If you are lucky enough to be in Scotland the first week of July, make sure you grab tickets for this fun-filled show. Filled with current and past characters, will Sophie Skelton be able to keep all the lads in shape? Attending are Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix, Richard Rankin, Andrew Gower, Alexander Vlahos, David Berry, and Paul Gorman. Show Sophie your support!
Tickets are for the whole weekend, including autographs, and come in two pricing tiers. Note, you must purchase the main ticket for the event, then purchase photo ops. Check out the details here HIGHLANDERS 5 Starfury Conventions UK
July 1st – 3rd 2022 at the Hilton Hotel, 1 William Street, Glasgow.
We have reached the end of the very short Outlander series 6, and it’s the battle for the Fraser’s, the darkness of vengeance, and the MacKenzie Family Road Trip all in this episode.
Mob Vengeance
Let’s talk about the one character in the series who had to wait two seasons for its lines. That’s right, the Big House. When one has to do battle for what they hold dear, The Frasers retreat to the house they have painstakingly built. Which becomes part of their night-long defense again the Browns Committee. We watch all that lovingly made woodwork shot up, which if you check out the Instagram account for Outlander Starz there’s some information on how they had to set up the sFX on the shots to look realistic and feel realistic to Catriona Balfe (Claire), and Sam Heughan (Jamie).
The battle takes up the first part of the episode, showing Claire and Jamie willing to go down with the house. The Brown’s take on Claire wonders if this is the right time, the newspaper article telling of the fire that kills the Frasers in four months. Jamie reminds Claire that printer dates aren’t always exact, having been one himself. Claire tells Jamie she would rather die than go with them. In the course of the long night, the couple reconfirms their love, even in desperate sex scenes( juztaposed with the MacKenzie’s joyful camping trip, in tents). So huzzah for the house, that many feared would be fired this season. Just wait.
Road Trip
While the MacKenzies are on their way to Edenton to see if Roger can get ordained or go into seminary training, they have a family road trip with a real wagon instead of the station wagon they would have had in the 1970s. Along the way that young rascal Jemmy picks up lice from the fisher folk kids, has his hair cut off (wait, there is a part of this that they didn’t follow up on. Just cutting hair doesn’t get rid of lice and Brianna should know this, turpentine?). She notices a weird scabby thing on his head and Roger states it’s a natural thing, sometimes hereditary, and starts talking about his…and the realization that Jemmy may really be his son makes everyone all smiles. Roger then asks Brianna to cut off his hair, too. It’s a father and son thing to do.
Surrender
Mr. Crombie comes to the big house with the fisher folk and tries to reason with the Frasers that they should go with the Committee and everyone can see justice before a judge. In the debate that heatedly follows, Tom Christie offers himself as surety to make sure that no harm comes to Mistress Fraser since he is the aggrieved party, he should have a say. So another long, unpleasant road trip reminiscent of Season 1 continues, where Claire is a prisoner and Jamie stays by her side. The Browns make sure that the countryside knows who they are taking to the goal, and they are pelted with rocks and physical assaults along the way. And seemingly the Revolutionary War is there to add to, or keep them from justice, as the towns they go through have had uprisings and destruction, and no real courts can be found. All along the way, Tom Christie rides behind them and sees for himself that there is justice, true justice. Jamie verbally jabs at him a few times. Claire is separated from Jamie, and Tom vows to protect her, to make sure that she is safe until trial.
Tom’s Infatuation With Claire
Since Malva’s death, we have watched Tom Christie realize that this is not true justice, and he questions the whole of the situation. He was hellfire and fury over Malva’s sins and refused to have a Christian burial for her. He has gone from an understanding and uneasy friendship and respect with Claire, which is if you had not picked on this by now, really he has a crush on the woman. When Allan vehemently accuses Claire of Murder, Tom sort of falls to the wayside, where you can see him questioning how someone who has pledged to do no harm, to treat the sick, and quite frankly put up with Tom’s self-righteousness to help heal his hand. He has respect for her. He also has feelings for her. And recognizes this is becoming another witch trial.
