Outlander Homepage Originals
We really should have known what we were in for. Considering that the episode began with a flashback death montage, we really should have been prepared.
In quick succession, Claire’s first monologue takes us back to the image of her standing in bloodied clothes at the end of the Second World War, before we relive the Battle of Culloden and the deaths of Faith, Colum, Angus, Black Jack, Lesley, many highlanders, Mercy Woodcock’s husband, the odd villain or two, Dougal and Murtagh. As the flashback reaches its ominous conclusion, Claire reminds us that war is inevitable and death is too. The opening credits almost serve as respite after this!
When the music dies away, we see a man and a young girl in the 20th century, looking at an artwork entitled “The Battle of Monmouth.” From their appearance, we can assume that this is Frank and a young Brianna, while a closer examination of the painting reveals both Jamie and Claire depicted in the scene. While the real painting has been altered to include the Frasers, this is also a quick nod to a question that has been asked by book readers for quite some time now: how much did Frank know?
It is almost dawn and almost time for another battle. Claire wakes in the tent to find Jamie sitting up, unable to sleep. He tells her that he will wake her when it is time, explaining that is hard to sleep so close to battle. Kissing her hand, Jamie says that the only time he is without pain is when he is in Claire’s bed, lying in her arms. Wounds are healed and scars are forgotten, a feeling that Claire admits that she shares.
Jamie has been thinking of his own mother, and how he had seen her in her coffin. He tells Claire of the way his father had unbraided her hair, so that it spread across the pillow. Jamie had been in the corner, and crept up to look when everyone left to meet the priest. Although the face still had the look of his mother, it was as if she had carved from wood. The hair, however, was still alive and “still her.” His still born brother had been covered up, and Jamie had lifted the covering to let him out. But when he saw his brother lying in their mother’s arms, he decided it was best to leave him snug under the locks of his mother’s red hair.
Claire recalls that his mother had only been 38 and comments that she herself has had the richness of so many more years. Jamie strokes her face, telling her that seeing the years touch her gives him joy.
“Come to me, shelter me, heal me,” he murmurs, and the two lie back in each other’s arms. Jamie tells Claire not to worry. He wants to watch her sleep, so that he can rise with a clear mind and go to do what must be done. This is a beautifully tender scene, expertly rendered by Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe.
Dawn comes, and with it, the inevitable farewell. Claire refuses to say either goodbye or good luck, and Jamie replies that “I love you” will do. He recalls that his last words spoken with William were in anger and he worries aloud what will happen if he never gets the chance to tell his son that he loves him?
“I love you,” Claire responds.
He begins to walk away, but at the last minute, Jamie turns back and takes her hand.
“It willna be today, Sassenach,” he assures her.
“Promise me,” Claire replies.
“I promise.”
This time, he does walk away, mounting his horse and heading off to battle. Claire watches him go, trying not to cry. Something is different about Claire here. She doesn’t seem nearly as self assured as she usually does.
Another flashback scene sees Claire and Jamie sitting around a fire staring up at the sky. Claire comments on the high price of battle, and asks Jamie if he ever feels a kind of emptiness or void gnawing at him. For most of her life, she has been able to ignore it, she says, but this time it is different.
“You can’t mean death,” Jamie says -and the action switches back to Claire in the present, trying to shake off her feelings of disquiet. As Jamie rides down his line of troops and leads them away, she takes a deep breath and enters the church that now doubles as a makeshift hospital.
It is Claire’s lack of assurance that offers the most foreshadowing in this scene. In past seasons, the slow motion walk away has indicated trouble - but this disquiet appears to do the same thing. Caitriona Balfe always seems to find new layers in the way that she presents Claire, and this is yet another example.
Meanwhile, back in 1739, Buck and Roger are sitting by a running stream. Buck is musing on the genetics of time travel. If Jerry, Roger, Jem and himself are all time travellers and all related, he says, could his own father be one?
Roger is immediately uncomfortable. It is time to tell Buck the truth.
“I don’t think your father was a time traveller, “ he says. “But your mother was… is.”
Roger tells Buck that Geillis Duncan is his mother - a revelation that does not go down well., Buck wants to know why Roger hasn’t told him before now and also wants to know who his father is.
Taking a deep breath, Roger tells him: Dougal Mackenzie. Again, Buck is furious. Why has he been kept in the dark? Roger tries to justify his silence: what if Buck had done something to alter the course of time. Would they have all ceased to exist as a result?
“Then perhaps we should have left your own father to his fate!” Buck counters. “Wherever he’s gone, you said what you needed to say to him. I never got that chance. It isn’t right. You shouldn’t know more about a man than he kens himself.”
