Mysterious fires are being set, people are being killed near the Ridge. Lawlessness rears its ugly head in the lead up to the War of The Revolution and the Brown’s use the excuse to create their version of The Watch, We all know what happened with that in Scotland. The Ridge is becoming a place not safe for Brianna, Roger, and Jemmy.
Watch this Saturday, May 2 at Midnight on the Starz® App and Sunday, May 3 on Starz, Monday, May 4 on Amazon UK, IE, and AU
Billy Boyd Sophie ©2020 Starz®
A cautionary tale was begun with the opening episode, America The Beautiful, in season 4. In that episode, Jamie, Claire, Ian, and friends rescue an erstwhile pirate from hanging. And their lives were forever changed. In this tale that has played out until this week’s episode 510, Mercy Shall Follow Me, we met the ugly side of American Colonial Life. The outright lawlessness that seemed to be rampant in the colonies, one that had played out to many a newcomer. For our time travelers, first Claire then Brianna and Roger, would all become victim to one of Outlander’s greatest villains, Stephan Bonnet. The story of Bonnet and his misdeeds forever crossing paths over the years. Until finally he turns up in Willmington again and meets with another Fraser Foe, the lawyer Gerald Forbes. Remember him? Aunt Jocasta’s lawyer and Brianna’s spurned suitor? It’s a tale of ruthlessness, revenge, cruelty, and downright sociopathic.
Stephan Bonnet (Ed Speleers) is a sociopath, one who is erratic, changeable, rages, and a person not able to have a normal life. We open with Bonnet meeting again with Gerald Forbes (Billy Boyd) in a brothel. Bonnet is dressed to the 9s in his refined gentlemanly wear, trying to pass as such. It has been very important for Bonnet to pass himself off as a gentleman as he hopes to claim young Jemmy. Forbes informs him that contacts have been made for a magistrate to sign papers relieving him of any accusations for crimes, witnesses have been found, and their plot to expose Brianna (Sophie Skelton) as a willing participant in Jeremiah’s procreation. This is the diabolical plot to claim Jeremiah as his own and have custody of the child. Forbes warns Bonnet that he must downplay his activities and that rumors are floating that Bonnet is now trading in the flesh.
He advises Bonnet to keep his activities on the “respectable side”, and Bonnet reminds Forbes that his trading has helped many a gentleman on the shores to bolster their profits. Forbes asks Bonnet when he will get his payment for his discretionary services. Bonnet informs him that Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and her recent bridegroom Duncan Innes will meet with an unfortunate accident and that they both shall drink a dram on the porch of River Run in celebration when he has custody of Jemmy and his inherited property. He assures Forbes he will get his 20% of the profits. Forbes informs Bronnet that he is going upriver to River Run as Jocasta has asked for his legal expertise. He shows great contempt for her, and her slights against him when he asked for Brianna’s hand in marriage. He wants revenge and money.
The Frasers, Ian (John Bell), and the MacKenzies are themselves plotting in a tavern to pull off the great Wylie’s Landing Bonnet Capture. Claire and Jamie discuss the ending of Bonnet, for he is really only a man after all. Bonnet must be stopped before he harms more people. The pact is made for the men to go to Wylie’s Landing for the arranged meeting to sell whisky by Philip Wylie while Brianna and Claire get some medicinal errands done, to replace a syringe with a glass blown tube, and including a trip to the beach.
The men get to Wylie’s landing, including young Ian who is now in a tricorn and wool suiting to play Alexander Malcolm. Roger (Richard Rankin) tells Jamie he wants to be the one to kill Bonnet, it may have been his daughter that was raped, but it was his wife. Jamie cautions him to be quick to purpose, don’t hesitate or think. Jamie also pledges to avenge him should Bonnet kill him, and Roger likewise. It’s a grand thing they have all bonded.
“A bargain is it?” “A rare bargain indeed.”
Of course, when Bonnet’s men show sans the pirate, all hell breaks loose as a confrontation happens in which Roger shows his fine barrel pitching skills. If you can’t kill them, throw them. Jamie then shows Roger the fine art of questioning at knifepoint.