He seems to be under the burden of not wanting vigilante justice, but true justice. When he sees that the Brown’s Committee of Safety is encouraging violence and vengeance against the Frasers, which is really about how they have prospered and others have not. His common sense makes him more determined than ever to make sure that Claire isn’t harmed before coming before a judge. When finally they find a justice of the peace, Claire is thrown into the jail cells. Tom assures her he will stay in town until her husband comes. Good thing Jamie got his rescue from being taken back to Scotland.
All Hail The Production Crew and Actors
While many of you are perplexed, and some of us readers know a bit more, it was a rather choppy way to leave off the season. Now, let’s look at it from the productions view point. A massive worldwide shut-down and slow reopening of filming began. In the studios and local shoots, the production team had to have the parking lots turned into a Covid testing station, then deciding to cut down to 8 episodes from the 12 typical of Outlander production had great challenges. I believe that they did a remarkable job in getting the production completed at all. Filming is currently underway for Season 7, which they have promised to add on extra episodes to help make up for the shortened season. I say have a little faith.
If the filming was dire and not what you typically take for Outlander quality, let’s look at the fact that several of the original crew have left, and gone on to their next big project. The times are changing in the world and will be reflected in some of the production. Life during the 18th century was not all rosy and much of what we think of our 13 colonies was not grand and beautiful for some time. There were Loyalists and rebels. It was a revolution after all. One of several in the world at that time. And it dragged out for some years.
So what do we have to look forward to in Season 7?
Jamie has to meet his son, again, and be on opposing sides of a conflict again with someone he loves.
2. The Ridge needs to get over the petty anger and distrust if they are going to survive a revolution.
It will not be until Spring 2023 before we see Outlander Season 7, so reread An Echo in The Bones.
Welcome to the penultimate episode of Season 6, 607: Sticks and Stones. We left our last episode with Claire up to her elbows in Malva Christie’s blood after performing an emergency Cesarian to try and save Malva’s child. With Malva’s throat cut, and Claire holding a knife, we know where this is going.
Who Killed Malva Christie?
Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) know that Claire did not kill Malva. However, the burden of proof will come to be too much. Everyone begins to speculate, pointing the finger at the Frasers. The Frasers and their household, as well as the Mackenzies, help to prepare for Malva’s funeral despite Tom’s (Mark Lewis Jones) declaration that she will not have a proper Christian burial. Jamie asserts his authority, she will be buried properly.
Hiram Crombie, Obidiah Henderson, The Bugs, and the fisher folk all turn on the Fraser’s, regardless they would not have a home without being invited by Jamie to settle. They are all resentful of the Laird and the Big House. The Christies certainly have been doing their best to wreak havoc.
Know Your Enemies
Tom has been very forthright about everything so far, and of course, at his assistance, Malva was made to confess her sins in front of the congregation of the fisher folk. Malva, of course, turned this to her advantage, making it clear that she was the victim of Jamie Fraser and hoped that the congregation would look kindly upon her and her child.
Jamie, Claire, and the Mackenzies attend a small memorial for Malva where Roger (Richard Rankin) gives a sermon. While there are not enough men in the service to bear her coffin when Jamie offers to help, Allan Christie (Alexander Vlahos) says “Not you!”, and continues to blame Jamie, fiercely, for her death. Remember, he who casts…. When the coffin goes out, Claire notices no one has taken the child’s coffin and picks it up. Allan comes in and berates Claire, and grabs the coffin from her. If you haven’t guessed it by now, for a brother who was so mean to a sister, he sure is over-protective now. What’s really going on here?
Strange Relations
Oh, then there’s Lizzie (Caitlin O’Ryan). We should be used to her getting herself into predicaments if not everyone else to boot. Or should we just say that Lizzie is just ahead of her time? It certainly seems so when it’s found out that not only is the big scandal of Malva’s death weighing heavy on the Frasers, but Ian enlightens them to their maid Lizzie, who is really a part of the extended family, being with child. The thing is, she doesn’t know which of the Beardsley Twins, Jo or Kezzie (Paul Gorman), is the father. Claire takes on Lizzie while Jamie flies off to mite justice as only Jamie can.
