Anothermi

This episode's story is heavy on the side of Jamie's experiences. I guess it balances out the extra time Claire was given in S02 to portray her return to 1948 and how that played out. Jamie's experience in that Season was flashbacks to bring us up to date on the opening episode. Claire's bits: It seemed like Claire galloped through 20 yrs last episode and is pretty much treading water. (mixed metaphor, I know). Roger tells us that time passes at a parallel rate within eras, but not parallel time frames. And the math does seem to bear that out. Claire went through the Stones in *November 1945 her era and arrived in 1743 in Jamie's era. Three years later in April of 1746—during the Battle of Culloden—Claire returns through the Stones to 1948 her era. November 1945 to Dec 1948 (to cover all bases) is 3 years. I congratulate the small research crew for not just waving goodbye to Claire after she declared—at the Stones, no less, and after the first, tentative, evidence that Jamie didn't die AT Culloden—that she had to return to Jamie. Must have been Roger's level head. When planning a time-travel trip?—Make sure your destination (person, place or thing) actually still exists! (next? Dress appropriately—but that is still unknown to us IF Claire manages to return.) So... The Claire era crew spend a lot of time chasing elusive clues to Jamie's past-whereabouts and Claire get's Jamie's mother's pearls back—from Fiona—and realizes that she is chasing ghosts. Resulting in Claire and Brianna's rather abrupt return to the US and leaving a very sad Roger behind—ruminating on the aeroplane that was his favourite toy back when he'd had interactions with Frank and Claire. Claire was Claire in what little we got to see in this episode. Roger was thoughtful and levelheaded and starting to open up. Brianna was flirty and a bit of a mean girl. We'd seen the mean side before, so it was a change to see her having both fun; and getting along with her mother. I'm still reserving my opinion on her due to lack of enough information to form one. Roger's already proven to have a bit of complexity—if lacking in worldly experience. Jamie's story: Jamie spent 6 years post-Claire-leaving—and post-Culloden—evading capture (2nd time in his life) by living as a hermit in a cave. Then 4 plus years in Andsmuir Prison—3 before Major John Grey and 1 plus before the prison closed. That makes 10 years so far (more or less). This episode we get another 7 (ish) years working as a groom in an English Lord's home. It seems that reasonably early on into his new job he is coerced—by threat of harm to his Lallybroch family—into a sexual interaction with one daughter of this household so she will have had at least one “normal” sexual experience before she marries a man old enough to be her grandsire. Resulting in Jamie's 3rd child and first son. Conveniently, the mother of this child dies in childbirth and Jamie shoots the husband who appears to have lost his wits and threatens to stab Jamie's son to death. Oddly enough this all ends well (Not what I expected). Jamie is offered—through Lady Dunsany—to be released from the conditions of his parole any time he wants; he postpones this in order to get to be around his son for 6 years; and he gets to choose the father substitute for his son before he leaves for Lallybroch. He claims John Grey (the aforesaid preferred father substitute) as his friend forever. Then he rides off to Scotland. I just can't figure out why. All in all, once again, Jamie's portion of the show is the one that shows growth, depth of feeling—and awareness of all he's lost. Claire's? Not much. This approach to story telling leaves me feeling oddly unbalanced. Claire had a brief interaction on the phone with Joe Abernathy—and it sounded like they have developed quite a close friendship—but we aren't let into what that means to Claire. Is it that no one in the 20th century is real to her except her daughter? We heard Jamie speak to little Willie of remembering all those he has lost and Claire is one of those, but not the only one. It is a very poignant moment because he had just recently told Willie that he would be leaving to go back to Scotland—and therefore, most likely, losing his third child (which he doesn't say). Claire seems to only have lost Jamie from the way she acts. Perhaps her time will come to prove that she, too, has developed as a person in the 20 years since she was separated from Jamie. Just not this—or last—episode. But we end with the parallel of this episode: Claire makes what seems to be an abrupt decision to go back to Boston. Jamie makes an unexplained decision to go back to Lallybroch. There's got to be something that connects those two decisions. * Dates: Claire & Frank sign in to Mrs. Baird's B&B on Oct 30, 1945 per the hotel register—which we were shown. They toured about Inverness, visiting a crumbling Castle Leoch and a bit later Rev Wakefield, Frank and Claire are together discussing Frank's ancestor Black Jack Randal and it was mentioned that they have been there for a week. That would put Claire's passage through the Stones in November. They only had 1 more week of vacation left before Frank was to take on his new university post.

My point was that Jamie knew there was NO GOLD coming from France or anywhere. Before we they finally got out of Paris Jamie heard BPC declare he'd been promised gold—but Jamie and Claire deprived him of the gold he thought he'd get from the Compte (and Murtagh got a lot of wine)—and no other source confirmed giving any gold either. Not the chess playing Frenchman—with the ear of Louis—not the dastardly Duke of Sandringham... no one. Jamie knew BPC well enough to know when he was lying to get his way. Even if BPC had claimed he'd sent someone else to get it, Jamie would recognize that as just another desperate story. I think that is why BPC stopped treating Jamie as his favourite. Jamie knew too much and wouldn't just be a toady. But too little too late BPC. Jamie already had his number.

