Blacklanderz®Convos!
Outlander S7 Epi16 – A Hundred Thousand Angels
Written by Matthew B. Roberts & Toni Graphia | Directed by Joss Agnew
This conversation is between Blacklanderz® Margot, Jess H., Olivia, and Gwen. Arranged, edited and interrupted by Vida.
O: Ah, the dragonflies, another callback to earlier seasons. I like it. It was clear this was about Jane and Francis/Fannie frolicking with their mother in the before times, when they had a normal life before Jane found herself working in a brothel. That’s a tough outcome.
G: Ah yes, harkening back to a tender moment between the two sisters (Jane and Fannie) and their mother. So much sadness and regret at what might have been.
JH: Dragonflies definitely hold a lot of symbolism in this series!
M: Okay…isn’t anyone weirded out by the fact that these side characters are in the cold open? That means they’re more important than they seem.
O: Well, this cuts rather close to me since I’m a journalist. It did make me squeamish. Sometimes practitioners can be ruthless when trying to get their subject to speak. I’m only squeamish when it’s done to a private citizen, not with a public person, though.
But Jane will not be bullied and is putting up a lot of bravado. I’m not sure it’s to her credit, though, especially since she really didn’t stab Harkness 26 times. She wouldn’t have had the time; she needed to get away.
G: I understand her reluctance to be candid with him. But I wish she would tell her side of the story. It may be the only time she can tell it. I also feel like she is being sarcastic and giving it back to him because it’s obvious that the narrative has been fabricated.
JH: I wonder if she were counting each stab…Jane is not someone I would want to get on the wrong side of!
M: It was an act of passion and true anger. Harkness clearly did horrific things to her, and I doubt the journalist would take any of it seriously if she actually told him.
O: Yeah, too much bravado here, Jane. Watch out!
G: There is that snark again. I do wonder if she told him the truth, would he actually write it?
JH: Jane seems unbreakable here! I guess it speaks to the times that this journalist can’t conceive of any reason she might want to kill a customer.
M: This is definitely a defense mechanism. Poor girl is probably scared out of her mind, trying to keep her chin up. You can tell she has strong fortitude.
O: Too much showboating from Jane, I fear. You know the yellow journalist is trying to entrap her into something.
G: Give him hell Jane! How quickly he was to judge her without knowing the full circumstances. Surely, he could guess why a young woman would be compelled to stab a man at a brothel.
JH: I’m starting to think this is just a way for Jane to protect herself. Let him think that she’s some inhuman monster to conceal her true vulnerability.
O: I can see she’s trying to maintain agency over herself. But for what purpose? The British are preparing to execute her. What she should have done was send the journalist away and not talk to him at all, which would have been her (and anyone’s) prerogative.
G: I figure she has nothing else to lose. Her sister knows the truth. There is no one else she needs or wants to impress. I also understand her point about the reporter taking advantage of her just like Harkness and her other Johns.
They don’t want to help her; they want to use her for their own gain. I doubt anyone would listen to her or take her side. Her truth is the only truth she has left.
M: I doubt anyone would listen to her too. The point is no one will lend her an ear.
O: Ah, so here we are. I knew the reporter had something up his sleeve. And did you see Jane’s eyes go from defiance to worry? I think he’s got her now.
G: He is really slimy. I understand if she wants to continue to stand her ground. But it seems that head nod at the end was acquiescence.
JH: I am NOT a fan of this guy – hopefully, he won’t make too many more appearances!
M: What a thing to say to someone who may face a death sentence. I find her silence a way for her to keep whatever dignity she has left.
O: I think it’s supposed to be the Northern Lights, aurora borealis. But they’re in Philadelphia, where we don’t usually see the lights. Though this past fall, the lights were seen in my area in New York – a rare occurrence around these parts – except I never saw them. Whatever.
G: Yes, I wonder if this is foreshadowing travel north or a magical occurrence.
JH: I wonder if there’s some kind of connection between the northern lights and time travel!
M: Good thought, Jess! That would be something. Maybe one of those events that gives the stones their power.
O: The tension as everyone waits to see if Claire will pull through. You can imagine the pain Jamie feels. You’ll recall how years ago, he said he could bear his own pain well enough, but couldn’t bear her pain. I suspect the worst of it is not being able to do anything to help her. He can’t give her his blood, not in that time which he notes. I’m sure he wishes he could’ve taken that shot for her!
G: Jamie isn’t used to being on this side of the sick bed. He is used to her tending to his wounds, not the other way around. I sense his yearning to want to do more for her. Including sacrificing himself.
JH: It’s definitely strange that Jamie isn’t the one on the sick bed this time!
M: Jamie, being the one not sick, must feel awful. Like he probably feels so useless (he’s not).
O: That’s a nice callback to the “Blood of my Blood” oath they took when they married. I bet he’s right, though. Did you see that vein in his forehead pop up? That always surfaces when Jamie faces great stress or he’s angry. Sam really portrays Jamie’s anguish well. Then a tear falling from one of his eyes. Gracious. That was very emotional to take in.
G: Yes, it was a nice call back to their vows. They’ve been through so much and he would be truly lost without her.
JH: Of course, the king of men can make even a blood transfusion sound romantic!
M: I know, right Jess! But yes, a blood transfusion would be very dangerous. We have no idea what his blood type is and dying of a transfusion reaction would be quite painful and sad.
O: In some ways Claire’s not very different from Jamie. She stayed with that patient outside instead of going inside the church because she’s so dedicated. That kind of stubbornness can get a person killed! And she almost was.
G: Even in crisis, they maintain their sense of humor. It’s so endearing to see them fight for each other. She didn’t die because he needs her and I also think she didn’t want to leave him alone. They’ve already been through too much.
JH: Claire is certainly stubborn enough to ward off certain death! Hopefully, she recovers quickly and gives Jamie some more tongue-lashings soon!
M: Phew, she’s awake! I’m glad Claire reminded him of how painful it was when she thought he was dead.