Claire finds playing a psychiatrist a difficult role when Lizzie explains how she ended up in a Thruple with the lads. If it hadn’t been for the medicine that had to be coated all over her skin for malaria, and her chills, well once Lizzie starts telling her story and pure joy comes out of her, you start cheering all three on. But as Claire has to point out, society will not accept such a thing and Lizzie will have to wed one of the lads.
They are two people, but one soul
“You can’t save you from yourself.”
Jealousy, anger, revenge, and pure resentment of the people of Fraser’s Ridge are taken out on Claire and her strange witchcrafty ways. Claire’s haunting by Lionel Brown intensifies as she doubts her sanity, and whether or not she was the one who killed Malva. Lionel Brown will not leave Claire alone, or should I say that Claire’s ether addiction is blurring the lines between reality and the demons in her mind. Flashes of voices from her past of accusations from Dougal MacKenzie, Geillis, and Frank taunt her as well. It gets so bad that Jamie finally realizes there is definitely something wrong, as Claire sees Lionel clearly in her surgery and Jamie does not. Finally, Claire tells Jamie what she has been doing, using the ether to deal with the fact she can no long compartmentalize her traumas, as a physician should. Whether it’s whiskey or ether, Jamie tells Claire that she can count on him to help her through this dark part of herself. After all, she was there for him after Wentworth.
Caitriona Balfe pours so much of herself into this role, all while being pregnant during filming. A fantastic way to use all this emoting from future motherhood into a character. It could not have been an easy block to film.
Revenge Is Most Definitely Served Cold
Too late Lizzie, who is always late with a thing, tells Ian that it was she who knocked on the surgery door, not Malva, when Claire retreated to her ether avoidance. Claire begins to believe it was not her after all that could have harmed Malva.
When it seems that the Frasers had had just about enough, and they realize after Roger Mac tells them he wed Lizzie to Josiah after they had wed her to Kezzie, that they can finally have a moment of peace. Richard Brown (Chris Larkin) and The Brown’s Committee of Safety, you know the ones that are the colonial version of The Watch, turns up in full force. Richard Brown announces they have come for Claire Fraser for the murder of one Malva Christie. Of course, this all conveniently happens when Roger and Brianna have left The Ridge.
Are you ready for the battle of the Big House, as Jamie and Claire fight for their lives? Watch the season finale on an extended episode 608 I Am Not Alone on Starz® May 1, 2022 at 9pm CST.
A war is forming around Fraser’s Ridge, a slow-burn build-up to a revolution that Claire (Caitriona Balfe), Brianna (Sophie Skelton), Roger (Richard Rankin), and now Jamie (Sam Heughan) know is coming. But many of The Ridge have experienced conflict in their own country of Scotland, and suspicions and superstitions always are inflamed prior to a conflict. So begins episode 606 “The World Turned Upside Down”, with Roger Mac giving a sermon in which he tries to use the bible to illustrate how people should not allow fear and superstitions to cloud their good judgment. Of course, we know that this will be ignored for the most part, as especially the fisher-folk are very superstitious and look to Tom Christie as their leader.
After the sermon, Roger remarks ” Has anyone seen the MacNeill’s lately?” It’s not like them to miss a Sunday service. Claire remarks that she and Brianna can look in on them to see if a health issue is keeping them away. Brianna remarks that it shouldn’t be a problem getting Malva to come, she rarely leaves Claire’s side. Claire admits to missing Marsali as her assistant and hopes that her and Fergus’ new life in New Bern as printers is working out for them. Jamie is remorseful for not seeing the solution sooner, Fergus needed to provide for his family.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Lizzie, Claire, Brianna, and Malva arrive at the MacNeill’s cabin and see the yard in disarray. There are Corbies on the roof and as Lizzie remarks, ” There’s something dead nearby.” helpful as always, there is a stench of death on the wind. Claire whips her troops into action, barking out orders as they enter the fetid cabin and open all the windows to get the light in. They discover several children, Mr. and Mrs. MacNeill are all ill. Mr. MacNeill tells Claire it’s the Bloody Flux. Malva takes the baby out of the crib and tries to revive the baby (hint: very un- characteristic for her since she is never really seen with any of the children on the settlement), Claire orders the boiling of water. Mrs. MacNeill dies after Malva cries out that the baby is dead.