I lean towards Jamie not telling him. Jamie had figured out his plan and the last thing he needed was others chiming in trying to dissuade him. Knowing Murtagh—as we do—he would have insisted that HE would look after Claire. We saw the value of Jamie being able to speak openly about her with this young British Officer—whom he'd had a bit of history with and who had actually seen Claire and stepped up to save her virtue. Per the second quote—with Murtagh who knew her well—he wasn't able to own her—to call her his wife or say her name. He refers to her as "a lass who knew about healing". Perhaps it would have been too painful? Or perhaps he was protecting himself from the crowd of other Scots in jail with him who could easily overhear the conversation. Murtagh would have known he meant Claire. SAME HERE! But from what we learned about Major(?) John Grey in this episode I can't see him ever looking up to BJR. Thank Goodness. I wondered about that scene too. It was in the current era because the dog was the bait to get us to look waaaaay up to the table laid for a birthday. I didn't count the candles so I don't know whose birthday It might have been, but possibly Brianna's 18th. But why no dog again? Doggoneit. I am reminding myself that NO DOG went out with Frank for his final drive. I sensed—when he picked up his keys while so angry— that it would be curtains for Frank and I gave him a wave goodbye. Still—flashbacks! MY 1st thought was that Geillis hadn't been burned and was using the fear of witchcraft to keep everyone away from her. She had been helping Dougal gather the money for the big battle to come. I wondered if that was what the story was about. But when it became clear that Jamie was struggling against the hope that it was Claire come back—well, that made more sense. But Jamie outright told Major Grey that there WAS no French gold. Although he didn't say it, we knew it was just BPC lying to his followers. Jamie even confronted him about that lie at the meeting where the decision was taken to fight at Culloden. If anyone knew if the French had provided gold it would be Jamie who had been charged with trying to get it. Lastly—the bolded part—I assumed that John did not keep it for himself but used the sapphire to pay for the Doctor who came to treat Murtagh. John had already said that the prison didn't have funds or other resources to treat all the ill prisoners or he would agree to do it. Jamie then bargained for just Murtagh. (as he should) However, I don't know if the sapphire was used for the payment as a fact.

THAT was an odd horse race I just watched! The finish line was 1968 and everyone seemed to be trying arrive there as fast as possible. The first two seasons covered 3 years in the past. Then the last episode of season two jumps forward 20 years in Claire's present! This season we spent more time on the aftermath of Culloden than the twenty years that flew by in this 3rd episode of S03! I realize now that this is the modus operandi of this show, but it made this episode unfulfilling to me. There were many, many things I wanted to know more about. Relationships nodded-at but never explained. (looking at Claire and Joe Abernathy for one) This seemed like a "Coles Notes" episode. The modern era sections showed just the highlights: Frank realizing Claire would never forget Jamie—despite the hopefulness they both felt after Brianna's birth—and giving up. after-the-fact revelation that F & C had discussed the above and decided to have an open relationship Claire facing crass discrimination as she started her Medical training. OK that was last episode. But all we got was that and... Claire graduating. Claire being less than OK with said "open relationship" Brianna going from baby to 18 years old in the blink of an eye! I know it feels like that afterward, but not during the growing up. Geez. Frank on the brink of starting a relationship that would be what he really wanted but not before he'd become a bitter, angry man on the inside. Then kicking the bucket. I have to assume— from how S02 unfolded—that some of the untold parts will be revealed in coming episodes. The 1700s highlights since S03E01: (he had less highlights otherwise) Jamie healed from the physical wounds he received at Culloden and is back to skulking around as a wanted man—albeit a known traitor into the bargain—for 6 years. His mental wounds have made him into an almost mute recluse. Fergus is alive and lost without his lord and master. Jamie finds something to live for, but not with. Buh bye Fergus, my son. His sister and brother-in-law are as amazing as ever and having another child—which should make 3 unless the girl died in one of the years we didn't see. Jamie makes a plan to get into a worse jail that he was currently in, but hey, a change is as good as a rest they say. S03 starts with Jamie having been in the new prison for 3 years (1755) Murtagh makes the most underwhelming appearance of his life. At least he's alive, but I preferred that viewer-proposed narrative where he escaped prison. Jamie wins over another Red Coat who is gay—but not a sadistic bastard. Winter comes and everyone but Jamie is shipped off to the Colonies. (same year?) Jamie is still a convicted traitor so he couldn't be shipped away. He's going to work with for some Lord "Lah-ti-dah" who doesn't like Scots—especially Highlanders. Less boxes ticked off, but more revealed about the characters. I preferred this era's story because of that. I don't feel I can make judgments about the modern era characters because we've only been given the broad strokes. No nuances. Nobody is looking that interesting to me by the end of the episode. Can't say I'm a fan of more starting-at-the-end, leaping back to the starting post and weaving our way back to the end. But I guess it will keep my brain cells active. It's the nuanced bits I'm here for. (Does the forum had a bookmark feature? Thinking that might come in handy.)

Yes to this! Surviving Culloden wasn't on his "To Do" list. It was clear last episode that he wanted to die. He volunteered to face the firing squad right after Rupert did. That pesky John Grey's Debt of Honour couldn't have come at a worse time as far as Jamie was concerned. He has no plan to take him forward after Culloden—and no one to make a new plan with. Arg! I was initially happy to see Fergus but he didn't know what to do with himself—except be dangerously cocky. He wanted to be loyal to Jamie, but was still too young to understand he was creating suspicion. I had to stop watching when he headed out of Lallybroch so soon after the Red Coats left because I thought he was going to end up leading them right to Jamie. So I slept on it. The actual story was not much better, but at least it brought Jamie out of himself. Finally Jamie paid attention to Fergus—which is all that he really wanted. That was truly a head scratcher. I was able to do a bunch of hand waving to get over it, but... ??? Ian! That man is a gem. Never says too much, never too little... Just what needs to be said. He's this show's unsung hero. He was the one who let us know that the British were no longer executing the Jacobites. THAT was good to know. Truly what happened to Fergus was the jolt Jamie needed to plan for a future for his remaining loved ones—even if it was one that put him back into the solitude from whence he'd just emerged. Jenny, on the other hand, certainly wasn't acting when they took Jamie away. Poor dear. This was not HER idea of doing-the-right-thing. Frank really can.not.win! Before Claire disappeared they did connect on a physical level, so he knows the difference. So sad. ETA: Camera One wrote Thank YOU. It clearly wasn't Jamie so perhaps it WAS Murtagh. You've giving me something to look forward to.