Also calling it back to when she gets super upset when he puts himself in danger. She kind of deserves to be told off a little, like Olivia said, she was being kind yet stubborn.
O: You did a good job, Denny. You’ve learned well!
G: I’m so proud of the surgeon he has become. And Claire is lucky, Denny is a good student.
JH: He has learned from the best!
M: Denny, you were amazing sweetie!!!!!
O: I’ll say one thing for William, he’s an honorable man. He promised he’d protect Jane and Francis and seeks to do it even at this darkest hour. Despite his immaturity an his ferocious temper, he has the qualities of both his fathers: the one who sired him and the one who raised him.
G: I love this portrayal of William on screen. In the books, he was a bit insufferable. I love how Charles Vandervaart rounds out his character so that William comes across less whiny and more sympathetic.
Also, I love the closeness between Lord John and William. Even when they are at odds, the father and son bond is so strong. Lord John would do anything for him, including tracking down a murder.
JH: Yes, the show William has definitely grown out of his whiny-ness. But he still seems to have very idealistic views about loyalty to the crown. As he gains more experience, he’ll learn that things can be morally gray.
M: Willie (prior spawn) has grown on me this season indeed. I think his interactions with Jane and Fanny softened him up and taught him a lot more. He is very honorable and I’m glad he knew to come to John to ask for help.
[V: Margot, you are so crazy. I’m glad to see your reference to him now is ‘prior spawn’.]
O: Your son lives, Jamie. Good news. So later, y’all can sort out the family secret thing, right?
JH: I wonder how Ian and Rachel are going to reconcile after Ian had to kill a man, or will he keep his secrets?
G: Jamie breathes a sigh of relief. They were able to reach William in time.
Listen, with Jamie saving William and John helping him track down where Jane is, surely William can forgive both men and continue to foster this relationship.
M: We all saw how Rachel and Ian paused before going in for a kiss, right? Must be the Quaker rules to be conservative in public.
[V: Yeah, I wondered about that slight hesitation.]
O: Uh, how’s that going to play out, Jamie? I don’t know what the military standard was back in the 18th century, but being AWOL probably was frowned upon, to say the least.
Does he get a dishonorable discharge? A court martial? I mean he did write, “I resign”, on the body of a soldier in his wife’s blood. But I suspect this won’t be acceptable to the brass.
G: I’m sure Ian’s concern about Jamie deserting brings back memories of when he was hiding from the British in the cave. Ian and Rachel have a new relationship and I’m sure he is hoping that this decision by his uncle doesn’t jeopardize it.
JH: Jamie’s resignation letter was pretty definitive. I don’t think that’s something he can take back very easily.
M: Best resignation letter ever, huh? Also, I love how Jamie’s mind is made up. Being a general isn’t worth losing his wife. Also, kind of describes why Jamie isn’t in the history books now huh? He went back to Fraser’s Ridge.
O: I’m confused by the number of times she supposedly stabbed him. I know she told the reporter 26 times. But in the earlier episode, I thought she said she was going to stab him in the back, but the look on Fannie’s face alerted Harkness that something was happening behind him and then Jane stabbed him in the gut. Fannie screams, then they escape through a window quickly. That’s my memory anyway. What say you, ladies?
G: Yeah, I’m not sure where 26 stabs are coming from other than to make the story more dramatic. Maybe they are trying to help Harkness save face by not making it seem like she was able to subdue him with one try.
JH: Things are looking pretty grim if Jane signed a confession. It’s going to be very difficult to get her out of this situation.
M: To be honest, the 26 times did seem excessive and not what I remembered from the prior episode. Who scandalized her so horribly?
O: This was interesting to me; how William couldn’t really answer. He pauses for a long while. Does he not say he loves her because she is a prostitute and that isn’t acceptable in polite society? Or, is it that they simply didn’t have enough time to establish a relationship and get to know one another? Has William had many relationships anyway? He’s a young man, out in the world, smiling at young women.
G: Lord John has a weakness for damsels in distress. But also, I remember from the books that Lord John also suffered at the hands of someone like Harkness. So while he can’t abide murder, I think he can see her point of view. I think William is fond of her and perhaps, with time to develop it, would have grown into love.
JH: William is still very young and idealistic! I hope he doesn’t lose it, but Outlander is not very kind to its characters!
M: You’re right Jess; he is idealistic. Maybe this is why he irks me a bit and also makes me like him. I don’t think Willie loves Jane romantically, but he def has some sort of pull to her. Wonder what…
O: Oh, LJG’s wry sense of humor.
G: Lord John is hilarious! Marriage having more complications than murder. Touche! It strikes me that if William had killed Harkness the punishment might not have been so severe as Jane’s. Men are truly the only ones with agency at that time.
JH: LJG always keeps his dry wit in any circumstance!
M: Ha-ha, Lord John. I’ve always liked him, but this season made me like him more!
O: Wow, no trial. Martial law is a bitch! I think LJG helps William a bit by noting Jane did save her sister.
G: It’s good to see William forgive Lord John for deceiving him about his father.
Also, John is giving William the encouragement he needs to move forward. If he wants to honor Jane’s memory, take care of Fannie.
JH: She won’t even have a trial! Is there anything William can do?
M: That’s so sad and yet another reason why men, the Redcoats especially, are treacherous.
O: He is your husband after all, Claire. Let him help you! But hey, we all know we’d rather do our business in private.
But you’ve been shot! For goodness sake. You can’t stand up yet without help.
G: So funny that Claire is being shy around Jamie after everything they’ve been through. She is just as stubborn as he is. It’s all fun and games until she falls on her face or busts her stitches.
JH: Like Jamie said, she’s done this for him many times!
M: In sickness and health, girl. I was wondering why she was so nervous about urinating in front of him and was like ‘do you need to do number two, as well?’ It was kind of cute how nervous she got.
O: This reminds me of a scene, probably just in one of the books, not in the TV show, when Jamie was convalescing from the snake bite on his leg (or maybe another injury), he gets out of bed and pisses out the window.