Later, Claire shows Malva an amoeba under the microscope that is the culprit. She is determined to find the source and how it got into the water supply for the cabin. Malva is all too eager to assist. Over the course of the next few weeks, there are many cases on The Ridge, and during a burial service, Claire, Jamie, Brianna, and Roger, who is comforting the families. Claire becomes weak and faints in Jamie’s arms.
Storm Clouds, My Heart, and a Snake
Claire falls very ill with all family members, and Malva never leaves her side, even refusing to go home when it is late and her brother comes to fetch her. In Claire’s delirium she sees Malva and Jamie together, in intimacy, visions of stormclouds, the amoeba under the microscope, holding her beating heart in her hand, and a snake (Eastern Kingsnake). We can guess much of the meaning. She finally awakens to Roger sitting by her and discovers that Malva and Mrs. Bug have cut her hair off, claiming it would help with the fever.
Claire recovers slowly, and after discussing her symptoms with Jamie, tells him that her illness was not the same amoebic dysentery that struck The Ridge. She learns that Tom Christie is still ill, and when no one is around, Claire sneaks off to check on her patient. Tom is shocked she is out of bed, and she sarcastically mentions that he should approve of her shorn head. They discuss their symptoms of severe headache, delirium, and disturbing dreams. Claire and Tom discuss how could they have gotten sick when neither has seen each other for weeks. Claire suspects poisoning, but who and how?
The She-Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
The Christies arrive in a wagon, full speed and anger. They arrive at the big house and Claire and Jamie meet with them. It is announced by Tom that Malva is with child. Allan tries to attack Jamie unsuccessfully and has just been awaiting his revenge for being publicly humiliated by Jamie in front of The Committee of Safety. Please keep that in mind. Malva puts on a fine performance as the innocent woman trying to comfort and care for a distraught Jamie, that she and Jamie had lain together more than a dozen times, and keeps imploring Jamie to admit to it. While Jamie knows that she has been seen with several men, as he had warned her to be careful of, he denies it is his child. Tom demands support for Malva.
Claire is furious, and while she doesn’t believe any of it, she is betrayed after taking Malva under her wing. She slaps Malva and stocks to the stables. Jamie finds her there and asks if she could possibly believe this. Claire admits that she doesn’t think it happened, but the rage and fear that has built up, and her recurring fears and hauntings by Lionel Brown’s ghost, bring to a head her feelings. She sacrificed everything to come back in time to find him. Brianna, Roger, and young Jemmy, shouldn’t be there.
Despite the rumors and accusations on Fraser’s Ridge over the next weeks, Jamie and Roger the historian, are off to the Continental Congress. It’s a historic event that Roger in his geekiness must see and hear, and Jamie hopes to become a part of The Sons of Liberty.
The Hand That Feeds
Claire walks unsteadily to the Christies to try to reason with Malva and find the true father of her child. She has already had Young Ian admit to having Malva once, and offer to marry her if it would take the heat off of uncle Jamie. Claire implores Malva, who she has taken under her wing and teaching her, to admit the truth about the baby. Malva seems on the verge of admitting what is going on when Allan rushes out of the cabin. Allan accuses Claire of being a witch. Malva then turns on Claire as well.
Cherry Bounce
Jamie and Roger return and Jamie tells Claire that the Provincial Congress did not pick him as a delegate to go to Philadelphia, it appears the rumors of his begetting Malva with a child even reached the Provincial Congress. Jamie is disappointed to not be part of the Continental Congress meeting.
After Claire has another ghostly encounter with Lionel, who haunts her surgery regularly, Claire sees Malva heading for the surgery through the window and grabs the leather ether mask. She retreats to hide with ether taking away the pain and frustration. In her groggy state, Malva confronts her and says how she is going to take away everything that belongs to Claire, especially Jamie. She threatens to kill Malva. When she wakes again, she is disturbed and staggering. She decides to go out for fresh air and goes to her garden to weed and gather. She comes to her senses and knows that something isn’t right. She looks past her garden, standing, then finds Malva with her throat cut lying just outside of the garden. Going into Claire the surgeon mode, she tries to remove the child that is near to term to rescue it. Alas, Claire finds herself cradling another dead child. We’ve been here before with Claire, and know where it leads.