You made a lot of good points. I saw deep appreciation from Claire to Frank. She was shown to be comfortable with him—even admire him. And although he wanted to pull strings to keep her safe, away from the front, he accepted and understood that she, too, felt a duty to be part of the fight back. She appreciated that about him. He was progressive in that. But I didn't see deep love from her. Not at that point and not even from the flash-backs. ^^THIS! ...was very clearly expressed in episode 1 Season 1. She was also very attracted to him. She "voice over-ed" that sex was their one way of connecting—and it was possibly the one means of communication that SHE knew she was equal with him. Those few days in Inverness together—where Frank followed his interest in his genealogy and Claire followed her interest in medicinal plants—showed Claire as being content. But the part I mentioned about Frank accepting and believing that he was innately superior to her was also shown, as was Claire holding herself back in order to support him. I can't see that pair talking about their experiences in the war together. Least of all Frank— due to the oath of secrecy he would have had to swear. And right on the heels of the scene showing Claire's contentment—there was the almost immediate introduction of Frank's quick-to-flare-up jealousy. All it took was what appeared to be a man gazing up at her window. That jealousy would always come between them. Claire was blind-sided by it. And Frank was of the—"If I feel it? It must be true."—school of emotions. He believed she'd been with someone else and then processed it in a way that allowed him to rise above it (her) and forgive her. I agree whole heartedly with you about this. And I was surprised to find Frank more... open... when she came back. Except for the jealousy. He wanted her back but he put a lot of constraints upon her as his price for constraining his jealousy. And I concur with everything you said about Jamie. It was not likely that she would have experienced anything like that with Frank—they were very different people. Even if she had made her peace with the bad as well as the good in him and never met Jamie. But nobody is perfect. Still, Claire did have that experience with Jamie and couldn't forget it. Frank must inevitably be a casualty of that knowledge. Brianna, too, so it seems.

Claire became close to Frank before she knew who she was—or who she could be. And he knew her from that time. His "take" on Claire would include her uncertainty about who she was in her own life and her lack of life experience. She was young. I mentioned previously—when Claire told Brianna that she did love Frank—that I understood that to mean that at that time she married him she didn't know what love could feel like and assumed that what she felt for Frank must be love. Sure it may not have lived up to her expectations, but that's all many women had and they were satisfied with that. Just as war is said to turn a boy into a man, Claire's war experience turned her into a woman—an adult. She was challenged during the war and learned a great deal about herself—her ability to be self-reliant, her instincts, her abilities. It was the proving ground for everything she'd absorbed during her unusual upbringing. She parted with Frank unsure of where she fit into the world and came home knowing she was capable and could make a place for herself. That was who Jamie met. And Jamie had yet to complete learning who he was. Frank didn't have enough time to revise his initial "take" but he was a man of his time and his actions—and reactions—were led by his inner belief that men deserved their dominant place in the world and didn't need to examine that belief. I, too, found that battle a little anti-climactic, but after a little thought I believe we were given a reasonable recreation of a one-to-one fight on a battle field. Jamie had been running on foot and fighting for quite a while before he spied BJR. He'd even only narrowly escaped being killed by another British soldier by the timely intervention of MURTAGH!!!! BJR had been on horseback—so may have been a wee bit less exhausted—but he too was exhausted. I think it would only be us—as viewers—who would find the encounter anti-climactic. Not Jamie. Jamie FINALLY had what he wanted: to face BJR and prove that BJR could not take his soul away and Jamie would fight him to the death to prove it—die fighting if it came to it—but never again giving in. He was laser focused once he saw BJR. He was prepared for this encounter to be the last thing he ever did and he would be proud of himself for facing down his worst demon! ETA: I thought we were watching soon after the end of the battle. Where Jamie was, soldiers were either carrying out orders to leave no one alive or straight up looting. Spoils of war being the ordinary soldier's compensation for low wages. I believe you are correct that the bodies of British soldiers would likely have been collected for proper burial, but there was no rush. What we were shown was that the British left the field when it got dark which enabled Rupert and others to come in search of survivors. That site that provides Gaelic translations has it as "Goodbye (or Farewell) Rupert."

