Outlander Homepage originals by Susie Brown
There are many parallels to past events and seasons cleverly woven throughout the action of season 3’s final episode. It is not surprising to discover that the hour was co-written by Toni Graphia and Matthew B Roberts, who also did double duty as director. In their hands, the finale is definitely one to remember - a fitting ending to what has been an amazing season.
As the episode opens, Faith’s theme music is playing. If that wasn’t omen enough, the melody is accompanied by Claire’s voiceover saying, “I was dead”, together with the shocking image of her seemingly lifeless body sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
No explanation is given as to what has happened, and as the voiceover ends in an image of bright white light, the time jumps. Claire is in a carriage, urging the driver to hurry. The last time we saw Claire alone in a speeding carriage was back in season 2, when she was racing to try and prevent the duel between Jamie and Jack Randall. That particular mission resulted ultimately in Jamie’s arrest and the miscarriage of Faith, so this parallel journey certainly heightens the tension from the outset.
Suddenly, the carriage stops. Claire calls out asking why, but the reason soon becomes obvious. A group of slaves is marching past them, chanting and carrying lit torches.
They pay no attention to the carriage or its occupants, merely walking around them and continuing on their way. It is an eerie interlude, with Claire, the driver and footman all unnerved by the experience. Once the group has passed by, the carriage continues its journey, finally stopping at the grounds of Rose Hall. Claire asks for directions to the slaves’ quarters. She tells the driver to wait for her at the bottom of the road, adding that if she doesn’t return by daybreak, he is to ask for her at the main house.
Meantime, Fergus and Marsali arrive back at their accommodation at the Black Cat Inn. They see Claire’s fine dress and realise that she has already been there. Fergus comments that he hoped Mr Willoughby would be there, as he fears for the man’s safety. But Marsali reassures Fergus: Willoughby is a clever man and since they don’t know the island, there is nothing they can do for him.
Fergus sees the note that Claire has left behind, letting them know that Jamie has been arrested by Captain Leonard. Marsali suggests heading to the Artemis to get help, but Fergus has another idea. He tells Marsali to wait behind for him, but she refuses. She is his wife, she tells him, and is coming with him. It is a nice little parallel with Jamie and Claire: these two will go through everything together. Fergus takes her hand and they leave.
Claire is creeping through the servants’ quarters, whispering for Ian, when she comes across a dog that is preoccupied with something hidden under some straw. She shoos the dog away and is horrified to see two dead bodies - the two boys who were with Ian when he first arrived.
As viewers are left to wonder whether this means that the blood bath Geillis was taking had actually been goat’s blood or something more sinister, Claire is captured from behind by Geillis’ slave, who clamps a huge hand over her mouth to silence her protests.
Geillis is interrogating young Ian, asking him why he had never mentioned his aunt. But the frightened, aroused young boy has gone. This Ian is defiant and angry. As Geillis tries to get him to admit that Claire knew about both the sapphires and the prophecy of the Brahan Seer, Ian tells her that he’s tired of her blethering. He launches himself at her, calling her a bitch and promising to gut her, but is restrained by another slave. Perhaps, as the only survivor of the boys who were captured and despairing as to whether Jamie will arrive in time, Ian figures that he has nothing to lose. He is a Fraser Murray after all, and not one to give up without a fight. But another slave enters, whispering to Geillis. Telling the slave to take Ian away quickly, Geillis barely has time to rise before another door opens and a new prisoner enters: Claire, who is pushed into the room by Hercules.
Immediately Claire begins a story. She was left at the end of the road, she says, and had gotten lost trying to find the house. Geillis walks towards her. She is staring intently as she apologises for her man servant’s roughness and declaring them to be friends. Yet she doesn’t smile when she tells Claire that she is welcome anytime, asking instead why Claire has come. Claire replies that Jamie has been arrested for murder, a crime of which he is entirely innocent, and that she is now in danger as well. Geillis replies that Claire must be exhausted, inviting her to come and sit. Claire is wary: it is the start of an excellent cat and mouse game between the two.
A smug Captain Leonard is leading Jamie back towards the Porpoise. Jamie remarks that it is a shame that Leonard hadn’t lost his way and found Havana instead, a comment that results in Leonard remarking that Jamie is quite droll for a man in irons. He admits that they had had difficulties finding their way, short handed as they were. But just as Leonard tells Jamie that he will soon be transported home to face trial, red coats appear. They address Leonard as Lieutenant, rather than Captain and announce that Jamie will be taken into their charge. Leonard is annoyed and asks under whose authority.
The next scene shows exactly whose authority: that of Lord John Grey. This is a magnificent scene, with David Berry the undisputed star.