Claire scolds him because she wanted to see the color of his urine. He just grins.
G: Claire, ever the doctor. And what’s the saying about doctors being the worst patients?
JH: He knows her too well! And he has had way too many injuries to even count. It’s nice that their roles have reversed for once.
M: Aww, gotta rule out the kidney injuries, but to me what exactly would she do with that information if she saw blood?
How does one fix hematuria and acute kidney injury in the 1700’s? It would have made ME worry more, so I’d rather be in blissful ignorance.
O: I thought that was an odd story.
G: It is an odd story, but I think that’s Claire’s way of saying she missed the intimacy of her husband.
Do you know that. . .
when a female elephant is dying,
sometimes the male elephant
will try to mate with her?
Either ye’re fevered again . . .
or ye have some very
perverse fancies.
JH: So even female elephants aren’t safe!
M: HA-HA, JESS! To be honest, I understand Claire. When I’m in stressful situations, I blurt out random, unrelated, and odd facts.
O: Whoa, that would have Jamie really leaving the Army behind. Again, I say, how would that even work?
G: Claire has had enough of this war; she is ready to settle down and just live their normal life. Of course, I wonder if everything with the Bugs and Christies has been resolved with the local town folks, and they will have a community to come home to.
JH: I wonder what “home” Claire is referring to at this point? Does she want to go back to Scotland? I sincerely hope these two can have some settled peace soon!
M: Back to Fraser’s Ridge!!! No war is worth losing either of them in. They’ve had enough.
O: Ooh, Master Raymond. Is this a dream or has the master illusionist/time traveler, or whatever he is, really come to her? This intrigues me. I like these callbacks to earlier seasons.
[Hooded figure] Madonna.
G: As soon as I saw that hooded figure, I would have been out of there. Glad it’s only Master Raymond. I like the call backs too. I notice Master Raymond hasn’t aged. Has he been traveling?
JH: That’s crazy! Is this some kind of dream? Or does Master Raymond have some sixth sense for when Claire is in trouble? I wonder if he helped her recover from the surgery, just like when he fixed the infection from her stillbirth in Paris.
M: Master Raymond? This has to be a dream.
O: Listen to him, Claire. It’s not your time to go.
G: If it’s not her time, it makes me wonder if he knows when her time is?
Master Raymond.
Were you trying
to leave us again?
I didn’t mean to.
I was shot.
JH: I hope we learn Master Raymond’s backstory at some point!
M: This is so cryptic.
It is not time, Madonna.
O: What is he asking forgiveness for? Are those eagle’s wings. What does it mean? I know the blue has special significance to Master Raymond. When they met in Paris, he mentioned something about how they shared that blue light, which he healed her with when Faith was stillborn, and she was near death.
I came to ask . . . forgiveness.
G: I wonder if those are heron wings from S2? I’m intrigued why he would need forgiveness? Going through the tragedies in Paris, I wonder if he was responsible for any of those.
JH: He’s giving us more questions and no answers!
M: What does he want forgiveness for?
O: So, were you dreaming, Claire, or did Master Raymond actually materialize? We don’t know. She doesn’t know.
G: Oh, so she was dreaming. Hmmmmmmm.
JH: So, it wasn’t real! But dreams seem to have special significance in this show.
M: Alright it was a dream. Makes it less creepy because why is this old man showing up in Philadelphia FROM FRANCE in a hood saying, ‘Why did you try to die?’
O: I think this will come up again during the last season. We’re not getting any answers now.
G: Yeah, this is an interesting plot twist. What does Faith have to do with their current situation? I need to know.
JH: Master Raymond must have some kind of significant knowledge. Where did he get the power of healing through touch? That seems to be one of the only other supernatural occurrences in the show besides time-travel.
M: To be honest, it has always bothered me that we never got answers about Master Raymond.
O: No kidding. So, will they see each other again in the flesh in the future or in the hereafter?
G: Hmm, so is this about the afterlife or time travel?
JH: Master Raymond being cryptic as always! At least we know from his accent he’s American. Did he also stumble into time travel by accident, like Claire? Or was it planned?
M: Jamie is the best ever because there are soooo many times Claire says some OUT OF THIS WORLD stuff to him and he just… goes along with it. I have to laugh.
O: This was a moving discussion about Faith and highlights how a child that dies is never out of mind, even as you move through day to day. The memory of the loss will return unbidden.
Do you think–
when I die. . .
. . . do you think I’ll see her?
Do you think
I’ll see our daughter?
G: Oh, Murtagh I do miss him so. This is the most we’ve spoken about Faith since Paris. I wonder if this is a new developing story line.
I ken ye will.
It’s what makes death
easier to bear.
It’s what Murtagh meant when he said,
‘It doesna hurt a bit to die.’
JH: I haven’t seen them mention Faith in so long. And so nice to hear Murtagh’s name again too!
M: Mentioning Murtagh and Faith is kind of like tying everything up in this finale. These characters have come such a long way and have lost and gained a lot on their journey. It makes it a little ominous that we only have one more season.
O: Yay, they found each other! And it’s all of them. I was worried that when Mandy rushed through the stones heedlessly, something could’ve gone awry.
G: OMG, they finally found each other. It has to be crazy to lose track of your kids through time.
JH: What is going on?? How can he be here and in the future?
What the devil?
Da!
G: Tears! I’m glad they finally found Roger. I’m not sure he would have left that time otherwise.
JH: So wonderful that they reunited!
Ah! Are you all right?
Are you hurt?
Where the hell have you been?
O: He and Bree have been running from that monster Rob Cameron, that’s where he’s been.
I’ve been with Mandy.
O: You know that had to be confusing to Roger. What do you mean with Mandy? And then he sees Brianna holding Mandy. What a relief! It was time for the search to be over, though.
G: More tears! I’m so glad that the family is reunited.
Mandy?
What do- -what do–
what do you mean?
JH: Oh, they’re all back! The family is back together!
Brianna!