Sophie Skelton and Caitriona Balfe ©2020 Starz®
Which is of course what we have been suspecting, that Bonnet is in Willimington and following Brianna and Claire. In a storyline taken from book 6, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, the plot to kidnap and get Brianna and Jemmy is underfoot. Claire and Brianna are having a laugh at the beach, racing each other. Claire is collecting sponges and seashells to get calcium from, always distracted by medicinals, she wanders away from Brianna who is dipping her feet in the waves. She is come upon by Stephen Bonnet, who overpowers her and comes into a confrontation with Brianna. He knocks both women unconscious and takes Brianna after telling her he only wants her and their son.
“It’s you and your son I want.”
Brianna awakens in Bonnet’s lair, his house on an island. He has laid out tea for them and begins to tell Brianna of his twisted desire to become a father and a gentleman to be right for Jeremiah. She listens in disgust and pity as she hears how truly demented Bonnet is. He asks for her help in learning how to eat like a gentleman and Brianna plays along to buy time. Bonnet is often one who turns on a person without warning. He shows her a box of toys for young Jemmy and tells her he has a present for her. It’s a beautiful dress that happens to fit just perfectly.
“I want something money can’t buy” “A moral compass?”
She tries to play along with his whims and almost succeeds to talk him into letting her go. She fakes telling him the story of Moby Dick from a book on husbandry, a story that is not written for years to come. He starts telling her his back story, his fears of drowning in the sea, the dark. He even tells her that he had no mother or father, was nearly killed by those he thought friends. No one ever comes to save him from his nightmare. Brianna softens a bit too much.
“You can’t make someone love you.”
To punish Brianna who has appeared false after trying to persuade him to let her go get Jemmy and prepare him to live with Bonnet, he realizes she is stalling for time, he has it on with the wench from the “Mare” he fancies from the brothel has come to help with breakfast, and ends up being breakfast instead. Brianna begs her assistance when he leaves. The woman says she cannot help her for fear of Bonnet as he is prone to violence. Brianna begs her to tell her parents where she is. Bonnet makes arrangements to sell Brianna.
Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe ©2020 Starz®
Claire rides to meet the men who have come back empty-handed from their meeting and informs them Bonnet has Brianna. They race back to Willmington to find out where Bonnet could have taken her and run into Philip Wylie. After painfully interrogating a fearful Wylie, who is in more fear of Bonnet, he informs them of a brothel, Mistress Sylvie’s where Bonnet frequents. Yeah, the Frasers are off to deal with yet another brothel madame. They’re good at this game. Roger and Ian are instructed to go to the tavern to find out information about Bonnet there.
Meanwhile, our duplicitous Forbes has arrived at River Run to an audience with Jocasta, Duncan, and Ulysses (Colin McFarlane). Jocasta and Forbes ask to be alone and Jocasta goes into a shocking revelation for Forbes: She wishes to make gifts in her lifetime from the bounty of River Run. She starts naming off all of the children of Jamie and his adopted son Fergus, £200 to Ian, £1000 for Brianna and Roger. As Forbes makes a list, he becomes more and more enraged and sarcastic. His 20% of profits are going out of the window. He rounds on Jocasta and starts telling her off.
” You can’t give away my money!”
She is aghast, and he grabs a pillow and begins to suffocate her with it. He is almost successful until Ulysses grabs him from behind and snaps his neck. Incredibly bereft Ulysses races to a collapsed Jocasta’s side, calling out to her with love, “Jocasta!”, finally she breathes air, as she comes to, he gently kisses her hand.
Maria Doyle Kennedy and Billy Boyd ©2020 Starz®
Claire and Jamie come to the brothel and Mistress Sylvie mistakes them for a client couple. After Claire becomes forceful and begs help to save a young girl from Bonnet, the women all look around at each other, not wanting to get involved. Later she addresses the whore that had been Bonnet’s favorite. She claims to have never heard of Bonnet and turns away. Claire, seeking her medical knowledge as a lure, tells the girl of her condition, uneven legs that a simple fix could be done at the cobblers that would release her limp and back pain. Reluctantly she tells them the island where Brianna is a hostage.