Lord John wastes no time in reprimanding Leonard, who has neither warrant nor affadavit from a witness to prove his claims of Jamie’s guilt. Given that Leonard’s authority over Jamie had ended once they reached land, Lord John can now overrule him, which he does, repeatedly referring to him as Lieutenant and commenting on the liberal practices of the naval service to confer rank on someone who has not earned it. Until he himself is satisfied as to the validity of the charge, Grey says, then Jamie will retain his liberty. Leonard is beaten, and he knows it. With one final look at Jamie, he stalks out of the room.
Alone now, John and Jamie look at each other. Jamie comments that he is indebted to John once again, for saving his life. John replies that they have been indebted to each other so many times that he has lost count.
“Until the next time, then,” says Jamie. “Goodbye, John.”
“Goodbye, Jamie,” John replies. “And good luck.”
Jamie leaves, as John stares wistfully after the man he loves.
Back at Rose Hall, Claire is just finishing her story as to how she and Jamie have arrived in Jamaica. Geillis is losing patience, telling Claire that she has omitted one detail. “Why are you here?” she asks.
It is the same question she asked back in season 1 and she still hasn’t received a satisfactory answer. Fate has continued to throw them together for 25 years, she comments. As fellow travellers, they share a unique bond, one that even Jamie and Claire do not.
Geillis says that she had sacrificed everything for Claire, yet Claire has come to her home and lied. It was Claire, Geillis insists, who poisoned Colum’s mind against Dougal and the rising and Claire who is still trying to stop her now from putting a Scottish king on the throne. Claire tells her that she has done no such thing, and that Charles Stuart had his chance. But Geillis is not speaking of the Bonnie Prince. Her focus is now on the new King and the prophecy of the Brahan Seer. As she starts to accuse Claire of stopping her from freeing her people from England’s tyrannical rule and returning her homeland to its former glory, Claire rises, saying that she had better leave. But Geillis won’t let her go, telling Hercules to stop her, which he does. Claire asks Geillis what it is she wants to hear and Geillis answers, “Why have you been after me all these years?”
An exasperated Claire replies that in fact she hasn’t been in the same time period for the past 20 years, a claim which Geillis refuses to believe at first. But Claire continues, telling how she had left right before Culloden and returned to her own time. Geillis comments that there was no way that Claire would have left Jamie, and that not even war would have parted them. So Claire tells Geillis that she was pregnant and that she had left for the safety of the child, so that she could raise her in Boston, in her own time.
Once her daughter was old enough, Claire says, she had returned to find Jamie. Still Geillis is disbelieving - how has Claire travelled three times and survived? Turning away, she tells Hercules that he can have Claire, to do what he wants with her. Desperately, Claire pulls out the photographs. How can she be in the photos, she asks, if she isn’t speaking the truth? Intrigued, Geillis recognises Brianna and Claire confirms that Geillis met Brianna at the university, adding that they were both there the night that Geillis had gone through the stones in 1968.
“That was you shouting my name,” Geillis says and Claire comments that she had wanted to warn her about what would happen at the witch trial. They discuss the fact that Claire had seen the burnt body of Greg Edgars, with Geillis saying that a sacrifice had been necessary. Claire disputes this, admitting that she doesn’t know how she travelled without one, other than that it had “something to do with the person on the other side drawing you to them.” Geillis comments that while that may be so, she would rather have blood, as a girl can’t be too careful. She looks down at the photos. “A 200 year old baby,” she says, with a hint of a smile. “Imagine that.” Viewers realise that Geillis has just connected the prophecy to Brianna and that Claire has unknowingly put her daughter in danger. Geillis puts one of the photos inside her gown, before returning the rest of the packet to Claire. Suddenly, she is contrite, apologising and commenting that she now sees that the two women have been drawn together by powerful forces. Embracing Claire before retiring, she says that Claire will be shown to a guest room and given everything she needs.
But later in her quarters, Claire realises that she has been locked in. Through the windows, she sees a bound and gagged young Ian being carried by Hercules. She tries doors and shutters, but it is no use.
Suddenly, the door rattles from the other side: someone is trying to get inside. Grabbing a candlestick, she swings as the man enters. Fortunately, she misses - it is Jamie. He explains that Fergus had gotten word to John Grey and they share a brief, relieved hug. Claire tells him that she is fine, but that Geillis has Ian. They run outside, and Jamie asks Claire which way they need to go. Claire points in the direction of drumming that can be heard in the distance.