Very effective opening! I have to say I appreciated not having to endure a battle that everyone I care about will lose. Snippets to fill in those pieces of the story I need to know? Hell Yes. I noted with a sneer that the British soldiers were ordered to do exactly what Dougal had done at Prestonpans—finish off everyone who moved. I guess I've been spoiled by Jamie's kinder, gentler approach to war. Jamie looked as if he were dead—even when he watched the young Scott across from him being finished off. His stare was one of a dead man. Perhaps that's why no one came to finish HIM off? (couldn't be because he's a main character) All the important snippets (to me): Murtagh saves Jamie mid-battle and they exchange their signature pleasantries. Then Murtagh disappears (not literally) and remains so— for the rest of the episode. But no one saw him die, so there is hope for the next episode! Jamie kills BJR—as we knew he would—but it was a real struggle between them. I didn't notice Jamie's last blow, but was impressed that the show decided on depicting BJR's end as though he was leaning in for a hug. Unexpected! But I knew he was dead because that was how they first showed Jamie. With a Red Coat on top of him. Good old Rupert finds Jamie and takes him off the battle field. Claire arrives (I gave a short gasp) but she was a bit too hazy to be real and I knew my prediction last episode was (another) miss. I'm getting used to the time jumps. As long as they come at a reasonable time in each century they can stay for as long as they work. Lovely new home in Boston. Frank seems to have mellowed! Perhaps losing Claire before they had a chance to be an unhappily married couple gave him much need time for introspection? The study will be where ever the lady of the house decides—indeed! AND talking to the Dean about what his wife accomplishments are! Whoa. Where did all that come from? I had sympathy for Frank before, but he grew on me more this episode. He even had a sense of humour at one point—something about tea wrapped in diapers?! I did take note that Claire has recently come back from the past where women were pigeonholed into roles—but not dismissed as useless and brainless. (From what we've seen of the past so far.) Not a good beginning in Boston for her! But the new, improved Frank might end up being her rock. Stranger things have happened. Once I knew his fate I was very grateful for the fairwell scenes Rupert got this episode. He was always a lovely supportive, loyal man. Proudly proclaiming his Clan and his alliegences and keeping up the spirits of the survivors. He had hidden leadership qualities. And...he couldn't die hating Jamie. Aw. The British were such a mixed bag. Lord Melton had no qualms about killing ALL survivors from the battle, but gave them time to send a message to relatives before he had them shot. And he wouldn't even shoot a traitor lying down—which I have to assume is about respect for your adversary? Still, he risked forsaking his duty to the crown—to follow the order he had been given to kill them all—because he couldn't put aside a debt of honour made by his little brother, John William Grey. I was surprised and happy to learn that Jamie's escape from being shot as a traitor was down to that odd little fellow so far back that I don't remember what episode he appeared in. I know I was looking for him to pay his debt-of-honour to Jamie for a couple of episodes after, but then I forgot about it. I loved that Jamie remembers the threat John Grey made to kill him—and he quips that it would be OK with him if his brother did it in his stead—but not that JG said he owed Jamie a debt of honour. Made me chuckle. I suppose the concept of an honourable British soldier was an oxymoron to Jamie. I think we were only shown one and I don't think Jamie ever met him. I was also surprised to see that Claire and Frank's breakfast was one egg, one rasher of bacon and one piece of toast each. Probably better than they would have in England but less than our era would expect. Good thing there wasn't more because I don't think either of them finished that meal. So much for being Claire's "rock". And poor Claire! Having to give birth the “modern” way where the mother was just an obstacle for the male doctors to overcome—literally. But Frank got a few moments of feeling like he'd finally gotten his heart's desire—until the spector of the red hair came up. I was surprised that they were so awkward about it. Both my parents had dark brown hair, but they had a passel of blond and red haired children with only a couple of brunettes thrown in and all they did was trot out the old joke that it must have been the milkman! (They only had 8 children over a 20 year period but I think that counts as a passel.) I suppose the observation came too soon for either of them to have thought of how to respond to it. The first redhead in my family was born only a year after Brianna in the show. Guess they're going to need to come up with a good comeback because that question is bound to get asked a lot. Although Jamie's homecoming to Lallybroch came before Brianna's birth I'm leaving it to last because Jamie's home! And it can't be long before we see Fergus and Murthagh. Right? RIGHT?

Yes! And the way a scene in one era related to the next scene in the other era. (e.g. Dougal to Geillis 1968) Makes me think of a patchwork quilt where the story of each piece relates in some fashion to the pieces around it—not just aesthetically but by what they represent.

As Claire says, I don't know how this all works. This time travel stuff. So I'm projecting from what I've seen to this point. I don't expect to be right.

None of the Scots back home knew what an unsuitable leader BPC was because only Jamie, Claire and Murtagh interacted with him in Paris, and only the top officers of the Rebellion saw him in person during his brief appearance prior to Culloden. So, Geillis might have had a change of... direction if not of heart. She was never going to see him the way Claire did because she'd been steeped in the myth as Claire, as an English woman, had not. Ah you are right, lass. I managed to turn that scene about in my head. Possibly because Roger found the letter? Brianna said that Frank called it off with "not the man I thought". Thanks for confirming that. I'd forgotten that Grandsire Fraser decided to hedge his bets at the last moment. I wasn't implying that they spoke of Frank together, but that Jamie saw how much Claire didn't want to do anything that might harm Frank or prevent him being part of her world. That's why I used the phrase "reflected to him". Claire may have just been protecting her path to Jamie, but it could be taken as enough for Jamie to have confidence in Frank. Enough confidence to entrust Claire to him again—and possibly for the rest of her life. On reviewing that scene I noticed Jamie asks her to speak to Frank: Tell him what you will about me... About us. It's likely he'll no want to hear, but if he does... Tell him I'm grateful. And tell him I trust him, and tell him I hate him to the very marrow of his bones. Claire and Jamie have been saving each other from tight situations for two Seasons. My projection was that Claire returns because she knows Jamie survived Culloden and she returns in time to plan a way to prevent him from being shot as a traitor.

Great post @gingerella. But I have to disagree with you on the bolded bit. Geillis was doing everything she could to have that battle result in a WIN! That's the connection she had with Dougal and why she was assisting to raise money. That's what she told Claire about why she travelled through the Stones—when they were deciding who should fall on their sword, so to speak, at the witch trial.