Meanwhile, Bonnet has brought another captain to look at the prospect of acquiring Brianna. He starts looking her over like a fine horse and then makes the mistake of looking at her teeth. She of course promptly bites him and things get a bit ugly and Bonnet offers to sell her for a mear £6. The bargain is struck and Bonnet drags Brianna out to the shore where the captain’s man has his money. They are set upon by Jamie, Roger, Claire, and Ian on the dunes and a fight breaks out. After they secure Brianna, Roger chases down Bonnet and beats him soundly.
They all agree to bring Bonnet to justice in Willmington and Roger suggests they contact Tryon who owes them a very big favor for nearly killing Roger, and have him contact the new Governor about Bonnet’s crimes.
And so it is we find Bonnet being sentenced from shore being tied to a mooring and sentenced to death by drowning his one great fear. After the tides begin to come in and he is screaming and distressed, he is shot by Brianna and put out of everyone’s misery.
They all agree to bring Bonnet to justice in Willmington and Roger suggests they contact Tryon who owes them a very big favor for nearly killing Roger, and have him contact the new Governor about Bonnet’s crimes.
And so it is we find Bonnet being sentenced from shore being tied to a mooring and sentenced to death by drowning his one great fear. After the tides begin to come in and he is screaming and distressed, he is shot by Brianna and put out of everyone’s misery.
Well, that’s two more villains cleaned up this episode.
Richard Rankin and Sophie Skelton ©2020 Starz®
And so ends the timely fate of another great Outlander villain. But wait there are more villains to come, we’ve only just met the Browns. And with that we leave you to prepare for episode 511 Journeycake, an episode penned by Diana Gabaldon herself.
Sadly, conventions have been canceled due to COVID19. However, Wizard World is getting them online! Join two Wizard World Outlander events live online. You can purchase personal videos and autographs. Some open sessions are free. Go to the Wizard World Website for details.
From Wizard World:
During each session, the celebrities will participate in a FREE live moderated video Q&A, followed by one-on-one video chats, recorded videos, and autographs. Sessions are accessible to virtual attendees on their computers and mobile devices via http://wizd.me/virtual.
Pricing begins at $65 for the individual chat, video, and autographs, and vary by item, available on the Website.
Virtual Experience Outlander April 30, 2020
Seasons 1 and 2 cast Stephan Cree, Lotte Verbeek, Grant O’Rourke, Nell Hudson, Stephan Walters, Annette Badland.
Virtual Experience Outlander May 5, 2020
Yes, @duncan.lacroix (Murtagh), @rikrankin (Roger MacKenzie), @johnhunterbell (Young Ian Murray) Ed Speleers(Stephan Bonnet), @colinmcfarlaneactor (Ulysses) and @timdownie1 (Gov. Tryon). Ahem, where are the ladies? Not that we mind, but fair is fair.
Check back on this link as updates are announced:
Caitriona Blafe and Lauren Lyle ©2020 Starz®
As we head towards our penultimate episodes of Outlander season 5, we are treated to an episode that shows the bonds of friendship and trust, preparing oneself for mortality and unfinished business. There are doubts about purpose, and what it truly means to be of value and worth. Oh, and more Outlander animals, two iconic book moments to keep book fans happy, and a young man who has truly come of age. As always, if you haven’t seen episode 509 Monsters and Heros, turn back now.
This is a Fraser’s Ridge Story of bonding and relationships; Two sets of men, one older, one younger, and how they bond over tragedy and the women of the Ridge who must always keep the organic glue together on the Ridge. Fall is a time for preparing and reflecting on the last year, to muster before the cold of winter.
Opening the episode, we have Claire (Caitriona Balfe) examining a very round Marsali (Lauren Lyle), declaring that everything looks ready and a baby should be coming any time now. Marsali is radiant and tells Claire she is happy she will be around for this birth, not off on some adventure. She is glad to share having the baby with her other “Ma”, Claire. Claire beams.
Roger (Richard Rankin) has failed at having a private moment with Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and is interrupted by wee Jemmy who is wide awake and watching. Parents trying to keep the cabin G-rated on the Ridge joke about young Jemmy’s first word being a swear word of course. After much debate on where that came from, Brianna proposes an interlude later in the afternoon with Jemmy being conveniently gone, when Father Fraser (Sam Heughan) comes a banging on the door remarking about it not being time to laze about, there’s hunting to be had. The Beardsley Twins (Paul Gorman) have found big game, a herd of mysteriously large game. It is the fall, and meat will be hard to come by in the winter. Jamie, being careful in wording remarks that it would be good to have another expert marksman or woman in this case along. Of course he really means Brianna.