Carefully, the two creep through the jungle towards the noise. A tribal ceremony is taking place, with drumming and trance-like dancing around a fire. Jamie and Claire crouch in the reeds, watching. It is reminiscent of the way Frank and Claire watched the original dancers at the stones in the very first episode of season 1 and indeed, as Claire watches, the figures morph with the women she had seen back then.
Her reverie is abruptly interrupted however, as Jamie and Claire are discovered by one of the slaves, and brought into the centre of the ceremony at knife point. But just as they appear to be in grave danger, a man shouts Jamie’s name. It is Willoughby. “They are with me,” Willoughby says to the leader of the slaves. The man nods and the slaves disperse, leaving a shocked Claire and Jamie to ask Willoughby what he is doing there.
Willoughby explains that he is with Margaret Campbell, indicating that the people had heard of Margaret’s gifts and had asked her to come. He indicates behind him, to where Margaret is standing, talking to one of the slaves. “She is the first woman to truly see me,” Willoughby continues, “the man that I am. And I see her. We wish to be together.”
Willoughby tells them that after tonight, he and Margaret will go to Martinique and make a home there. Placing a hand on Willoughby’s shoulder, Jamie asks if he has seen Young Ian. Willoughby says that he hasn’t, prompting Claire to suggest that perhaps Margaret has, explaining that Ian is with Mrs Abernathy.
They walk over to Margaret. She is friendly and pleased to see Claire, who remarks that Margaret looks well.
But when Margaret sees Jamie, she changes. Taking his hand, a vision begins. “I see you,” she says, in an altered voice. She describes the battlefield of Culloden as an orchard of blood and mentions the rabbit that Jamie had watched in his delirious state. He wrenches his hand away, with a shocked “Christ”. He has told no one of the rabbit and this unnerves him. Then Margaret turns to Claire and describes the bird on the windowsill. It is the bird that Claire had told Jamie of, the one that she used to imagine was him.
Again, there is no way for Margaret to know this and Claire is similarly unnerved. But then Margaret takes both of their hands and it is the voice of Brianna that she is channelling. She tells Jamie that she knew it was him and that she loves him. He smiles, despite the strangeness: this is what he longs for. Then Margaret kisses Claire on the cheek, saying “You too, Mama” and Claire is similarly moved. But then Margaret looks frightened, talking of the monster and saying “Abandawe”. Claire remembers that this is the cave that Margaret had spoken about before, but before she can get any more information, Margaret says that the monster is coming, as Archibald Campbell strides towards them.
While Willoughby tells Archibald that he is not welcome, Campbell admonishes his sister, asking her if she has forgotten about their wealthy patron, Mrs Abernathy. Jamie asks Archibald what he has to do with the woman who has his nephew. Campbell replies that he knows nothing about young Ian, but is only concerned with the Brahan Seer and the prophecy of the 200 year old baby. At this, Claire looks shocked.
Campbell explains that according to the prophecy, a new king will rise upon the death of a 200 year old baby and Claire realises the danger that Bree is in. She moves a short distance away, to check the photos and calls for Jamie. She asks Jamie if he has the photo of Bree with the dog, but he hasn’t.
Against the backdrop of the tribal ceremony which has recommenced, two scenes happen simultaneously. First, Campbell is telling Margaret that they are leaving. But Willoughby defends his true love. When Archibald attempts to grab hold of his sister, Willoughby pushes him away, saying that he knows what Campbell has done to her and that he is not worthy of her.
Next, as the ceremony becomes more frenzied, Claire tells Jamie that Geillis must have taken the photograph. She explains how she had told Geillis of Bree and the fact that Geillis had met her in 1968, leading Geillis to believe that Bree is the 200 year old baby.
Campbell is holding the stick, threatening Margaret. But this Margaret is stronger. She stands up to Archibald, telling him that he had forced her to tell fortunes in riddles, but she won’t do so any longer. Campbell lunges for Margaret, but Willoughby grabs him.
Claire and Jamie realise that Geillis is going to go back to 1968 to kill Bree. Jamie says that they need to find Geillis immediately and Claire tells him of the cave that both Father Fogden and Margaret had mentioned: Abandawe. It is a place like Craigh na Dun, where people disappear, she says.
“Abandawe,” Jamie echoes.
A slave bites off the head of a chicken and drains the blood into a bowl, at the same time that Willoughby snaps Archibald’s neck.
Jamie and Claire reemerge in the clearing to see Willoughby comforting Margaret, the tribal leader drinking the chicken’s blood and a group of slaves converging on Archibald’s body. Death is everywhere. Jamie asks one of the slaves about Abandawe. “A bad place,” the slave replies. Jamie asks the man to take them there, but he refuses. If the boy is there, the slave says, he will die, as will they if they follow. Taking hold of Claire’s hand, an undeterred Jamie takes the torch from the slave and heads in the direction that he had pointed, turning back briefly to see Archibald Campbell’s lifeless body being lifted high by the slaves, as Willoughby and Margaret look on. What happens next can only be imagined, as the attention now is on the fate of young Ian.