Sorry but this episode calls for a long post. First off, I can't help but compare the experience of watching a show unspoiled by knowledge of the story or or even advertizing after it's been on air 5 (or is it 6?) Seasons—with my other Completely Unspoiled viewing experience watching GoT. It must be said that nothing compares with the GoT experience. It was a one off and I am not likely to do it again—although it was very rewarding for the first few years. But I didn't realize how much the knowledge of the many future Seasons would affect my viewing of Outlander. As @gingerella has mentioned previously, certain cliffhangers lack the impact they might have had due to my knowledge that the main characters will still be around (or likely be around) for a long time. Luckily the story is complex enough that I can still be blind-sided by a reveal of this or that character's back story. ~~~~~ I loved that they started the episode with a snippet of The Avengers to set the scene in 1968—if you are old enough to know. 😉 If only Diana Rigg could be sandwiched into every show. R.I.P. Dame Diana. You had an amazing run. And I wouldn't be surprised to see you on my screen for years to come. Then they started with a bunch of characters we've never met—not in a form we would recognize. AND we're back in Inverness! Current century: Frank Randal and Rev Wakefield are dead. Baby Randal/Fraser and little orphan Wakefield are all grown up! Geillis is alive and agitating—that was a great, albeit belated, back story I was happy to get—and briefly, unknowingly, meets her 7 times great grandchild! Frank seems to have gotten what he wanted and doted on his acquired daughter. A parallel to HIS ancestor JBR (also father to a child of another man) but with enthusiastic acceptance on Frank's part. I'm good with his death, but I can't help but think we will be seeing him in flashbacks. Because that seems to be how this show rolls. (Sorry @gingerella) I liked: how the link up of the current characters to those from Claire's life in the past were doled out to us. But I did catch that Rev Wakefield's little “son” was probably decended from Dougal & Geillis' ill fated union when he revealed his birth parents last name. Claire became a surgeon! (I recalled our earliset flash back of her prepping a soldier for surgery while waiting for the surgeon to arrive. Nobody puts Claire in a corner now!) Knowing that Roger Wakefield was Dougal & Geillis' decendant I was pleased that their firey temperment wasn't a dominant gene in the line. Roger the level headed. ALTHOUGH... when he asked Claire how she finally said goodbye to that one person she loved most in the world I though he knew and was talking about Jamie! She, of course, WAS talking about Jamie, but he was probably referring to Frank. It took me a few ticks to bring Frank into the picture of that question (heh, heh). Brianna seeing the place where BJR had Jamie flogged 100 lashes twice in one week—and feeling a shiver. Then Roger tells us that prisoners were flogged—as if we could forget! And that Brianna knew that her daddy, Frank, had a terrible temper, but that he kept it tightly under wraps. (I almost forgot that tidbit in all the rest). When Claire tells Brianna that she did (love Frank) I heard the unspoken - or at least what I thought was love at the time - in my head. I really loved the seque from Dougal finding Jamie and Claire plotting BPC's death and the reveal of who Geillis was in 1968. Nicely done. The return of the Dragonfly in Amber (duh) if only briefly. It turns out that Claire had it in her pocket all this time! The miraculous bottomless pocket to match Jamie's bottomless sporran. 🙄 Plus, we actually got to see that ring that Gingerella researched and what it was. Jamie's father's ring with an amethyst stone. The passing info that Roger told Brianna of a letter where Rev Wakefield did enough research on BJR to counsel Frank to abandon his project of digging up historical info on BJR—citing “He's not the man I thought” as the reason. Protecting Frank from the truth. Jamie apparently had put a lot of thought into his likely death. 1) He'd drawn up a document giving Lallybroch to Jenny and Ian's 1st born son, Jamie Murray. AND he dated it a year previous—before BPC's letter branded him a traitor. (Now I forget what happened to the document I thought he'd signed giving his Fraser grandfather that property. Was that when Claire faked her “vision”?) 2) Plus—from how Claire reflected Frank to him—he believed in his heart that she would be safe and well cared for if he sent her back to Frank. 3) That he'd included saving Fergus in his plans and charged him with not only delivering the deed, but being a witness to the history that was unfolding. 4) That he fulfilled Colum's belief in why he would be a good guardian for Hamish and sent his clan off to safety before the battle started (the Lallybroch Frasers; as Rupert was the only Mackenzie living who followed Dougal into the rebellion). 5) And that he was observant enough to know that she was pregnant—using a more scientific basis than I did—being the timing of her periods (courses). (I based mine on one scene of Claire cradling her belly!) Always one to impress, that JAMMFraser! The moving final farewell Claire gave Jamie at the Clan Fraser cairn on Culloden moor in her current century. I liked that Brianna saw her mother as living “in another world” when Brianna was a child. That may be why she was so close to Frank. And I liked that she accused her mother of contriving a reason to return to her lover in Inverness. Found her whole take on Claire's story believable—my mom is crazy and cheated on my beloved daddy. Plus I was OK that “seeing is believing” was enough for her to accept the truth of Claire's tale. The scene where Jamie and Claire declare they love Fergus like a son. We'd better learn more about what happened with Fergus next Season or I'll be really mad. And no list of likes would be complete with out something about Murtagh, who wondered why “it took you so long” when Jamie confessed that he'd killed Dougal. And then would not be sent away with the Fraser Clan members because his place was fighting and dying beside Jamie. (I teared up) What's not to love about Murtagh I say! I'm a bit iffy on: Mrs. Graham's granddaughter, Fiona, who gave off Leery-like vibes towards Roger W. I wonder if she, too, will be found to have a generational connection to the people Claire knows from her sojourn in the 1700s? Roger W remembered Frank Randal as being very kind!!!?? Hummm. I don't remember seeing that in their interactions. Why does Claire have to have another cockamaime idea—kill BPC to stop the battle—that results in Jamie compromising his own principles?! And now he'll be outcast by his own clan! I could live without that. She never seems to learn. And if Rupert survived? The horrible stories that will spread about Jamie-the-traitor-to-the-cause-and-the-clan. Claire helping Jamie stab Dougal and then looking aghast after! Nope. I can't relate to that portrayal. Things said this episode that I hope will be shown in Season 3: What happened to Fergus. That Jamie kills BJR at the Battle of Culloden (Jamie referenced his promise to Claire to spare BJR's life as to why she had to go alone, but we know he was aware of when BJR dies and that his “offspring” is Mary and Alex's child so Frank will be born.) That Claire's return is the reason Jamie escaped being shot as a traitor with the other Fraser Officers. And that's quite enough for one post.

