girl in white and a girl in purple look at each other

Pearl Girl Daisy has been sent into Gilead as a spy (Image: DISNEY)

Agnes (Chase Infiniti) also warns that Pearl Girls cannot be trusted and will report any transgressions to the Aunts, as these newcomers to Gilead must remain entirely above suspicion.

In the novel, it is disclosed that Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) was the architect behind the concept of the Pearl Girls. Daisy received assistance from Mayday, June (Elisabeth Moss) and Rita (Amanda Brugel) to disguise herself as a Pearl Girl and infiltrate Gilead.

She was required to pose as a homeless runaway before being taken in by the Pearl Girls, who facilitated her transformation into a missionary and her return to Gilead.

Daisy was subsequently smuggled into Gilead via an unofficial border, with Garth (Brad Alexander) acting as her handler.

Within Gilead’s rigid hierarchy, Pearl Girls rank below Plums and are expected to aspire to become Econowives and Marthas at best.

Daisy’s placement amongst the Plums, with Agnes assigned as her guide, is highly irregular — something that has not gone unnoticed by the other schoolgirls.

Viewers will need to keep watching to discover how Daisy’s role as a Pearl Girl ultimately unfolds.

The Testaments airs on Disney+ and Hulu on Wednesdays