Buck stalks away, quickly followed by a guilt stricken Roger. Roger asks where Buck is going and he replies that maybe he should pay a visit to his own parents. Roger says that he can’t allow him to do that.
“You deserved to know the truth,” he says. “But I didn’t think you would embark on some kamikaze mission.”
Buck is confused by the language, but says that since they have come to a dead end in their search, he might as well do something. He also points out that they were only at Geillis Duncan’s house because of Roger, and Dougal’s arrival at the house was also because of Roger. Without Roger, Dougal and Geillis would not have met - hasn’t Roger already altered the course of time? It is a valid argument, and one for which Roger has no answer. He apologises again, pleading with Buck for his help, as he needs to try one last thing.
In the makeshift hospital, Claire is having trouble convincing the doctor in charge, Dr Leckie, that she is a surgeon. She tells him about Saratoga, with Denzell adding that she saved countless lives. Denny continues to argue Claire’s case, telling Dr Leckie that he has used Claire’s techniques himself and that many others would benefit from them.
But Leckie is unmoved. He will not, he says, put lives in the hands of a cunning woman. Denny tries again, naming Claire as the most skilled surgeon he has ever met and remarking that to deny her help is to do patients harm.
Leckie asks where Denny has received his own training.
“In Edinburgh and London, where I was trained by my cousin, John Hunter,” Denny replies.
But it is all for naught. Leckie remains unconvinced, and begins to doubt Denny’s credentials as well, until Claire reminds him that Denny is a duly appointed surgeon in the Continental Army. Turning to Denny, Claire tells him that she will do triage outside.
As she sets up her triage station, Claire once again looks unnerved. She is looking out at the church cemetery as the flashback scene with Jamie continues.
“Something feels different this time,” she says. “It’s not death, but maybe it’s a fear of what comes after. That nothing you did matters. Somehow it all gets swallowed in a sort of abyss. There’s so much futility. Entropy.”
Jamie comments that warriors do not fear as much, because they have a hope that their death will matter.
Claire sets out the rules for Rachel once casualties start appearing. She explains the system that was used at Saratoga: broken bones wait, head injuries can also be separated, while acute bleeding will get first priority and be sent straight to the church. Claire will do what she can to tip the scales in their favour.
Rachel quotes scripture: “The Lord says: ‘I will give you the treasures of darkness.’” But Claire has helped her to see that courage in the face of death is one such treasure. “It is one thing for a soldier to shoot a man who has his sights set on him,” she tells Claire, “but another for us to look the angel of Death in the eye and try to steal a man’s life back from him.”
Claire says that she is no afraid of death, but more that Jamie will go beyond the call of duty and may lose his life because of it. Meanwhile, Rachel is afraid that Ian would hesitate to do what must be done and be killed because of her. She would be left alone with her principles.
“That ’s the trouble with all of us,”Claire tells her. “We’re all just doing in our hearts what we believe must be done.”
Ian and Lord John are about to attempt Ian’s rescue. Approaching the Hessian camp, Ian introduces himself as a Mohawk scout aligned with the British army. He comes with a message from Captain Richardson, he says, to turn the English prisoner over to them.
“But why would he do that?” Von Schnell asks. He then asks Ian whether Richardson has sent the agreed payment, and Lord John responds that he is sure that Von Schnell will be more than compensated for his part in the capture. This leads to a stand off: Von Schnell demands the payment, while Ian demands that William be brought to them.
A hooded and shackled William is indeed brought before them. When the hood is removed, William acknowledges John with a brief nod. Ian demands William be unchained and again Von Schnell demands the payment, pretending to have lost the key to the chains.
“One key is very like another,” he says, “as are English captains.”
It is obvious now that the ruse has not worked.
“Richardson didn’t send you,” Von Schnell says. “Let the bastard perish.”
One of the Hessians draws his pistol to do just that, but Lord John and Ian are faster. In short order, the Hessians are dead, with the exception of Von Schnell.
Lord John unshackles William.
“My dear boy,” he says. “Thank goodness.”
Ian decides to spare Von Schnell’s life, saying that there has already been too much bloodshed. Before running off, Von Schnell remarks that Ian will come to regret this decision. Could this be what Rachel was talking about? Might Ian’s reticence to take Von Schnell’s life result in him losing his own?
Lord John tells Willian that they have things to talk about, but that it can wait. As long as William is alive, everything is all right.
“I’m not so sure it is,” William replies, “but I’m very glad to see you.” He asks about John’s eye, still covered by an eye patch. John replies that it is a tale for another time.