M: This is exciting; they made it. Giving us more of a glimpse of how exactly these stones work.
O: Yay!
G: Oh, I’m sure Buck is missing his family after seeing that reunion.
JH: Did someone cut an onion?
M: YAY! They are all reunited again!
O: I have to say, LJG looks dashing in that eye patch. But that mano a mano stuff (I wanted to stay something else, but I decided to keep it clean) between LJG and Jamie.
Come on, Jamie knock it off. But I guess it’s easy for me to say. You see the man that married your wife when they thought you were dead, and then he tells you he had carnal knowledge with her. I guess Jamie deserves to hold a grudge.
How are you?
G: Listen, nobody can hold a grudge like Jamie.
[Claire] I’ve been better.
How are you?
And how is your eye?
Let me have a look.
The doctor does not make
a good patient, I see.
The eye is quite good.
You should be resting, my dear.
[Jamie] Dinna be calling her that.
JH: Jamie clearly has not forgiven him! I doubt he ever will.
M: Does he really deserve to hold a grudge, Olivia? SHE THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD AND WAS MOURNING. Jamie is like extra sensitive around Lord John now, huh? It’s understandable but hilarious.
O: As Jamie’s said more than once, “I’m a jealous man.” That’s clear. But LJG got his licks in too, with that I have a vested interest remark. He raised William as his son. So, take that, Jamie!
G: John and Jamie both deeply care for Claire and for William. Hopefully, at some point, they’ll be able to mend their friendship as well.
JH: William is lucky to have three amazing people as parental figures! But I don’t know if they can even help him now.
O: Ha-ha. Let it go, Jamie.
[V: I can’t believe LJG is taunting him when he mentions if Jamie thinks he is there to fight over Claire.]
G: Jamie is still ready to fight.
JH: Jamie already took one good swing at him! They shouldn’t need to fight anymore.
M: Claire is so silent because Jamie is acting like an ass. Jamie, I know it hurts but you gotta get passed this.
I think it’s something that’s going to play out for a long time as well. They have been through so much together, those two guys, they obviously care about each other in some ways, but they’re both as stubborn as each other.
O: Claire is the object of two men’s affections.
G: Claire is rolling her eyes like “MEN”.
She is, which is funny because in the books their relationship is much more contentious than we’ve played it. But over the course of all that has been done on both sides for each other, that mutual respect, dare I say, love, for each other, really shown through. Certainly in the last episode, which I thought was really poignant.
But Lord John’s definitely going to be around and there’s baggage that’s going to be played out in season 8 from everything that happened in season 7. It’s not just swept under the rug. That goodbye between Jamie and John is probably not the last time you’re going to see those two together.
JH: This is one bizarre triangle these three make.
M: Jamie looks like a petulant child. He probably wants to cut off LJG’s hand for holding hers.
O: It was good she was able to do that. I’m surprised they never really told Jamie how the marriage came to be. I wonder if it will ever come up again.
I don’t think I ever
properly thanked you
for everything you did for me.
You saved my life.
G: Jamie is like that’s my job. I’m the only one who can save her. A lot has happened since Jamie came back from Scotland so I’m not sure he has had time to fully process everything. Hence, the chip on his shoulder.
JH: I wonder if Jamie has any guilt for all this happening. If that ship hadn’t sunk, none of this would have happened!
We saved each other’s.
Goodbye, Mrs. Fraser.
M: I love how he made sure to look at Jamie when he said that. Jamie probably feels insecure and LJG is trying to make sure he doesn’t feel threatened.
O: That had to be nerve wracking for Denny. I like this scene between the two of them, and Denny declaring they were family. They are in each other’s lives for sure.
G: I love this friendship between Denny and Claire.
Slight book deviation as Claire operated on Jamie to remove his finger. That has been omitted from the show storyline.
JH: Glad to see Claire recovering and moving around!
Like Denny was saying, I can’t imagine what a surgeon must feel cutting someone up they know. It must make detachment very difficult.
M: I would have never wanted to do it at all. Denzell is brave and I’m so glad he was successful.
The amount of possible complications would have had me on my knees crying.
O: That was a nice interaction between the two of them and plays out differently than in Diana Gabaldon’s book series. Bree obviously can’t tell him she is in fact a MacKenzie by blood as well.
But I was a little distracted since Bree is speaking with an American accent, and Brian Fraser doesn’t question it. The showrunner should have paid attention to that detail a little more, in my opinion.
G: So, this is the second time I have teared up. I can’t wait till she tells Jamie that she met his father. This was such a sweet moment.
JH: It’s so sad that she can’t explain who she is! But the look on his face might mean that he has some feeling.
M: This must be the most surreal experience, meeting your grandfather 200 years in the past.
O: I kept thinking how could one man build that house.
G: Same. He built that himself? It had to have taken decades to finish.
JH: Seems like Jamie learned how to be a devoted husband from his father!
M: You’re right, Jess. Jamie clearly had a great example of what a husband should be like.
O: What could she say? She certainly can’t blurt out, well I’m a time traveler and I am blood of your blood, your son is my father. No. Just play it off.
G: I really wanted her to tell him but honestly it wouldn’t have gone well. He probably would have thought she was a witch. But it was so sweet to have them interact. I really hope they let us see the scene when Bree Tells Jamie she met her grandfather.
JH: There’s no telling how he would react if she told the truth! It’s not worth the risk in such a superstitious time.
M: Must be a special feeling to be told you look like your very late grandmother.
O: Keep playing it off, Bree. That’s the only play here.
G: This has to be hard to play it cool. I’m sure she wants to grab him and hug him. I love the call back with the quote about the angels. It was said to convince the priest to marry Jamie and Claire in S1.
JH: This is just so spooky! And who knows if Brianna will be able to meet Claire and Jamie again and tell him what happened.
M: Brianna sees where Jamie gets some of his amazing qualities from. Also, Brianna telling him, but also not telling him, where she got her name from.
O: The bit about not changing the locks was an interesting tidbit about what I guess was the custom of the time.