The stone circle reminiscent of Craigh Na Dun comes into view and Claire knows that they have reached Abandawe. As they enter the cave, Claire can hear humming.
She realises that the portal is nearby. If it takes her, she tells Jamie, she mightn’t be able to come back. Jamie replies that if anything happens to him, she must go through, to save Brianna. They lost Faith, he says, they won’t lose Brianna too. He kisses her and she nods. Determined, they push on, hand in hand, Jamie drawing his dirk in readiness.
Geillis is making a circle with salt, gemstones and Bree’s photo. Ian lies behind her, moaning through the gag. Geillis tells him not to worry, as he is being sacrificed for a great cause.
Jamie and Claire appear, Jamie calling out to Ian. But Geillis warns him not to come any closer, and Hercules appears, with a pistol aimed at Jamie’s head. Jamie drops the knife and Geillis turns, dousing Ian in liquid ready to set him alight. Hercules looks away momentarily and Jamie takes his chance, knocking the pistol from the man’s hand. The two begin to fight and Claire heads towards Geillis, who approaches holding the burning torch. “A life for a life, sweet Claire,” she says. “I saved you from the pyre after the witch trial. You owe me a life.”
As Hercules starts to choke Jamie, a desperate Claire tells Geillis that Ian is just a boy.
But Ian is just fodder for the passage, Geillis replies. It is Brianna’s life that she wants. “I have to, Claire,” she says, “for the greater good.” Claire realises that the pool in front of them is the portal, as Geillis tells her that the two of them have a responsibility to change history. Geillis had given up her child for the cause; now Claire must do the same.
It is the moment of reckoning. Claire lunges at Geillis, knocking her to the ground and grabbing a knife. Jamie finally overpowers Hercules and does the same. As Geillis looks at the pool, she tells Claire that it is God’s will and lunges towards her. With an almighty swing and a primeval scream, Claire swings the knife, which slices into Geillis’ neck. She falls, lifeless to the ground.
From the opposite side of the pool, Jamie immediately frees Hercules. “Go,” he says. “Go, you’re free.” The man staggers away and Jamie races to young Ian, cutting his bonds and pulling him into an embrace, telling his nephew that there is no reason to be afraid now. Claire is looking down at Geillis’ body, but the hum of the pool starts to overpower her and she begins to walk towards it, as if in a trance. Jamie notices just in time, taking hold of her hand as he says her name and breaks the spell. “Let’s get out of this place,” he says. He picks up Bree’s photo, as young Ian thriftily gathers the gemstones and the three of them leave Geillis’ body behind in Abandawe.
It is daylight as they emerge. Young Ian turns to Jamie, and says tearfully, “I knew you’d come, Uncle Jamie. But you left it a bit late, aye?”
“I did then,” says Jamie, “and I’m sorry.” He pulls an emotional Ian towards him as the young man cries and kisses the top of his nephew’s head. “But we’re all right now.” The tears turn to relieved laughter and Jamie looks back to Claire.
But Claire is shaking with shock. The bloody knife still in her hands, she is remembering Joe Abernathy and the skull of the murdered woman they had examined together in Boston, realising that the woman was Geillis and that she, herself, was the murderer.
Gently, Jamie walks over to her. He takes the knife from her hand and tosses it into the leaves, before gathering her into his arms. He tells her that they will go to the ship; that Fergus will have gathered their things and that with Lesley and Hayes, they will sail home.
“But first,” he says, “I must hold you both.” He puts an arm around both young Ian and Claire, looking to the heavens in relief as he comforts them. It is a beautiful moment.
A few days have passed. Jamie and Claire are in their quarters on the Artemis and Claire remarks that it was very generous of Lord John to use his influence to withdraw the warrant. They talk of how it will be lovely to be back home. Jamie says that they will take Ian straight to Jenny and Claire comments that he might not want to return after all the adventure. Jamie replies that he doesn’t care if Ian wants to or not: he will deliver his nephew to Lallybroch if he has to stuff him into a hog’s head to do so.
Throughout this conversation, Jamie has been preparing to shave. But at the last minute, Claire stops him: telling him not to shave his beard. She comments on the few white hairs she can see at his temples and he replies that he’s surprised he doesn’t have a full head of white hair after the past few months. Claire runs her hand over the stubble of a four day old growth, saying that she likes it. It feels different on her skin, she says, when he kisses her. Jamie replies that she has very fine skin, like pearls. She has a lot of fine skin, in fact, if that is what she has in mind. It is precisely what she has in mind, she tells him.