William tells John that he thinks the Hessians were deserters and that he had fought as hard as he could. John tells him that Captain Richardson had been behind everything and that William was being used as a political pawn.
“Because of who you are,” John says, putting his hands on William’s face. “Because of who your family is.”
Turning to Ian, John thanks him for his help, commenting that Ian will likely want to return to his new bride. William joins in the thanks and Ian departs.
Claire and Rachel are doing triage when a seriously injured man demands immediate attention and they carry him into the church. Much to Leckie’s disapproval, Claire puts the man on the table and, ignoring Leckie’s diagnosis, begins to make an incision. The effect is immediate and Leckie is impressed, although he continues to suggest further treatment which Claire dismisses, telling him that he is wrong. She offers to explain the procedure that she is using, but Leckie announces that he has work to do. This time though, he doesn’t order Claire back outside and leaves Claire and Denny to treat the man.
Von Schnell is wandering through the woods when he is suddenly ambushed by Ian. Changing his mind and taking out a knife, Ian stabs the older man. As Von Schnell dies, Ian looks down at him, saying, “You’re right. I would have regretted it.” Despite this, he still looks disconcerted at the blood on his hands.
Lord John and William are back at the army camp. William is now back to his petulant best, drinking from a hip flask and making disparaging statements about Jamie, whom he refers to as “Mac the Groom.” John cautions William about drinking too quickly, saying that he is concerned for his wellbeing. William asks if keeping the secret from him was also for his wellbeing.
John replies that keeping the secret had been a burden that had weighed heavily upon him, but that he had always been convinced that he was doing the right thing. William counters by saying that he had been brought up to believe that honesty was at the heart of a man’s decency. He refuses to allow John to explain, adding that he has had time enough to do so by now.
“William!” John says in exasperation.
“William who? Ransom? Ellesmere? Fraser? It is certainly not Grey. You taught me to bear my name in its entirety with pride. A reputation is all a man ever really has. That’s what you told me. Who in God’s name am I?”
John is emphatic in his reply. “You are my son,” he says, before adding that William could have done a lot worse than to have been sired by Jamie Fraser. William smirks, saying that Jamie was only a groom.
“James Fraser is an honourable and courageous man,” John replies. “Granted he is a Scot and a rebel. He’s a damn fine swordsman, He knows his horses. And you and he. You’re very much alike, He is one of the best men I’ve ever met.”
But William calls Jamie a traitor, adding that he himself would never betray his king or country.
“Never is not a word to be trifled with,” John cautions him. “Be careful with it. Things are not always so straightforward.”
But William is done with listening and leaves the tent.
David Berry did a wonderful job with this scene. He certainly proved what an honourable man John Grey is - especially since John was determined to sing the praises of the man who had beaten him so severely and caused his capture!
Roger and Buck arrive back at Lallybroch, where they are greeted again by Brian Fraser. Inside, Roger writes a letter to Brianna, explaining that things have gone wrong and somehow he has ended up in the wrong time. He hands the letter to Buck to read, commenting that he hopes he can honour the last part, where he promises to do whatever it takes to get the family back together. Buck has written his written his own letter, to Geillis Duncan, thanking her for her help.
“If I never see her again,” Buck says, “I want to leave her with something, however small, of me.”
Roger seals his letter, before putting it inside the drawer of the desk.
“Here’s hoping,” he says.
In the 20th century, Bree takes a book off the shelf in the study. It is Frank’s: “The Soul of a Rebel.” She opens it to look at Frank’s portrait, before sitting down at the desk to leave her own note for Roger, just in case.
“Jem is with me and safe. We went back to find you. All my love always, Bree.”
She kisses the note and opens one of the drawers, perhaps looking for an envelope, when it jams slightly. She walks over to fix it, when she notices Roger’s note to her. His plan has worked.
As she reads, she notices the date and realises that Roger is further back in time than he should be.
A distraught Frances makes her way towards William, demanding to know where he has been.
“You said you’d protect us!” she sobs.
William asks where Jane is and Frances explains that one of the men who had frequented the brothel, Major Jenkins, had been at the camp and had recognised Jane. Jenkins had been there when Harkness died, and so arrested Jane and dragged her away.
“Will they hang her?” Frances asks.
“No,” says William. “They can’t. Stay here.”
He hurries out of the tent, leaving the young girl behind.
This was a beautiful bit of acting by Florrie May Wilkinson, who portrays Frances. She was utterly convincing as the distraught but feisty young girl, and deserves accolades for handling a difficult scene with aplomb.