Brianna begs off to work with the other women on the Ridge, dropping the hint that Roger needs to be included and learn skills of hunting. Jamie takes the cue, as he is still struggling with bonding with his son-in-law. Brianna thinking this is a good time for male bonding leaves them to it. Roger has another chance to prove himself useful which he has been trying to accomplish since he came to the Ridge. Of course you know what luck Roger has.
The men of the Ridge, Jamie, Roger, Fergus, Ian, and the twins set off across the Ridge and beyond. After several hours they decide to split up, Jamie choosing Roger to go with him. You can see the hesitation and affirmation between the two. Jamie and Roger set off on one side while the other group fans out on the other.
Jamie and Roger don’t get far when luck runs out, just when Jamie and Roger discover that there really is something big afoot, Roger makes cow patty remarks, big ones. Jamie passes a tree, and wap gets bit by a viper. The big proud warrior goes down. Roger tries to help Jamie, Jamie questioning what would have been done in his time for such a thing, Roger tries to explain antivenom. Then Roger decides he must cut the bite and suck out the blood. This is the beginning of very crankit Jamie. The man does not like appearing weak or out of control of the situation. Roger leaves to find help, then returns to find Jamie growing weaker by the moment.
Sophie Skelton and Caitriona Blafe ©2020 Starz®
Brianna, Claire, and the other women are gathered boiling and dying cloth. Brianna enters a conversation with Claire asking how long she knew she was meant to be a doctor. Claire explains that not all people know their calling right away, she knew that she wanted to do something medically since the war, but that others may try a few paths. Brianna remarks that she and Roger have been trying to find a purpose, they are highly educated, but not in professions admired or required really in the 18th-century. Claire reminds Brianna that her engineering will be needed somehow, she will just have to find it.
The rest of the men show back up on the Ridge late. Ian remarks that they have not seen Jamie or Roger for hours, that they have come back empty-handed.
Sam Heughan and Richard Rankin ©2020 Starz®
It’s been a long time coming, due to a serious potentially deadly tragedy, Roger and Jamie are forced to finally place trust in one another. A role reversal in their dynamic comes into play, Roger must lead the way, and Jamie must follow as he has become helpless. And yes, Jamie doesn’t handle this well at all.
It’s night and Jamie and Roger are forced to camp. Roger keeps vigilance over Jamie and does so over the rest of the episode. Jamie is gravely ill, the toxins have mixed with his blood, he is cold and numb in his extremities. Roger keeps insisting he will not die. While by their small campfire Jamie tells Roger he must do what Jamie could not, put an end to Stephan Bonnet. Too many have suffered because Jamie took pity on the man at his hanging, he lost his friend Lesley and Claire was attacked by Bonnet. And later, Brianna suffered because of him. Roger says he cannot kill a man, he has never done such a thing. Jamie insists he must, if he dies Roger must continue it. Jamie is nothing if not stubborn and wills his “son” Roger to take on his sins and failings, and put it right.
Roger is desperate to get Jamie back to the Ridge, back to Claire. The next day, after Jamie barely makes it through he night, he builds a fledge to drag Jamie out. Half the time they are joking and insulting one another, the other half Jamie is fighting against the toxin, and also against his perceived weakness. He feels he is failing everyone, that the weight of the Ridge is on him. Roger grows frustrated with trying to get Jamie out and back to the others. By the morning the men of the ridge realise when one of the horses comes back, that something is wrong. The search party goes out. So fine acting with Sam Heughan and Richard Rankin portraying father-in-law and son trying to find a common ground to unite, and of course they find it in protecting the ridge. Sam is very good at being the stubborn bull-like Jamie, that it must be just so, and Rankin starts taking a more serious approach, and shows that his character can overcome his perceived bad luck, because really it was Jamie that had the bad luck. Roger reminded Jamie that they bother read the obituary that drove Brianna to come back. That he dies in a fire, not by snake bite. Roger, using his educated reasoning.
Finally they are discovered by Ian (John Bell), Fergus and the gang. The race is on to save Jamie.