Remember, the person who accuses the most, has to most to gain by the destruction of the other. Who really is the father of Malva’s baby? The rumors fly in the next episode.
The BTS on the accusation scene gives insight into betrayal and where all the characters and actors are coming from.
Thoughts on:
Malva and Mrs. Bug are co-conspirators in cutting off Claire’s hair. Why you may ask? Simply both women see Claire as being better than they are, one who covets her property, skills, and Jamie. The other, spoiler’s here, has another beef to settle with Jamie. Claire’s glory, and Jamie’s, was her curly hair, and cutting that hair was symbolic in taking Claire’s power away, think Biblical again, as she was also held suspicious for her medical practices.
Alas, it’s a two-week mini Droughtlander. Rumors abound on Fraser’s Ridge. Who killed Malva? The Committee of Safety come back, and guess who for? Catch Episode 607, Sticks and Stones on Starz® Sunday, April 24
Outlander Season 6 Episode 601 Echoes, Written by Mathew B. Roberts, Directed by Kate Cheeseman
We begin the break from the longest Droughlanders on record with a back story after a long intro by Claire (Caitriona Balfe) talking of echoes, and how they always come back, memories are like echos, and usually interchangable in discription. A long “previously on” montage opens the episode, ending with a backstory of when Jamie first arrived, broken, at Ardsmuir prison.
Freedom of Religion and Politics
And now we have one of the most contentious and bizarre conflicts of the Outlander Universe, the Jamie Fraser v. Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones) for the control of Frazer’s Ridge. After waiting nearly two years for a new Outlander season, we get a wam, bam, backstory to this contentious pairing from the Aurdsmuir prison days for Jamie (Sam Heughan). While we get some welcome characters back from Ardsmuir days, echos being as they are, Hayes (James Allenby-Kirk) and Lesley (Keith Fleming) butting heads with the Protestants, Tom Christie is a whole other kettle of fish.
Freemasonry is one of author Diana Gabaldon’s ways of dealing with the obvious frictions of so many people coming together with so many political and religious beliefs, in the confines of a prison, and later the powder keg of the American Colonies. Jamie, being the clever man he is, always adept at learning new languages and cultures of any kind, sees the creation of a lodge in the prison as a way to get the Governor of the prison on side, who has shown masonic signs when communicating with Tom Christie in his chambers that Jamie picked up on, and the prisoners all as equals to stop the feuding. Jamie uses this knowledge later after a conflict between the work gangs of opposing Catholics and Protestants ends with the death of one of the prisoners. Jamie claims he will make a lodge of all prisoners regardless of politics or religion, and challenges Tom to join in, with the consent of the Governor. This is also his way of having an upper hand with Christie over his power with the Governor. By uniting all under a brotherhood where cooperation instead of conflict could happen, Jamie sees a may to managing the mayhem. We see that Tom Christie is seeing Jamie as out smarting him, and using his ways to have the upper hand. A sort of truce is brokered with the men. Of course Jamie get’s flogged again, taking the blame for something he did not do at the prison. Winning the praise of many prisoners. Tom just can’t win.
Can I just say this now, where the heck is Murtagh? This is a flashback to Ardsmuir, and in TV Outlander, Murtagh was there with Jamie after Culloden. Just saying what we were all thinking. Maybe there will be another flashback. I can only assume that the writers did not want to detract from the conflict of Jamie and Tom at the prison. Maybe Murtagh shows up later?
Bad Pennies Turn Up
Unknowingly Roger and Brianna receive Tom Christie in 1773 on Fraser’s Ridge while Jamie is away. Tom Christie turns up with one of the posters that Fergus had printed inviting men from Ardsmuir Prison to settle the Ridge with the Frasers. Unknowingly and in their usual youthful exuberance, Roger and Brianna welcome Tom, his family Alan (Alexander Vlahos) and Malva, and the fisher folk that are his flock, to settle on the Ridge. Later Jamie and Claire return and Jamie is shocked to find Tom Christie in the parlor with the MacKenzies. There is some clipped and not so suble animosity between the two, and Jamie reluctantly welcomes the newcomers. Roger appologizes to Jamie, he did not know that Christie was atrouble maker, as Jamie had never mentioned the man. Jamie makes the best of the situation and rounds up the men of Frasers Ridge to make a cabin building party for the new fisher folk who are obviously used to shoreline living, not deep woods with winter snows beginning.