There was one more thing about this episode that I don't think anyone has touched on—at least since I started watching—and that was the parallel stories of "Brotherly Love". Colum and Dougal vs. Alex and Jonathan (BJR). They appear to me as almost mirror opposites—except the part when one brother harbours deep hatred towards the other brother. The Hatred, of course, is of their own making—but neither hater sees that. Colum is to blame for Dougal's bitterness because he didn't stay on the pedestal that the young Dougal put him on. At least not in the way Dougal wanted him. Colum was weak when Dougal needed him to be strong, not smart, just strong. It appears that Dougal resented that Colum had a fall-back position of a different kind of strength when the physical kind deserted him. Colum—on the other hand—seems to have been blithely unaware of Dougal's early idolization. As the older son, Colum may have just found Dougal to be annoying. He certainly had no deep emotional obligation to his brother—just the obligation of the blood tie—which was deep in and of itself. And we were shown that Dougal received Colum's “special” attention only when he did something that undermined Colum. Also, I don't believe Colum drank the poison while Dougal was with him (if he did it worked awfully fast!) but that he had no expectation that Dougal would come to him for a final word and took it when he was ready—which was before Dougal showed up. I believe Dougal just left his “confession”—and possibly his offer of peace—too late. I also doubt that he would have experienced the reconciliation he craved even if Colum had given his forgiveness. What is the saying? Too little, too late. Dougal's relationship with Colum was all about himself. But it was BJR who seemed to cherish his little brother—as seen in this exchange he has with Claire... BJR:“Do not take your animus for me out on my brother. Alex has not drawn an easy breath in weeks. His youth and vigor are drowning in blood and phlegm. Cure him.”—but also appears to deeply hate him. We don't know how either of those conflicting emotions came to be! What I recall is that BJR wrote to his brother—kept in touch so to speak— and found Alex work and paid his bills when needed. Nothing ostensibly from the heart. Was Alex the kind of person who deeply appreciated anything his brother gave him? It is so hard to imagine BJR knowingly being kind. What we did get to see was that there was something in BJR that insisted that he act as though he loved his brother. Perhaps that behavior was his one point of Honour? and it may have been drilled into him at a young age? Or maybe he really did care for the little boy who thought the world of him? I'm speculating, of course. It looked like BJR felt a strong obligation to meet Alex's expectation of him regarding marrying Mary. (Although Claire did encourage him, I don't believe he felt any obligation to meet HER expectations.) But what we saw—when Alex died–was that BJR deeply resented Alex's final request. And, like Dougal, he blamed his brother because—although he didn't want to do it, had actually refused to do it—he HATED Alex for asking it of him while knowing that he couldn't/wouldn't refuse in the end. BJR told Claire that he liked being the sadist that he had become—yet Alex's belief in him seemed to “force” him to continue to divide himself and carry a portion of the caring person he might have been (at one point) beyond the life of the one person who knew that about him. I really want to think that BJR once was a caring person. I really do. Still there is a parallel between BJR and Dougal. BJR's relationship with Alex ultimately seems to be all about himself as well. In one sibling relationship the younger brother loved conditionally and when his condition was not met, he turned that disapointment into hate. In the other, the older sibling nurtured hatred for the unconditional love his brother gave him—perhaps because he felt he had to live up to his brothers view of him? But—as all good shows seem to know—two takes on similar situations makes for good viewing. ETA: Of course I would be foolish enough to review the scene when Alex asks BJR to marry Mary. How could I have missed this: Alex: You think I am unaware of the density of the dark wall you have built to protect your better self from the world? But I have borne witness to your tenderness. I've been the beneficiary of your generous soul. That inner man is the one whom I entrust my love... and my child. It still relies on telling us rather than showing us, but it shines a new light on BJR. Given that he's supposed to die soon I don't have much hope of learning more next episode. I believe I might have to revisit my thoughts on BJR in light of this. But not in this post—and not tonight.