So, the custom was to change the locks so the ghost of the departed doesn’t come back? Or something else. I dunno.
G: This reminds me of the ring Jamie gave Claire that was the key to Lallybroch. Like his dad, always leaving space for Claire to come back.
And still more Tears!! Also, I noticed they flipped the hair color from the book. Brian has red hair instead of black and Ellen has black hair instead of red. Interesting.
JH: What a romantic story! It reminds me of Heathcliff and Catherine in Wuthering Heights.
M: I love the double meaning in this conversation Brianna is having with her grandfather. It’s so heartwarming.
M: I love how they still find little moments to joke around.
[V: I do too, Margot.]
O: Ok. We’re getting close to a reckoning here.
I do think that initially, William goes to Jamie out of desperation because he feels he failed Jane and it’s his responsibility to save her.
But… there’s a lot going on for William still when it comes to Jamie.
I don’t think he has completely abandoned his identity as an English Lord, and Jamie kind of represents the antithesis of that.
O: William coming to Jamie, though, must fill Jamie’s heart with, what . . . relief, pride. Of course, Jamie has to help William.
G: The prodigal son has returned. I hope him reaching out to Jamie for help means that they are on their way to building a relationship.
JH: William must be truly desperate if he’s going to his estranged father for help!
M: Wow it’s funny how William knows he has to come to Jamie to complete an act that may not be very legal.
It’s William.
He needs me.
My son has never
asked anything of me.
Go.
O: They left her with wine? That’s interesting. What is she thinking?
G: Jane, don’t do anything brash.
JH: I guess she got wine with her last meal?
M: She must be so scared… a very solemn moment indeed.
O: But thank goodness Jane has a friend. So much of a friend that he goes to his estranged father to help him get her out.
G: Yeah, I’m glad he was her friend. And we are left wondering what could have been.
JH: This isn’t the first time Jamie is breaking in/out of a prison. William couldn’t have asked for a more qualified person to help him!
M: You’re right! He knew he had to get Jamie for this endeavor. The boy has sense.
O: That was cool. It’s a good thing they really didn’t have time to talk about it. But I wonder if William thought, “How would Brianna know something like this?” William is finally connecting the dots about his lineage.
G: Frank prepared Bree very well. I would really like to see William and Bree get to know each other.
JH: Is this the first time William realized the connection? Having an engineer for a daughter certainly comes in handy!
O: I guess the British soldier wouldn’t recognize Jamie. Was Jamie still wearing the face mask? I suppose it doesn’t matter. He’s an enemy of the British.
[V: Olivia, I think he did still have the mask on covering his face.]
G: I wish she would have waited. But I guess she didn’t think William would come for her.
JH: This is awful! But I guess Jane meant what she said – no man would take anything from her ever again.
M: Oh my gosh what? Damn. If they had come a little earlier maybe it would have worked out. Just damn, this sucks.
It was devastating for him. I think that he felt like this was his moment to save himself and to prove to himself that he was worthy of love and of all of these things, especially coming off the back of learning who his true dad is. And there’s a lot of turbulent feelings in William’s head.
Jamie really is stuck between a rock and a hard place with these two. Obviously, things with William do get better in some ways. They band together father and son and make a great team. Unfortunately, they’re too late to save Jane.
O: So, we see where the hair comes from that’s shown in the opening montage scenes. Makes sense. I’m glad to see William take care of Jane and give her dignity in her departure. He can’t do more for her now that’s she’s ended her life.
G: Jamie is a really good father to William. He thought of everything. I’m sure that lock of hair will be treasured in the future.
JH: I’m sure this is a major loss of innocence moment for William. Any why did we ever stop the tradition of keeping a lock of someone’s hair?
M: Shows how innocent he is. Doesn’t want to accept her death and leave her like this.
O: Yes, it’s time to go, William! You’ve got to get out of there. If you don’t it could be you facing execution!
G: Yeah, let’s not give them someone to hang in the morning. Let’s get moving. I’m glad Jamie was there, otherwise William would have made some bad decisions.
JH: William has really compromised his previously held ideals after all this. Maybe now he will see his “rebel” father in a better light.
M: This is horrible. She didn’t deserve this. I was not expecting all of this to happen in this episode. This is a lot.
The lassie he went to save
slit her wrists.
God rest her soul.
O: That was a tender moment when William, as he’s bringing Fanny to the church, he takes her hand. This is a frightened child who’s lost her sister. The fear and the uncertainty she must be feeling, along with devastating grief.
G: I’m glad that William, Jamie, and Claire are there for Fannie.
JH: Poor Fanny! Are they going to adopt her now? She has nowhere else to go.
M: Poor Fanny she looks so devastated. She literally has no one else in this world.
O: This can’t be easy, for all involved. For Claire, who must now assume the motherly role and Jamie the father figure. And I wonder where William sees himself in this new family environment?
G: This has to be incredibly hard for William. I’m glad Jamie and Claire are there to provide support for both of them. I’m sure she is in shock.
JH: Outlander is full of “chosen” families. I’m sure they will welcome Fanny as one of their own.
M: They definitely will. They can’t leave her alone.
O: I guess, during this era, taking a lock of a loved one’s hair after their death was a keepsake, a way to remember them. It’s a tad creepy to me, though. It reminds me of Jamie telling Claire, in the previous episode, how it was his mother’s hair that was still her when he looked at her lying in the coffin.
G: I’m sure this is all overwhelming for Fannie. Just lost her sister and now she is meeting new people and telling her to go live with them. I do wonder if William isn’t taking care of her himself because he plans to continue fighting in the war.
JH: So, they are going back to the Ridge! It will be nice to see them rebuild.
M: Jamie and Claire are no strangers to taking care of children that aren’t their own biologically.
She- -uh. . . Jane . . .
I wish to bury her decently.
O: How will Jamie take care of this?
G: Jamie always knows a guy, who knows a guy. He always manages to get it done.
JH: Is Jamie going to be able to call in that favor after resigning?