In 1739 Lallybroch, Roger thanks Buck for being with him and tells him that he has a good heart. But Buck disagrees, saying that he isn’t a good person, because of what he did to his wife. Roger asks what he had done and Buck explains. He had fallen in love with her, but her heart was with another man, Donald McAlister. After a drunken dance where he had enjoyed one too many drams, Donald had been found with his hand down another woman’s bodice. It’s not entirely clear whether Buck had engineered this situation, but at any rate he had comforted a sobbing Morag Gunn. Two months later, they were married, but it was Donald Morag had really wanted. She never forgot him and Buck punished her for it, moving her to North Carolina, away from everyone she loved. But after the trouble at Alamance, he had finally brought her home to Scotland.
Draining his own dram, Buck has made a decision about his future. He won’t return to Morag, he says, thinking that by now she will either have given him up for dead and finally married Donald, or taken the children and returned to her father. Instead, Buck offers to go back through the stones to find Brianna and tell her what has happened, in case she doesn’t find the letter. Roger says that he can’t ask Buck to do that.
“It’s the one thing I can do for my family,” Buck replies. “You’re all mine. My blood. My sons.” The two men smile at each other in understanding.
At Craig Na Dun, Brianna tells a disappointed Mandy that she will have to leave her modern doll, Esmeralda, behind. Mandy says that the doll will be scared, but Jem tells her not to be silly. It’s much scarier to go through the stones, he says, asking Brianna if she is scared.
“Not with you two by my side,” she answers. “We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again.”
Brianna explains that Roger isn’t where she thought he was, but that together they will find him, by using their senses to feel for him, the way that they do for each other. She tucks a small gem into each of their hands, instructing them to think of Daddy. Turning to the stones, Mandy smiles.
“Daddy!” she calls and runs, before Brianna and Jem are ready.
“Mandy, wait!” they call, but it is too late.
Claire and Rachel are back outside treating men, when the news comes that the Redcoats are approaching. Leckie comes and tells them that they must either leave, or go inside, but Claire refuses. There are men who can’t be moved and she won’t leave them. Leckie explains that the place is being evacuated. Everyone who is able, including Denzell, will be returning to the main camp, while he will remain inside with his patients.
Rachel entreats Claire to go with herself and Denny, but Claire refuses.
“May the Lord keep thee safe,” Rachel says, and Claire nods in response.
Leckie tries again, telling Claire that if she won’t go with Rachel and Denny, then she at least needs to go inside. He also plans to leave as soon as he can, he tells her, hopefully before the redcoats arrive. He even tries praise, describing her as a bloody good surgeon.
“Thank you for saying that,” Claire replies. “But like you, I have an obligation to these men and I will not leave them here to die.”
“Well then, good luck to you,” Leckie says, before adding a sign of respect and addressing her as Dr Fraser. He goes inside and leaves her with the men.
Young Charlie Whelan finds Jamie, in order to report a platoon of redcoats up ahead of them, near Tennent Church. The other officer says to Jamie that surely they won’t fire on a church, particularly one serving as a hospital. Sending Charlie to warn the others, Jamie orders all those who are able to follow him.
Claire is on her own with her patients, as a band of redcoats move past, but they don’t seem interested in approaching her. Lieutenant Bixby arrives, telling Claire that she should be sheltering inside, but Claire tells him that the redcoats won’t bother the wounded.
Bixby is slightly wounded himself and Claire sets about treating him. She asks him if he has heard about Jamie and he assures her that Jamie will be fine. He shares the news with her that General Lee has been relieved of command after telling the men to retreat. Washington had been furious, and had turned to Jamie, saying “Mr Fraser, follow me!” Claire smiles with pride as Bixby tells her that the two men had rode up along the ridgeline and given the command. It is the reason why the redcoats are now on the run, he says.
“So we’re winning?” Claire asks.
“If we carry on the way we were going, then yes, I suppose we are,” Bixby replies.
Jamie and the others arrive at the church, in time to see another group of retreating redcoats. Jamie instructs them to let the men go, commenting that that should be the last of them for now. Seeing Claire, he calls to her and she turns, smiling.
At the same time, we hear an argument break out between the redcoats and the continental soldiers and the verbal insults soon escalate into gunfire. Jamie screams to the men to hold their fire, but another shot is heard. Jamie and Claire’s eyes lock in horror and we watch as blood begins to stain Claire’s apron. Gasping, she falls to the ground, as Jamie runs to her.
Jamie looks around wildly for help as he tries to stop the bleeding. Bixby is calling to him but the voice is indistinct. Nothing exists for him but Claire. Bixby runs to the church, Jamie following with Claire in his arms.