Jamie is not infallible, and thus his decline and internal fight begins. Claire is also not infallible. While she can make many seeming miracles happen, she is at a loss. Jamie talks with Claire in the surgery, the whole Ridge is involved in hunting for magots at Marsali’s direction (to clean the wounds). Jamie remarks to Claire that he knows it’s not good, Claire usually scolds him about getting injured, as he frequently does. Instead she is avoiding him, and quiet. She agrees that it is dire. She admits to Jamie that she doesn’t know how to treat snake bite, it was not a common occurrence. Cranky Jamie remarks that Claire should work on her bedside manner. The conversation turns to the fact that she may not be able to stop the infection. Damn the Browns for breaking the syringe! They have been giving Jamie penicillin in a broth, however it’s not as effective. The talk centers on Jamie not wanting to give up his leg, he will be no use to Claire or the others. He makes Claire swear to not cut off his leg.
Caitriona Blafe ©2020 Starz®
A Large creature shows up in the Garden right next to Lizzie tending laundry and Jemmy. She freaks out and Claire and Brianna rush out. Brianna tries to lure the bison away from Lizzie and Jemmy, she gets charged and flipped, and Claire shoots the bison.
Jamie, despite the Ridge’s Magot hunt, (think Easter egg hunt but squirming), application by Claire of said creatures, Jamie’s leg is looking really bad. I have to give a hand to the special effects and makeup team, this is one rotten leg. Claire has been having doubts and confides in Brianna that she may have to go against her promise and take the leg off. She remarks to Brianna that the magots won’t be able to reach the infection, it is so deep.
In the MacKenzie cabin, Brianna is frustrated because Claire has told her that the penicillin would be more effective if they could inject it. Sadly, the rotten Browns ruined her nice modern glass and steel syringe. Roger tells Brianna of the plan put in motion by Jamie and Claire to lure Bonnet out to Wylie’s Landing. Roger is looking at the severed head he had kept of the snake, the rest of which was B-B-Qed by Jamie seeking sustenance and justice. He doesn’t know why he kept it, thinking Claire could identify the snake or how to treat Jamie. Off go the 18th century equivalents to light bulbs and Brianiac Brianna grabs it.
Richard Rankin and Sam Heughan ©2020 Starz®
Later Roger is keeping an eye on Jamie again, and Jamie asks Roger to get him up to his own bed. We see Jamie as a man resigned to the fact that even with all the care, he may not make it. Being the big bulky and crankit creature he has begun. Roger gets Ian to help. Jamie’s choices for not amputation and that he would rather die has reached everybody. Young Ian is sick with feeling and finally calls out Jamie on how selfish he is being. He points out that when he was young, he did not support his father who had lost a leg, rather idolized Jamie and wanted Jamie as a father and that is why he left Lollybroch. He confesses he was terribly wrong, and that his father had lost the leg due to battle and was courageous, just as a very young Fergus had lost his hand trying to protect Jamie. Both men had gone on living and being productive in some way. Jamie needs to forgive himself and fight to come back. Ian declaires he never thought there would be a day he was ashamed of his uncle. They are saved, by scolding, by Claire who has come racing upstairs after finding Jamie gone from her surgery.
“You’re a Terrible Liar”
Later Ian comes downstairs and finds Fergus has brought in some of the bison meat. Ian is quiet and after Fergus asks what is wrong, he says that he knows that look on Ian’s face. He asks about M’Lord and going up. Ian warns him it may not be a good idea. He tells Fergus of what he just said to Jamie. Ian explains Claire may have to amputate. Fergus asks if the thinks Jamie couldn’t handle seeing Fergus right now. Ian confesses he is concerned after what he just said he couldn’t handle it and was being stubborn. Fergus tells Ian about what happened when he lost his hand, how M’Lord had said that is fergus had lost a hand or limb in service to him, and that Jamie would become a man of leisure. They discuss that they should be there for Jamie. It’s another man hug moment.
It’s a long and desperate night. Jamie is lying in bed and is at a crisis, and Claire believes him to be dead at one point. In another great performance, great emo delivered by Caitriona Balfe over Sam Heughan’s near corpse like apparition.