M: He always does ‘know a guy’, doesn’t he? How will he get her body back though.
There is one further favor
that I wish to ask of you.
O: Uh-oh. I think the reckoning between father and son is coming.
G: Yeah, uh-oh. I mean tracking down your soon to be executed lover wasn’t favor enough? William keeps pushing his luck.
JH: This confrontation is long overdue!
M: Alright time to finally talk this out, I guess.
O: Jamie, while wanting William’s affection, still ain’t no pushover. He was giving vibes like, I don’t care what you think is your right to know, some things I’m not going to talk about. So, take that!
G: I’ve always taken issue that Geneva was painted so callously, but Jamie went out of his way not to sully her name. She took advantage of him, and it never sat right with him that he never disclosed that.
JH: Jamie isn’t going to mince words or lie to William to protect him. And they have a different kind of rapport now after breaking into a prison together.
M: That interaction definitely had a profound impact on Jamie and him setting that boundary of not wanting to talk about it was good.
O: We’re getting to the crux of the matter, now. He’s telling you it wasn’t rape. But he also isn’t telling you your mother blackmailed him into doing it.
G: I think William is taking his new found opinion of love from his relationship with Jane and trying to apply it to his mother’s relationship with Jamie. Two totally different situations and power dynamics.
JH: I can’t imagine what William is feeling. His whole life has been a lie.
M: I think it may have been easier for Willie to be mad about his situation, if Jamie did force himself on her. However, Jamie isn’t like that Willie.
O: Did you all notice how William almost said my father, then said the 8th Earl, her husband. Yeah, that old guy wasn’t your papa. As Geneva said herself, in disgust, he was old enough to be her grandsire.
G: Perhaps this is the first opportunity William has had to process everything, but asking all these details won’t get him any closer to closure.
JH: Jamie has his own strong moral code, even if it doesn’t always align with what’s legal.
M: Exactly Jess.
O: It was good Jamie was able to tell William more about his mother’s personality. You could see William taking that in, a welcome piece of information about the mother he never got to know, since she died in childbirth.
G: Jamie was too kind. But I appreciate him for not speaking ill of the dead for the sake of his son.
JH: William never met his mother and was lied to about who his father was…and now he’s finally learning the truth.
M: It’s good that he’s not slandering her even after death. Shows what kind of man Jamie really is.
O: Honorable Jamie owns up to his part in it.
G: Jamie is a better man than most. Because I would have told it all.
JH: Jamie is telling William the brutal truth. It might make him hate him, but he won’t lie to his son.
O: But Jamie loves his son, so no he’s not sorry. But William can be a nasty little bugger, with that remark about never calling Jamie his father. Give the man some slack, sheesh! What you’re going to keep calling him sir, or Mr. Fraser. Yeah, right.
G: Okay fine William, take more time. But after everything Jamie has done for you and will do to help Fannie, the least you can do is be grateful.
JH: It seems like William can’t accept the truth of what happened. But he should try putting himself in his father’s shoes. He might also just need time to process all of this.
M: Well, I wasn’t expecting him to warm up to the idea immediately. That kind of hurt though.
That conversation comes from William trying to figure out if he was truly loved as a child. He wanted to know if his parents loved each other… And he kind of gets the answer that it wasn’t. And that’s devastating for William to hear, and I think it pushes him away from Jamie.
I will never call you father.
William has a lot to deal with and he turned to the only person that he knew that could help him in that moment. And at the end, we know that he’s still conflicted about his feelings for both of his fathers. And that’ll definitely play out in season 8.
O: Oh my, not knowing which grave is Jane’s. That’s tough. I’d be inconsolable.
G: Yeah, that’s heartbreaking. They could have at least marked her grave somehow.
JH: This is awful! I guess as a suicide, in those days, she wasn’t allowed to have a proper burial with a tombstone.
M: This is horrible! I understand though, not wanting to accept the death of a loved one until you see them. Fanny can’t even have that.
O: Yes Claire, try to get Fanny to stop blaming herself. Claire gave a good response here about God understanding the circumstances. That child should not be burdened with guilt.
G: I like the mothering side of Claire. Fannie has to be so confused right now. I’m glad that Jamie and Claire are there to give her stability.
JH: The major theme of this episode seems to be moral nuance. I feel so badly for Fanny. She’s so young and has been through so much!
M: Fanny has been through more than three lifetimes worth of trauma. At least she has someone like Claire to help her not have these negative thoughts about herself. That can really warp someone growing up with these thoughts.
Our mother used to take us
to see the dragonflies.
O: Ah, the dragonflies again. I love the throwback references! And yes, nice memories are the key to resigning oneself to the loss of loved ones, for sure.
G: The dragonfly symbolism. I’m so glad that Claire and Jamie are there for her.
JH: Callback to the title! I’m sure Fanny will always treasure this memory.
M: Again, why are these two girls so important that they got a whole cold opening and title card?
She loved the dancing lights . . .
blue and green in the sky.
Our mother used to say that was
a hundred thousand angels dancing.
And if you waved at them,
they’d reach down and carry
you up to heaven.
O: So, the Northern Lights represent angels dancing. That’s good imagery.
G: Angels dancing. How beautiful. They carried Jane off to heaven.
JH: People came up with such beautiful metaphors for things they couldn’t yet understand through science!
M: Ahhh, so now there’s the explanation for the wave. So beautiful.
O: So, were William and Jamie able to take some of Jane’s belongings when they tried to rescue her, or did they get them later? I couldn’t tell.
G: I think Jamie got her belongings when he got the location of her grave from the officer.
JH: Claire has lost so much over her life. She’s definitely the right person to support someone grieving.
M: That’s so nice he got Jane’s belongings back.
O: Okay, so we’re getting a little fantastical here with this Faith reference, I see. What a coincidence (not).
G: Faith? I wonder if this is tied in with Master Raymond.
JH: Another full-circle moment!
M: Wow…. What a coincidence.
