Angels of Light

The Angels of Light are one of the named military divisions of the Republic of Gilead, deployed in the Appalachian Highlands to suppress Baptist guerrilla forces through aerial bombardment and ground operations.

Identity and Role

The Angels of Light are a military division within the Gileadean armed forces, distinct from the Angels of the Apocalypse. They are shown providing air support to ground troops, with two helicopters—black with silver wings painted on the sides—appearing in news footage. The division is tasked with "smoking out" pockets of Baptist guerrillas, a mission that involves bombing wooded hillsides from above.

Operations and Tactics

In the news broadcast that Offred watches during the Ceremony evening, the Angels of Light are shown in action. The voice-over describes them as the Twenty-first Battalion, providing air support to the Fourth Division of the Angels of the Apocalypse. The footage depicts a clump of trees exploding after a helicopter attack. The news also shows a captured prisoner, stubbled and dirty, flanked by two Angels in neat black uniforms, accepting a cigarette with bound hands. This prisoner gives a lopsided grin, leaving Offred uncertain whether the expression is defiance, submission, or embarrassment at being caught.

Narrative Significance

The Angels of Light appear only in the heavily censored television news that Serena Joy allows the household to watch. Offred doubts the authenticity of the footage, wondering if it could be old clips or faked. The division's name carries religious overtones consistent with Gilead's theocratic framework, where military units are named after apocalyptic and angelic imagery. The Angels of Light represent the regime's military power and its ability to project force against internal dissent, though the news never shows defeats, only victories.