Later Claire is preparing to amputate Jamie’s leg after a very long night with the penicillin broth barely working for Jamie. She is preparing her tools and saw, very nervously having Ian help prepare Jamie for surgery. At the very last moment, Brianna living up to the Scotish for beer, meaning a short disturbance or wind, lives up to that name and stops the surgery. She comes in totalling geeking out on her contrivence, a fang syringe for Claire to work with. Of course next comes the really cool gruesome administration of penicillin directly into the festering snake bite wound. The show should get a BAFTA for the leg effects on this episode.
Later Jamie is much better and Roger gloats about being right, he didn’t die after all. Jamie talks with Claire about what he saw in his dreams, this choice that lay before him. His only choice was to come back to Claire. A war is coming and he must do his duty. And there’s a Adso caMeow.
Marsali has finally accepted Claire as Mother Claire.
Fergus is finally having deep conversations again, he has been very aloof for most of the season. Perhaps he was saving up for just this moment.
Will Claire start farming magots like the Penicillin factory she has going?
Watch episode 510 “Mercy Shall Follow Me” at midnight on the Starz® App April 25, Sunday April 26 at 8:05 PM EST/5:05 PM PST, and Mondays on Amazon UK and AU.
It’s getting to the penultimate episodes now. It looks like a showdown on Wylie’s Landing. Who is entrapping who?
Stay Tuned Saturday 25th April at Midnight on the Starz App, and Sunday at 8:05 pm ET and 5:05 PT. Monday Amazon UK, Australia, and Ireland.
The inhabitants of the Ridge rally around Jamie as he fights for his life. Jamie asks Roger to complete an important task in the event of his death. Watch new episodes of Outlander Sundays only on STARZ.
Maria Doyle Kennedy and Colin Mc Farlane ©2020 Starz®
After a two week hiatus, we return to Outlander Season 5 with Famous Last Words. It is a reference with an opening scene were Roger Mac is back at Oxford, lecturing in his Socratic way, to a group of his students in the English University way of Tutor and students around a big table. Brianna slips in through the door, Roger tries to not be distracted, fails a bit, and goes on to juggle “heids” about the famous last words of historic figures, and what they really may have said, or meant.
“Will those really be your last words?”
So begins a very dark and brooding episode in the aftermath of the loss of Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser at Alamance. It is an episode with three brooding men ( Roger, Jamie and the return of a prodigal son) dealing with darkly, difficult emotions. To set the mood, for Rogers’s storyline, this episode references Roger’s and Brianna’s fondness of going to silent classic movie film festivals and uses that style of storytelling to reflect on the darkness and silence of Roger’s survival of hanging and rescue by Claire, Jamie, and Brianna.
Dark Matters
Roger (Richard Rankin) sure has gotten the raw end of the character plotlines in season 4 and 5. Not that he fared any better in Diana Gabaldon’s books. The process of Roger’s hanging and rescue was much more drawn out. Roger’s ordeal of being beaten and sold to the Mowhawk by Young Ian and Jamie created a very long and angry introduction to the yes, you are a historian but had no clue as to how brutal it really was to live in those times lessons for Roger. Now, as if nothing could get worse, Roger has full-on PTSD about being hung and surviving.
“People live and die by words.”
Roger has been despondent for months about his ordeal, struggling daily with everyone on eggshells or overly encouraging him to come back to life. For as Brianna (Sofie Skelton) is constantly reminding him, that she feels like he is dead, not living as he does not speak. Claire (Caitriona Balfe) has assured all that he should be able to speak after her emergency surgery on his throat to deal with the crushed windpipe. About that. The cliff hanger last episode.
We come to a series of flashbacks told in silent movie sepia tint style, with cards and showing the silence and despair of Roger being hung and rescued, Claire’s field operation on him. He has a series of reoccurring sepia PTSD moments using the silent film inserts to emphasize his lack of speech and darkest moments.
The first in silent film mode scenes show the Frasers, Jamie, Claire, and Brianna, trying to rescue Roger from the tree hanging scene we left off with at the end of episode 507. Roger is hanging and Jamie and the others are trying to cut him down. Claire discovers he is barely alive and goes into emergency cricothyroidotomy mode, using the stem of a smoking pipe to keep an airway available to him. After he comes out of the PTSD flashback, Claire is examining him and talking about how it has healed nicely and he should have most of his voice back. Brianna is trying to coax Roger to say something, anything. Brianna is losing patience with him, he is traumatized and shutting her and Jemmy out. There is a great deal of stony tension. Roger’s silence is self-imposed.