Pride Before Sense
Later they are invited to meet with Christie’s flock. When the MacKenzies and Fraser’s arrive to hear Tom’s breaking of the bread speech, where Tom rallies the bedraggled fisher flock with a symbolic loaf, quoting scriptures and declaring that they will build a church. Jamie takes acception right away, stating that is not how we do things on the Ridge. While being a fact of necessity, the folk must have cabins to live in before they begin building any large structures that they have no experience with building. But as often is with religious fervor, it’s about being seen to be giving and giving big to the community, before helping the community to actually survive the winter. And there is a bit of ego involved. Jamie rightly puts Tom in his place in a matter of fact pragmatism. We can see Tom processing this deflating of his pride.
Tom Christie later comes injured to Claire’s surgery and in helping to address his wounds, notices some disfigurement. Tom, the ever conflicted man, has his sense of propriety, no alcohol shall pass his lips, bettered by Jamie factual praticality. Take a dram or something while she fixes your wounds. Tom gives in a bit and we see some softening when Claire matter of factly takes charge, tossing two male egos aside to do her work. She mentions that she can also see to the other long term injury of his hand, and make Tom’s hand work better at a later date. There are a few more Snapping Turtle bites, but Christie leaves possibly falling under Claire’s spell.
And of course why have one conflict when you can have two bad echos at once? Latter the Brown boys show up, Richard Brown (Chris Larkin) as you will remember as being the head of Clan Brown, is now head of a Committee of Safety, which is the colonial version of The Watch from Season 1. Earlier his men had spotted Alan Christie with Young Ian hunting and noticed a particular stolen powder horn. When confronting Jamie about this, who is annoyed that they have come to the Ridge as it sets Claire on edge as she goes in the house.
Tom finally steps up and states that if the horn has been stolen, young Alan will punished for this. A whole lot of testosterone is flying about and finally Jamie, in aserting his leadership bargains with Brown, that he will lash the boy himself. All Jamie can do is try to control a situation that can get well out of hand. And one that get’s young Alan, who was obviously petrified of his father, beaten publicly and humiliated. We’ll see how he get’s his revenge on Jamie, later.
So begins the long awaited and quiet contentious introduction to The Christies and the havoc they will bring to the Ridge.
Watch a preview of Episode 602 “Allegience”, where Jamie struggles with his Indian Agent Role and Marsali survives a dificult birth. And where the heck is that drunk, Fergus. Sundays at 9 pm EST on Starz®
The Fraser’s School the Christie’s and their flock on the realities of the life on the Ridge. Cabins before churches are built, or the people will not survive the winter. Just goes to show you what damage Zealots can do from the get-go. Join us tonight as Jamie and Roger try to educate the newcomers that you can’t worship or serve your lord if you are not able to survive to do so. Religion will be a big force of conflict, just goes to show what our founding fathers pointed out at the beginning of this nation. Tolerance is best.
On February 24, 2022 fans were treated to a live premiere or Outlander Season 6.
Full Facebook links for Red Carpet Event on February 24, 2022, at the Royal Festival Hall in London UK. The online tickets were of course crashing the system again. However, you can watch the event from this link on Facebook. Of course actor Sam Heughan had his Sassanach Brand Whiskey hosting the party.
Sadly, some fans were a bit unkind on the Socials about Catriona Balfe not being there. She was in LA, California for an awards week, celebrating her film Belfast, and did discuss having to travel with a baby was not as easy jetting about the world as when she was just on her own. We hear you, Cait.
Reuters
ET Canada
And the many stills from the evening, with new and old faces.
Meet Jessica Reynolds AKA Malva Christie, Tom’s spirited daughter who is captivated by Claire’s work and modern thinking, getting her into trouble with her conservative father.
Meet Alexander Vlahos AKA our Allan Christie. Son to Tom and brother to Malva, Allan is highly protective of his family as they settle into this new environment.
Strange Relations
An Outlander Muse 