So begins a long seduction scene, a favourite amongst book readers, in which Jamie tells Claire how he has given a great deal of thought to what he wants to do to her once they are on dry land.
Here though, viewers have the added advantage of seeing him begin to do just what he had planned! It is perfectly acted by both Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, who show yet again how in sync they are as actors, bringing this scene to life with exactly the right mixture of humour and sensuality. After the drama of the previous scenes, it is a delight to see some joyous sex!
But of course, the joy is shortlived. Afterwards, the two are lying in post coital bliss when thunder rumbles in the distance.
Jamie remarks that cooler air will be a relief after the heat of the island and opens a window. Then, in one of the biggest understatements uttered thus far, he says, “The skies are turning.”
In the next scene, the ship is caught in the middle of a hurricane. Jamie and the rest of the crew are trying desperately to keep control of the steering as the storm lashes the deck. Down below, Claire is telling Ian, Fergus, Marsali, Lesley and Hayes that they must stay below and let the experienced sailors do their job. Ian does not want to stay put, but Claire tells him he has no choice. She turns to leave and when Ian asks her where she is going, she replies that she is still the ship’s surgeon.
The scene on deck is grim. Jamie screams to Claire that it is too dangerous, but she hears the cry of an injured sailor and goes to help him. With another sailor’s help she manages to get the man below. The mast snaps.
They are losing the battle against the storm and the decision is made to get below. Everyone starts to leave the deck, as Jamie attaches a rope to the steering wheel in the vain hope of trying to keep it secured. He heads towards Claire, reaching her just as a wall of water looms above them. They look at each other as it hits. Jamie is knocked off his feet, but when he sits back up, Claire has gone.
We are back at the opening moments of the episode. Claire’s voiceover tells us once again that she is dead. Yet she feels peaceful and bodiless. She is free of terror and rage, but filled with a quiet happiness. Her body is sinking, as we see Jamie swimming desperately towards her, cutting her free from the ropes that are pulling her below.
Putting his lips on hers, he tries to breathe air back into her lungs as they return to the surface. They break the water and he drags them to a floating bit of wreckage. “Claire!” he calls, his voice breaking. “Damn you Sassenach, if you die here now, I swear I’ll kill you.” But she is still unconscious. He bows his head, shaking and crying as he holds them both above the water. The camera pans upwards and we realise that they are actually in the eye of the hurricane, a moment of stillness amongst the chaos and destruction.
A young girl is running along a beach. She holds a stick, which she pokes at an object on the ground.
The object grunts and she runs off. It is Jamie. He looks around desperately for Claire and sees her lying a little way away. He crawls to her, but she is not moving. “Sassenach,” he whispers brokenly, stroking her hair. He moves to kiss her and she coughs. “Thank Christ,” he breathes, “I thought you were dead.”
“I said I’d never leave you again,” she whispers, her voice hoarse and he smiles.
Painfully, they pull themselves up.
“Where are we?” Claire says, but Jamie doesn’t know. “The Artemis?” she asks, but Jamie doesn’t know that either. Grief stricken, they embrace. They do not know if anyone else has survived.
A man and woman approach, together with the little girl who had poked Jamie with the stick.
The man asks if they are all right and Jamie replies that they have all their limbs. When the man comments that they must be from the ship that has run aground nearby, Jamie asks if there are any survivors. The man confirms yes, that the survivors are being cared for. Jamie and Claire embrace in relief as the couple introduce themselves as Joseph and Patsy Oliver. “James Fraser,” Jamie responds, “ and my wife, Claire.” He then asks where they are and Patsy replies that they call it Le Perle. Claire asks what island it is and Joseph tells her that they aren’t on an island at all. “You’re on the mainland,” he says, “on the colony of Georgia.”
“Georgia?” Jamie repeats.
“America,” Claire says and he nods. The Olivers walk back down the beach as Jamie and Claire embrace, the tears streaming down their faces in relief. The music soars, the camera pans past both them and the littered wreckage, towards the American landscape and a new future. And just like that, Droughtlander has returned once more!
Expertly tying together elements of the past, present and future, this episode encapsulated what is the essence of Jamie and Claire’s story: theirs is a love that transcends danger, loss and death, a connection that truly endures throughout time.
This recap was written by Susie Brown, a writer and teacher-librarian who lives in Australia. She has learned so much about the process of adaptation throughout this season and is filled with admiration for everyone involved with bringing this wonderful story to life!
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