Sofie Skelton and Sam Heughan ©2020 Starz®
Lord John Gray (David Berry) has traveled great distances again to visit, there is an invitation to dine at the big house. Roger declines, grimacing. Flashbacks intercede again with his many times Great Granddad Buckleigh MacKenzie (Graham McTavish) and friends handing Roger over to Tryon’s men as a traitor. It’s traumatizing to be hung at all, but by your many time great Grandad, it’s a bit much.
Brianna reads the 5,000-acre grant to her by way of apology for hanging him. Caitriona Balfe, David Berry, Sam Heughan, and Sofie Skelton ©2020 Starz®
Brianna and Claire discuss Roger’s behavior. Brianna talks to Claire about her old college roommate and how her boyfriend came back from Vietnam. He had not been seriously injured, but he had a thousand-yard stare about him. She says she sees that look in Roger and feels she has lost him. Claire tells her about combat stress, and what it does to people. She reassures her that he will come back, it will take time.
After the dinner with Lord John Gray, they read through a letter he has brought giving Brianna five thousand acres in the backcountry. Claire remarks that it is in exchange for the loss of her husband and Brianna is angered. She doesn’t want land, she wants her husband back. Brianna leaves the table and rushes outside. Lord John follows carefully and tries to distract her. He gives her an astrolabe, used for gauging time and distance at sea. She marvels at it and calculates time, off by half an hour as Lord John corrects her. He tells her to have patience, that things generally have a way of working out.
Maria Doyle Kennedy and Colin Mc Farlane ©2020 Starz®
Jamie (Sam Heughan) has been struggling with the loss of Murtagh, his Godfather. He tries to help Roger and Brianna with their troubles, however, he is struggling under his own weight. Aunt Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and Ulysses (Colin McFarlane) visit to pay respects to Murtagh’s cairn and burial place near the big house. Jocasta in her take-charge fashion, trying to not really show her own grief, states she could have paid for a headstone, even though she and Murtagh were not husband and wife. Jamie points out that the feelings are still valid. They agreed that Murtagh was loyal above all else.
Roger trying to keep busy, and playing guitar and singing is a painful reminder turns to stay busy and improve his woodworking skills. He tries to build the sleeping loft for the cabin. In the process of building, he is reminded by rope and canvas of the hanging, the sacking put over his head, everything said by Tryon and his officers.
Richard Rankin as Roger MacKenzie ©2020 Starz®
Claire and Jamie bring dinner to the cabin. Little Jemmy reaches for a steaming hot kettle and Roger cries out in a very guttural “No!” and Jemmy starts crying. He is embarrassed after rescuing the child. Jamie and Claire take charge of Jemmy. Later, Brianna has been singing “Clementine” to Jemmy as Roger has not sung in months. She keeps hoping to get some interaction from Roger, who is trying to get woodcut and formed for building a loft in the cabin.
Later, Claire and Jamie are playing with young Jemmy as proud grandparents do. They play a game of hide-and-seek, then Jamie comes upon a wild boar, telling claire carefully to get Jemmy out of harm’s way. Just as the Boar charges Jamie, and we prepare ourselves for another set of Jamie scars, and arrow is shot with great precision into the boar. Jamie and Claire look up, and it is Ian Murray (John Hunter Bell), the younger, dressed in his Mohawk garb and hair adornment. He looks dark and broody. He comes back to the Ridge with Claire, Jamie, and Jemmy. When Roger and Brianna are at their cabin, there is a tense moment as Roger and Ian just stare at one another, they have a guy hug. When last we saw the two, Ian sacrificed himself for Roger with the Mohawk tribe to make up for selling him to them and get him back to Brianna. Brianna hugs her cousin, however, Roger retreats. Ian seems to pick up on the sentiment.
Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe and John Hunter Bell ©2020 Starz®
After Brianna and Claire seem to not be able to do anything with Roger, and now find they have both Jamie and Ian’s murky waters as well, Marsali (Lauren Lyle) decides to take a hand. Of course, she can’t do it easily, she pulls out a tarot deck and starts laying out Roger’s cards. Of course, we all know how bad this is going to be. Marsali kept pulling The Hanged Man each time she tries to read Roger, and he in disgust dumps all the cards on the floor. Brianna comes in when Marsali is running about picking up cards and asks what the matter is. After Marsali begs off, Brianna lays it in thick on Roger. She relates to her dealings with Bonnet, that she knows about how hard it is to come back from a dark place. She barks that she needs to know that he is not gone and lost forever.
And again that night, Marsali is determined to uproot everyone. She pushes poor Ian who is very quiet and not the fun-loving lad that left them. She and Fergus (César Domboy) want to know everything about living with the Mohawk. Ian is not adjusting to being inside, eating at a table, being around his family. Jamie tries to take control over all the grief going on with the men, being that fatherly laird type he is. He suggests that Ian go and survey the acreage that has been given to Brianna, to stake out the lines. Later Ian ends up sleeping on the porch as he had stared at a bed for some time and tells everyone he is more comfortable sleeping on the ground.
Roger and Ian make up a surveying team. In Brianna’s farewell, she folds Roger a paper airplane. It is their first wedding anniversary, the gift of paper. He takes the plane folded with him on the trip. Over time he and Ian form a bond, each of them struggling. Ian tries to get Roger to talk. He lashes out, how can Roger be this way, he has his whole family. We get more hints of what has happened to Ian with the Mohawk.
Lauren Lyle and Caitriona Balfe ©2020 Starz®
Claire later runs out of her surgery calling for Marsali. She has a jar of Water Hemlock, asking if Marsali has prescribed any. There is only one root left. She questions whether Roger may have taken it contemplating suicide.
Later, Ian asks Roger about his dreams. This is, of course, a very touchy subject, but Ian is deeply troubled. He shows Ian the paper airplane, of course, Ian not being from his time doesn’t know what it is. Roger shows him a bit of it flying. Ian makes a remark about birds. While surveying, Roger walks to a precipice and looks down. The mood changes, he has another flash, however, starts seeing color again when he thinks about the paper airplane. He throws it off the cliff and it flies well, and Roger is lifted with the flight. In time, he sees that he is alive.
Later we come upon Rollo, tied up with a rope. This is very unlike Ian to do this, and Rollo is very worried. Ian goes about ritualistically burying his Tomahawk in the leaves. He then recites some Mohawk words while boiling water. He brings out the Hemlock roots to brew a tea, he wants to end his sorrow. Roger comes and kicks the roots and the fire in one sweep. They start brawling. Ian demands it is his right to end the pain. Ian accuses Roger of buying his weapon, his voice. Roger tries to get Ian to come back, fight for family. Their whole family. After tense moments and the physical guy thing, they return, and Roger finally begins to use his voice. It is still not right, but it is something.
Jocasta seemingly let Murtagh go, and Jamie tried to shake her back into reality. Will we see that she really did love him and misses him?
We’ve had an episode where we barely heard of Bonnet. So, since he knows where Jemmy is, will he try to come to get what he thinks is his son? Will he be the monster? Check out the preview below.
Is it just me, or is Fergus not really saying much this season? He has very few lines.
And why is Jemmy not sprouting that flame-red hair he has in the books?
Only a few episodes left, what other events may get moved up from A Breath of Snow and Ashes, book 6?
Next, episode 509 Monsters and Heros. Catch it Saturday, April 18 at Midnight on the Starz® APP, Sunday at 8:05 pm EST and 5:05pm PST on Starz®, and Monday, April 20 on Amazon Prime in the UK and Ireland.
Courtney at Outlander Behind The Scenes blog, one of the longest-running dedicated Outlander sites, has an in-depth interview with Graham McTavish you must see. About much of the acting bits over the last few years and plans for TGOS directorial debut.
Heads up. The Rankin is doing an SD Q&A. Darkly brooding and luckily non-verbal today at 5pmEST/2PMPST. Check out his twitter page and Instagram site for information.
Hop over to Outlander Starz® Instagram to see a fast clip of how Governor Tryon gets “wigged” up. And if you need a good giggle in these trying times, and who does not, watch his smash hit comedy The Jewish Enquirer on Amazon US and Amazon UK.
An Outlander Muse 