O: Changes are coming for Rachel and Ian, too. Ian being a scout and not regular Army means, I guess, he’s not under an obligation to remain with the Army, as Jamie is.
G: I would imagine farming and tending your own home would be preferable to traveling with the army.
JH: That was good of Roger to give the land to Ian. I guess that means he doesn’t expect to ever come back.
M: I hope they go back to the Ridge. I’m tired of this war.
O: It’s hard living in the mountains of the Carolinas Rachel. But we know you’ll follow Ian, and Ian will follow Jamie.
G: OMG she is pregnant!!! That’s so awesome. Ian has gone through so much loss. Glad to see he and Rachel making new beginnings.
JH: Congratulations, Rachel!!
M: AWWWW, FINALLY! I’m so happy for them.
O: Aww, losing Rollo is like losing another family member.
G: This one cut deep. We’ve had Rollo since the beginning.
That scene is a testimony to Izzy and John — how powerfully that relationship has blossomed and how it really jumps off the screen. But it was hard. Obviously knowing that the actual dog, spoiler alert, is okay. But those moments are always so heightened when we know we’re going to lose a character.
When you’re saying goodbye to any character, whether it’s Rollo, Calum, or Dougal, along the way, you know you’re saying goodbye to someone that you’ve cared about for a really long time. Someone you’ve spent day in and day out with. Even the whole end of the series, it’s been like, “Hey, I’m not going to see all these people every day like I have for 12 years.”
JH: NOOO! I never thought of it, but Rollo must have been pretty old by now. He certainly had a long adventurous life!
M: NOOO ROLLO! His reaction was literally the same one I had to my dog dying. That stuff really hurts, man. I felt his pain. I was looking at Rollo this whole season wondering ‘he must be sooo old.’ AND LOOK. They’re just tying up so many things this season. I also agree, Rollo was waiting for Rachel. Dogs really do have a way of knowing when it’s their time to leave their humans.
O: Y’all better get out of there and get back home. You don’t want to mess around in the time continuum and meet your father before he’s even sired you. Go home and deal with Rob Cameron!
G: Exactly. They need to get somewhere safe and worry about Rob Cameron later.
JH: I guess they can’t explain to the kids that they’re related – too much of a risk! Maybe they can talk about it when they get back.
M: This must be one of the most surreal experiences for this family. Getting to meet their ancestors.
O: His dad might have gotten stuck in another time zone. But you can’t undo that, Roger. You helped him when you could.
G: Roger could always chase his father through the stones, but I don’t think that’s where he needs to be now.
JH: This seems to confirm Claire’s thought that when you are time traveling you are pulled to the time where someone important to you is. Since Roger’s family was still in the present, the next-most important person was his father, who was in this time.
M: He’ll always have questions and wonders, but I guess that’s the beauty of the story.
O: Where do they belong? Do they deal with Rob Cameron or go to the time their parents are in.
G: I understand missing your parents, but they have air conditioning in the 1980’s LOL. I think finding their parents is safer.
JH: What a problem to have! Being unsure of where to settle is one thing, not being sure of the time is crazier.
M: I think they should go back to Jamie and Claire. They tried 1980 and Rob Cameron messed it up; we’re done.
O: That’s so cute, Ian taking the box.
G: Ian is gonna be a great dad.
JH: Ian learned from the best!
M: Fam. Rollo really is gone? I don’t like this.
O: Hmm. What’s going on here?
G: How old is this song? Did they have brass bands in the current time?
[Fanny singing] I do like to stroll along
JH: I just got chills! How could Fanny know this song?
M: Woah! Hearing this really threw episode 2×09 back into my head. What a call back… but like how does that little girl know that song…
[Fanny singing] The prom, prom, prom
Where the brass bands play
Tiddely-om-pom-pom
O: So I’m guessing the seaside song is not of this time, is that right?
G: Yeah, I don’t think they had brass bands at that point. Something is up?
[Fanny] Oh, I do like to be beside
[Claire singing to Faith] The seaside
JH: This is so spooky! What’s going on?
M: This is so eerie. What is happening?
Oh, I do like to be
Beside the seaI like to walk along
Prom, prom, prom
O: I don’t remember this in the book series.
G: Yeah, I don’t remember this from the boo either. And that locket had the name Faith. Did Master Raymond go back in time to save Faith somehow? What is happening?
JH: What is going on? Interesting that this is a departure from the books!
M: My question exactly, how does she know this song?
How?
How could you possibly
know that song?
My mother taught it to me.
O: So, we’re getting really eerie here.
G: Yeah, this is super weird. OMG is Faith somehow alive???
JH: How is this possible?
M: This episode has WAYYYY TOOO MANY COINCIDENCES!!
O: So, the blue wings represent Master Raymond. But what does his presence mean? So, we’re going to have to wait a year or so before S8 comes. So, this is the cliffhanger, I guess.
G: I don’t know if I can wait that long. I’m so intrigued.
JH: What a cliffhanger to end on!
O: All right, they are hitting us over the head with all the allusions to Faith. We get it.
G: It’s an amazing coincidence or this is going to be a very twisty storyline.
JH: Did he mean “have Faith” literally?
M: Maybe?
[Jamie] What is it, Sassenach?
O: Like I said earlier, I don’t recall this from the book series and I’m not going to comb through the last two books to see if there are any references to Faith as to her possibly living, as someone insisted weeks ago on social media that there was. Ladies, what say you?
G: I’m sure Jamie is in shock because he never goes to see Faith because he was in jail for dueling Jack Randall. If this means we get an opportunity for them to meet, I would be over the moon.
I think Faith lived.
I think Jamie is in exactly the same place as the audience: complete shock. And I think the repercussions are going to be felt for a long time. It asks and poses many questions, I think, for Jamie and Claire, but also for the fans.
I think our daughter lived.
JH: I’m so confused! I think Claire would have been able to tell if Faith was alive when she was holding her…unless Master Raymond had something to do with it?
M: WHAT??? HOW??? I mean Master Raymond helped her through that infection she had after she had faith. Maybe Raymond has some powers?