“God, please not her. Don’t tell me she’s been shot!” Leckie says, as Jamie lays Claire down on the table.
“I’m so sorry, Sir,” Bixby begins, but Jamie cuts him off. Claire is not dying, he hisses. Bixby asks if he can do anything and Jamie tells him to let the doctor do his work. But aside from giving Claire a bandage to press on the wound, Leckie says there is nothing to be done, as the ball has penetrated too deeply. He offers Jamie his condolences, and says that there are men’s lives who he can save back at the main camp. Jamie forbids him to leave, but Leckie once again offers his condolences.
“Good luck to you, Ma’am,” he says to Claire and strides away.
Jamie screams after him: “May the devil eat your soul and salt it well first, you whore!” He cannot bear to see Claire suffering and tries to think of something he can do. He decides that she needs water, but Claire tells him that if the wound has perforated the bowel then the intestinal shock would kill her.
Jamie has seen men die of gunshot and he tells her that he will not have her die.
“Please God,” he prays, “don’t let it be now.”
Into this emotional scene walks Charlie Whelan, with a message from General Lee, ordering Jamie to attend him at once. Jamie refuses, with Bixby echoing the sentiments, but Whelan is insistent. Jamie must come.
“I will not leave. D’ye hear me?”
The men argue, but their voices fade away, as Claire remembers sitting and watching the stars with Jamie. Jamie remarks that the sky is a kind of abyss, but one that they are not afraid to look at it. Claire tells him that the stars are there, which makes a difference, even though they are burning out, according to the second law of thermodynamics.
“I suppose men can make all the laws they like,” Jamie replies, “but God made hope. The stars willna burn out, and nor will we.”
It is this hope that Jamie is now clinging to. Charlie tells Jamie that he must come, or he will be shot for treason. Jamie replies that they can shoot him where he stands, because he won’t leave Claire’s side. Ordering Whelan to take off his coat and shirt, Jamie dramatically dips his fingers in Claire’s bloody before writing his resignation onto Whelan’s back.
“Sir, I resign. J Fraser.” he writes, before telling Whelan to go and show the message to Lee. Whelan is reluctant to do so, saying that Lee is in a horrible temper.
But Jamie is in no mood to be trifled with.
“Go and show that to General Lee,” he repeats, his voice dangerously quiet and husky with anger and fear.
Once Whelan has gone, Jamie turns back to Claire.
“Denny,” she says. “I need Denny.”
So Jamie orders Bixby to go and find Denzell Hunter and the young man nods and leaves immediately.
Jamie leans down, stroking Claire’s face. “I love you Sassenach,” he says. “The stars willna burn out and nor will we.”
Time passes and Jamie begins to pray.
“Lord, I ken this is your house, but your angels have no dominion here. Do not send them for her. If you do, I will not let them take her. I will not.”
The door opens. Bixby has returned, with Denny and Rachel close behind him. Denny and Rachel rush over to Claire.
“Save her,” Jamie entreats.
Claire begins to diagnose her own condition, telling Denny that the ball could be in the liver, given the amount of blood. Denny tells her that he is sure she is right and that he will find the ball and remove it.
Rachel comments that General Lafayette had been most concerned to hear Claire had been hurt and has sent some delicacies to help in her recovery. Amongst them is roquefort cheese. Claire tells Denny that the mould on the cheese is penicillium and he needs to make a poultice for afterwards.
“I will,” Denny promises. “We must begin.” He bends low and whispers to Claire, “I will do my best by thee.”
While Denny and Rachel prepare for the surgery, Jamie sits behind Claire’s head, stroking her hair.
“Do not leave me, Claire,” he entreats. “This time, I will beg. Do not go from me.”
“I won’t,” she whispers, as Jamie kisses her forehead.
Denzell steps forward and picks up the scalpel.
“Jamie,” he says. “Pray.”
The episode ends with a close up of the night sky, as the stars slowly disappear - one by one…
While all of the acting in this penultimate episode of season 7 was excellent, the highest accolades have to go to Sam Heughan. The final scenes were a masterclass. You felt every bit of Jamie’s anger, fear and grief, as he absolutely refused to accept that Claire could be taken from him.
Of course, with only one episode left before the final Droughtlander begins, the anger and grief will soon belong to the fans!
This recap was written by Susie Brown, a writer and teacher librarian who lives in Australia. While she knew, as a book reader, what would happen in this battle, she wasn’t prepared for actually watching it. Kudos to everyone: writers, directors and actors alike - but especially Sam Heughan!