Now that we are back in Scotland... every time I see a bunch of Red Coats closing in on our party I start shouting NO..NO...NO because I beleived BJR is lurking somewhere not far awy. (i.e. The Red Coats would take them to the rock BJR was hiding under.) Movie PTSD. Perhaps I'll have to watch this episode again without the anxiety that pervaded my initial viewing. I knew that BJR had been seriously injured by Jamie in France but I didn't trust that he wouldn't just be sidelined yet still somehow In Charge And Dangerous! Needless to say I was so exhausted by the end that I couldn't even celebrate Sandringham's well deserved demise. But I loved the Jamie and Murtagh show. Scratching their head's at Claire's Gaelic (Sandringham didn't know it was almost unreadable). Murtagh complaining that they'd stuped to becoming horse theives due to Jamie being married to Claire. And Jamie resolutely refusing to deny his love for Claire was worth everything when Murtagh asks if he had any regrets after all they'd been through because of her. Dougal redeemed himself, again. I agree with @gingerella that he was acting more like S01 E01 Dougal than the more recent incompetent schemer. His idea of how to wage war in “these modern times” 😉 may be out of date, but he knows how to bluff his way through a dangerous encounter—once again RIP Lieutenant Jeremy Foster who was the other dangerous encounter-of-note—by the stream—during the Rent episode cliffhanger. I definitely worried that the second time Claire used the English-Damsel-in-Distress ploy would lead her straight to BJR. Thank goodness it was to the weasel Sandringham. Plus we got to see Hugh Monro again. He is such a memorable minor character. Murtagh! The Avenger! He really takes his oaths to others seriously. I found myself comparing his slaughter of Sandringham to his only-armed-with-a-knife victory over the wounded boar when he tried to prove his worthiness to Jamie's future mother. But I didn't remember him making a vow to either Mary or Claire after the rape attack. After a bit of a search I found that it was Jamie to whom he vowed he “would lay just vengence” before because he had failed to prevent the attack after giving his vow to Jamie to protect them and Claire's unborn baby. (it was in the episode after La Dame Blanche) But in this episode he kneeled to Claire and Mary (both shattered by witnessing his violence) to lay his just vengence at their feet. I guess that is why I harkened back to the boar episode. Murtagh is a man's man—as much as Dougal is—and chooses to express his respect and honour as a man would. Jamie understands Murtagh's need to exact vengeance comes from a place as deep as his own need regarding BJR. It's a Man Thing. It looked like the women could have done without the head. And finally: As has been foretold, Claire is so much less—crazy-making—now she is back in Scotland. She comes up with plans that don't land everyone in greater danger (at least not recently); she utilizes her healing skills on a regular basis—regardless of the unconducive-to-healing circumstances; and lastly, she no longer feels she has to lie to Jamie. HE—on the other hand...I'll keep you safe—indeed. Looking forward to how he maneuvers her into that!

I saw him riding behind Murtagh during the A-team escape. He didn’t have his own horse. He was there at the church helping Claire when she worked on Rupert’s eye. He went with Dougal et al because only Jamie and Murtagh headed off to rescue Claire.

I was going to say after they lose Culloden—but then I remember that Claire returned to 1948 BEFORE that battle was lost. It was the only question she had for that poor man who found her on the road when she returned. So I wonder if we are going to see what happened to the Scottish Clans—and Jamie and Murtagh—at Culloden. I'm hoping so—given that the show runners started this Season on that cliff hanger. We learned that history didn't change (duh) but we don't know what happened from Jamie's POV.

I have decided to remove my reply because it is not on topic for the Outlander forum. I've messaged the reply instead.

@gingerella @Pallas @SassAndSnacks Thanks for all this food for thought on Dougal's reaction. I realize now that it was too big an ask for Dougal to be generous in his assessment of what Jamie did for him. It's not in him. He didn't even realize that Jamie had engineered that whole bog-scouting event so that Dougal could get the acclaim he craved from BPC. Dougal was never going to understand that Jamie was saving him from himself. Dougal wanted to be the next Laird of the Mckenzie Clan so Jamie must want it too—if only because he could get it. But Jamie never wanted it. AND he honestly appreciated everything that Dougal and Colum did to protect him when he had a price on his head so he felt honour bound to protect them in return if he could. I did hear the resentment in Dougal's reply, but I guess I had pie in the sky hopes for him.

Such a wonderful yet terrible episode. BPC: Your noble wife will be among those providing medical succor for those poor souls in need of such come the cannon's roar? Jamie: Aye, she's helping to set up a field hospital even as we speak, Your Royal Highness. BPC: Be so kind to tell her the prince asks that British casualties be tended to before the Jacobite wounded. The British are my father's subjects also, and I will have them well cared for. They must be made to realize the Scots wage war upon them with the greatest of reluctance. They are our enemies now, but one day soon they will be our friends again. Jamie: I'm afraid the British have never been a friend to the Scots. The above exchange encapsulates why the Scots inevitably lost at Culloden—and why War is Hell is a universal truth. Everyone is fighting the war for their own reasons and the “Leader's (BPC)” reasons are far from those of everyone else. (broad statements follow) Jamie is fighting for a way of life. Most of the Scottish soldiers are fighting for the concept of duty (Ross & Kincaid the Lallybroch crofters)—and most of the rank-and-file British soldiers are fighting because it's the only paying job they can get that gives them some respect as well. Dougal is hoping for glory and acclaim (and to rid himself of whatever it is inside him that makes him hate himself). Moments that stood out for me: BPC believes that—even if Claire won't follow his orders to treat the British wounded first—she will follow the order if Jamie gives it to her. Jamie doesn't give a reply as he knows it's a lose-lose situation if he does. Smart man. The subtle way Jamie gets Dougal to volunteer to ride out and test the capability of the bog to support men and horses. And that he is doing it to allow Dougal to shine at what he is good at and receive proper due for it. And later how Jamie saves Dougal from himself again and Dougal finally acknowledges it—although I couldn't tell if it was resentful acknowledgement or actual appreciation. Watching Claire in action setting up a field hospital. I think it showed that basic care was the best anyone can aim for under any war conditions. They can't do much for the worst injuries, but they can help the rest survive the less-than-deadly injuries. THAT never changes and Claire gets to work with “field medics” who don't know why she's asking them to do what she bids—but they do it. The risk of dying painfully from infection would have been very high in that era, but she mitigated it better than the wounded could have expected with the “modern” medical approach of the time. Fergus—the stand-in for all eager young soldiers everwhere . I'm glad he got such an important raison d'être for being with them. It conveyed that change from boy to man—that war brings so horribly—exellently. The uncertainty—right to the last moment—as to whether the young man who came with knowledge of a path around the bog would be a traitor or a friend. The bonds formed as men prepared to go into battle and possibly face their death. Who knew it would be Angus that I cried for? Well done, show. Rupert scoffs at Angus when Angus offers his worldly goods to him. “What use would I have for a sword that's never been used?” But he certainly knows by the end of the show. (more tears even though Rupert is not one to wear his emotions on his sleeve) Murtagh and Jamie's pre-dawn words expressing both the futility of this kind of war and their commitment to it anyway. The many ways that Dougal proves that he is not and has never been leadership material. RIP Lieutenant Jeremy Foster—the only example of a decent British Military man we got to see. The battle scenes were difficult to watch and although I didn't fast forward them, I couldn't give them my full attention. The carnage was realistic enough to remind me that I was not watching to be entertained. Still, it is episodes like this that make me appreciate this show. No sugar coating.