They actually did get the (general) idea from me, though. When chatting with [showrunner] Matt [Roberts] about All Things plot wise, I mentioned that if I had written a second graphic novel (I didn’t, for assorted reasons), I would have shown what actually happened after Faith’s presumed death at the Hopital des Anges, and how/why Master Raymond resuscitated and nurtured the baby secretly, but wasn’t able to come back with her before Claire and Jamie left France. So, they liked that idea and ran with it.
We give this episode 5-shots. This episode was a lot. Since some of us haven’t read the books, some were confused that the cold open featured two side characters. However, there were a lot of callbacks to earlier seasons: the dragonflies, Master Raymond, the many references to Claire and Jamie’s oldest daughter, who we were told was stillborn. So, perhaps that is why they were featured.
There was so much character development in this episode. A lot of loose ends were wrapped up, but new plotlines emerged and ended with the Faith cliffhanger that has us intrigued. And now some of us have so many questions. It was only an hour, but we got to see all the big characters and got some sort of satisfying ending. We even got a shout-out for Murtagh. Without him, there would be no Jamie and Claire. He literally brought Claire to him back in 1×01.
Favorite scene(s)
We had several favorite scenes in this episode. Jamie at Claire’s bedside. His emotional turmoil, the bulging vein, and the tears. John Grey talking to Claire and Jamie in the corner acting like a brat. But, the confrontation between LJG and Jamie also showed Jamie’s jealousy and LJG’s easier manner showing he wasn’t a pushover, not even for Jamie.
Bree meeting Brian Fraser and seeing his wife Ellen in Bree was another favorite scene. We cried too many tears to count. That scene was everything that we had hoped for.
And last, the scene where Claire follows the sound of Fanny’s voice into the church. The overhead shot of her walking down the pews gave us chills!
Directing
We thought the scenes flowed well together. It wasn’t choppy as we went from Jamie and Claire to Roger and Buck and finally, Roger getting reunited with his family. The timing of the scene was excellent, and they really ramped up the mystery surrounding Faith.
This definitely was not an easy episode to direct. So many moving pieces but also in a way that made them blend together. There was a ton of material to cover in this episode, but it didn’t feel rushed. And it ended with a perfect cliffhanger!
Standout Acting / Performance(s)
There were several standout performances. The young actress, Florrie May Wilkinson, who plays Fanny, is outstanding. She really shows the grief and devastation of losing a beloved sister. John Bell, as Ian, also made us feel his grief. We can relate to losing a pet that is like a family member.
Last, there was Charles Vandervaart as William. He turned an unlikable character into our dashing hero. We feel like we understand his character much more after the show. His character had a big range of emotions in this episode, and he made it all believable. He also captured William’s character development well with all the changes and experiences he’s gone through.
Favorite Costume(s)
There were several costumes that caught our eye. Jamie’s long waistcoat, especially the blue-gray one he wears for most of the episode. He later changed into the brown leather one, which we liked. We also liked seeing Brian Fraser in the coat that Jamie would later wear in other seasons.
We are suckers for Lord John Grey’s costumes with his brown coat and matching eye patch. We also liked Brianna’s maroon coat. It was definitely a good pick for her re-debut to the 18th century! It’s always a scene stealer. Some of us want THAT COAT!!
Cinematography
The aurora borealis was amazing! The special effects were an interesting twist. We all know the scenes in Outlander are often captivating.
The way Master Raymond appeared to Claire was interesting. It gave the illusion of the dream and incorporated the motion of the bird wings. It had a gorgeous surreal quality. We were truly afraid when he first appeared and then immediately felt at ease.
LOOKING FORWARD
What we are looking forward to in Outlander S8 – The Final Season
Olivia: I want to see how they’re going to spin this Faith may be alive business. I want to see more William and Jamie interaction, and Rachel and Ian in their married life with a child on the way. Follow Olivia on Bluesky – newsollie.bsky.social.
Gwen: I want to see where Roger and Bree end up and how they deal with Rob Cameron. I would like to see Buck go back to his family. And I would like resolution around the Faith story line. Is she alive or is this some sort of metaphor? Follow Gwen on Bluesky – autonomy6.bsky.social
Margot: Looking forward to answers about Faith! What happened to her? Also really think about it, if Jane and Fanny are Jamie and Claire’s granddaughter… that means Willie had sex with his NIECE? Fam. No wonder that relationship didn’t progress any further than it did. Who exactly is Master Raymond? I can’t wait to see them back on the Ridge again. Also I want the MacKenzies to reunite with the Frasers! How are we going to finish this series in 10 more episodes? Follow Margot on Instagram – @Margotmaker.
Jess H: I’m so excited to see Claire find out the truth about what happened to Faith, and hopefully learn what Master Raymond’s story is. I also can’t wait to see what time period Bree and Roger decide on. Of course I’m rooting for everyone to be reunited! Follow Jess H on X – @calypsomoon9.
Vida: OMG, there is so much I want to see in the final season. Will Claire and Jamie go back to the Ridge? If we don’t see Fergus and Marsali, I am seriously going to be upset. Will we see Lizzie and the twins? Where will Roger and Bree end up? Will they resolve the Rob issue and explain who Callahan really is? Will William finally come around? So many questions to answer. Follow Vida on X – @backlanderz and Bluesky – @blacklanderz.bsky.social.
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I just have one thought – no where in these last couple of episodes does anyone mention that Lord John married Claire to save her from the spying charges. If Jamie had been told about this, maybe he wouldn’t have reacted so viciously. Claire did thank Lord John for what he did for her, but I think the issue of whether Claire was a spy would have made what happened more acceptable. One the other hand, after Wentworth, any reference to “buggering” has an especially horrible meaning for Jamie.
Yes, I thought of that too. But it is not that LJG married Claire that was the problem. It’s that he slept with her and Jamie knows he is gay. For Jamie, that part doesn’t make any sense to him. And, When LJG mentioned they were both making love to him, that’s what pushed him over the edge.