I still think that would have been Mrs. Fitzgibbon's bailiwick. She wouldn't even let Claire bathe herself FFS. After the wedding she would have been an even MORE important personage and far too high to deal with her own clothing (tee tee). Well, not so much as that, but still...

I thought Mrs. Fitzgibbons was tasked with packing and sending a trunk of all their worldly possessions to Lallybroch. And that it arrived before Jamie and Claire which is how Jenny learned her brother wasn't dead. I have to assume all that stuff is still at Lallybroch.

This is probably the best place for me to tell this little story. That clan Motto: Je suis Prest was a big annoyance to me when it first came up because I'm from an—ostensibly—bi-lingual nation (English/French). So when Jamie said "l am ready" in French as his clan motto I understood what he meant before he translated it. But when I saw how it was spelled I was dumbfounded. THAT doesn't mean I am ready. I even google translated it and it came up "I am nimble" (which, while not totally unrelated, is not—quite—I am ready). Finally I had the brainstorm of asking Professor Google how to pronounce I am ready in ancient French. Et voila! Same spelling as in the show. I was very glad to know that the author had done her research. This was a big reason why I liked this episode, I think. The nostalgia for the first season and the quirky characters we came to know—even Dougal! It really was good to see more of Claire's actual experiences in the war. And as the memories kept coming—to realize just how recent those experiences were! Keeping those experiences from us until now was a good call. And that Jamie and Murtagh could see that something was not quite right with her—that's something we've come to expect. But I think Claire had been sending subtle—and perhaps unintentional—signals about something else since we saw her and Jamie greet Murtagh when they 1st arrived at the training camp. Claire was repeatedly resting her hand on her belly. That was something she did when she was pregnant previously and I wouldn't be surprised if she is again—already. I would have expected Murtagh to pick up on that, but perhaps there were too many other things on his mind. I don't mention Jamie picking up on that signal because he's likely trying to not think about that possibility—given the circumstances they are facing. Yes. That object seemed like it should come up again, but it has been a long time since last season when it only got a brief scene. So the question is—where does she keep it? She's been travelling far and wide—sometimes with just the clothes on her back—and it's not been seen or referenced. Plus, Claire doesn't have a sporran like Jamie has— to keep everything-including-the-kitchen-sink in. Where is it? Rupert went on to say that he and his new bride sailed off to America with his bride's family—and then he declares Willie a traitorous bastard who's name will never be spoken again (paraphrased). As for Ned? He's a lawyer. He'll land on his feet—but not at the front lines of anything. I agree that Dougal is a wild card in this narrative. He's currently always-the-bridesmaid-never-the-bride which can't sit well for a man's man like Dougal. When Claire and Murtagh became a traveling minstrel/ healing show last season, Dougal brought Claire to the cavern where he was hoarding all the weapons he had amassed. So yeah. What happened to them? I think I can rate this episode among my favourites.

The list of signatures may actually signal to the more important Laird's just how thin the support is for BPC—mostly minor Lairds. Yes. None of these issues were addressed. I know we have been told that Jamie is one to just charge ahead, but we saw him capable of strategizing as well. I agree that what we have been given as a reason—falls short. I'm also disappointed that they teased us with a changed Leery and then doubled down on her just being evil. (sigh) I feel that angle has been through the wringer so often that it's completely threadbare.

I recall Jamie saying his father was acknowledged by their grandsire, but he still was a bastard and his and Jenny's grandmother was their grandfather's kitchen maid. I went back and reviewed that little segment and Jamie also told Claire that their grandmother raised his father at Beaufort Castle—I have no idea where that is or who lived there. But that's likely where he learned how a proper gentleman behaves. Now, Jamie and Jenny's father would have been in his 40s when he died, but Simon—the new heir of Lovet's lands and title—looks very young. Probably not yet 20 years old. And I think there was a comment-in-passing that Lady Lovat was still alive, but she hates her husband, so I wonder if Simon is also an acknowledged bastard? Or perhaps there was a short detent in her hate—long enough to conceive a child?