Last Time on Outlander
Last time on Outlander, Jamie (Sam Heughan) had his first meeting with the Cherokee as the King’s Indian Agent. They requested that weapons be provided for them by the Crown. Jamie did not promise to pass along this request but did tell them he would consider it. At first, he decided not to follow through but after discussing things with Ian (John Bell), Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Brie (Sophie Skelton), he decided to honor their request. Meanwhile, Marsali (Lauren Lyle) gave birth to her son who turned out to be a dwarf. None of this meant anything to her as she loved him and thought him beautiful. But her husband Fergus (César Domboy), only saw this as a result of his failure to protect Marsali during the Brown’s attack on the house (last season). Just another failure on his part. One which would lead to more drinking. Also, Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones) decided to let Claire operate on his slowly closing hand. Mainly because it was interfering with beating his young daughter (can’t have THAT now, can we?).
Temperance
This episode starts with a basket floating down the river. The basket contains Marsali’s new baby. Five boys are chasing it down the river, notating that the baby was “floating.” Roger (Richard Rankin) hears the baby crying, seeing what is happening, races into the stream to catch it. He must hurry as it is nearing the waterfall. The boys watch as the basket sweeps over the falls. Fortunately, Roger had caught up and taken the baby before a tragedy had occurred. Needless to say, he was extremely angry.
He asked the boys whose idea it was to set the basket upon the water. They started to run but stopped when he demanded they stay and answer his question. They told Roger they he shouldn’t be touching the baby. It would burn him. The fact that the baby floated proved he was “the devil’s seed.” An idea that got from their parents. No doubt a member of Tom Christie’s group.
Henri-Christian
After hearing the children’s explanation, Roger immediately bent down to the stream and baptized the child with the name of Henri-Christian. He turned to face the children telling them his name is Christian. He belongs to the Lord. If they lay a hand on him again, Satan will “pop up and drag you down screaming to hell.” The boys all ran off except for Germain (Christian’s Brother) when Roger called for him to stop. They took the baby home to Marsali. Claire, Jamie and Fergus were also there. Roger explained what the children believed.
Marsali was ready to drown the lot of them, but she was more upset that Germain went along with the crowd. Roger told her he would go talk to the boys. But as for Fergus, this was just one more indication that he had caused this. Even though Roger told him not to let it bother him. Good luck with that.
Misplaced Guilt
Jamie tells Germain to tell his “associates” that they are required to come to Jamie’s house before supper…for punishment. Roger tells Germain he will go with him. In the meantime, Claire goes out to talk to Fergus. He laments about the life that he has witnessed for dwarves in his past. Worrying that his son could face those same hardships. Fergus also still believes that the attack on Marsali somehow caused this to happen. Claire assured him that it would have made no difference. She asked that he accept that reality upon her experience as a physician. But he is unconvinced.
Masochist
Upon returning to the house, Claire finds Tom Christie there, ready to have his hand operated on. She invites him into her surgery and prepares her equipment and the ether. However, Tom refuses the use of the ether. He has chosen to rely on the good book and prayer to get him through. Much to the bewilderment of Claire. Jamie enters and Claire explains that Tom is refusing the antiesthetic. Having been used to Tom’s stubbornness from Ardsmuir, he tells Tom that he knows from experience how much hand surgery hurts. Regardless, Tom still refuses the ether as well as a stick to bite down on. Masochist, indeed.
As the surgery begins, Tom is perhaps finding out that while the Lord is good, some pain killer might have been better. More than once did Jamie need to help restrain him as Claire cut into his hand. In time however, she finished the surgery and Tom was able to extend his fingers. She told him the use of his hand would improve as it healed. But for tonight, she wanted him to stay in her surgery so she could monitor his recovery. While the surgery was ongoing, Tom’s daughter Malva was peeking into the window to watch. Ian caught her spying and asked her why she didn’t go in. Being Claire’s apprentice. She told Ian that her father would not like her watching him suffer, but she was pleased by the title of apprentice. Since she wouldn’t be going in, Ian offered to walk her home.
An Easy Choice
Afterwards, the boys who had set Henri-Christian upon the water gathered at Jamies. Since they had feared the possibility of being burned by touching Henri-Christian, he gave them a choice. They could touch the “bairn” or they could touch a hot poker he had heated up. It didn’t take them long, even though hesitant, to touch the baby instead of the poker. Good Choice. They asked Jamie if Roger was telling them the truth about Henri-Christian belonging to the Lord. Jamie considered their question and told them that he wouldn’t contradict Roger, but it was also important that they remember, Henri-Christian belonged to him. They acknowledged this and he told them to help themselves to bread and honey before they left. As punishments go, that wasn’t bad.
The Truth about Lionel Brown
During Marsali’s delivery, Fergus had promised her he would stop drinking. But with his difficulties of guilt and the baby’s circumstances, he was not able to keep that promise. She returned home to find him drinking. When she asked how much he imbibed, he told her if he could still talk, it wasn’t enough. Needless to say, Marsali wasn’t pleased. She needed his help with the children, and he wasn’t much use intoxicated. Marsali knew he was so much better than this. She wanted to help him, but she didn’t know how.
Fergus told her that he should be helping her. Protecting her and the children. But Marsali told him he was in no position to do so while drunk. Fergus then reminded her again that he wasn’t drunk when he let Lionel Brown attack her. Marsali felt the need to remind him she could take care of their family too. She then explained how she had injected Lionel Brown with a syringe of water hemlock. He had threatened her family. There was no way she was going to let him do any more harm. Fergus couldn’t believe it. He grumbled that he didn’t need a woman to protect him. But after hearing this, he did need another drink.
A Whole Man or None at All
Being a strong-willed Scottish woman, she had no difficulty in letting him know of her displeasure by pouring his drink over his head. Hoping that quenched his thirst, she then asked him to leave. Shoving him toward the door. He shook with rage and reminded her that HE was the man of the house. As the baby started crying, she told him that he could come back when he started acting like one. OUCH! As he turned, she yelled at him to remind him that he had promised her. Promised to stop drinking. But she would have a whole man by her side. Either that, or none at all. Fergus grabbed his coat and left.
Ardsmuir’s Effect
Back at Jamie and Claire’s house, Claire is still having flashbacks to Lionel Brown. These days, she would normally go to her surgery and take her ether to rest, but Tom Christie is laying in her napping bed. She checks on him and his hand. As they talk, Claire gets the impression that Tom is uncomfortable around women. At least those who do not follow the same faith and customs that he does. Claire firmly fits in that category. When she had returned to their bedroom, Jamie told her about how their stay in prison had affected some of the men. Tom turned his fear and needs inwards. He told her that he was fortunate to have her to turn to in the bad moments. If only in his head…and his dreams.
The Tom Christie Seal of Approval
A week later, Tom stops by for Claire to look at his hand. It is healing nicely, and he would soon have better range of motion. As he sat, he looked over the novels that Claire had sitting on her table. She asked him if he read such novels. He explained that his wife had, but he didn’t like them. In fact, he through hers away. But while in Ardsmuir, he had heard Jamie telling the men some of the stories he had read. To keep their minds away from their hardships. It changed his mind about the idea and how some fictional stories might make your present circumstances seem less severe. Although HE preferred prayer. Claire offered him the book, Tom Jones to read. He refused at first but then accepted. Afterwards, when reading the book, he found mentions of sex that he didn’t approve of. He returned the book with a note that it was filled with filth, and he thought better of her. So, we now know that The History of Tom Jones doesn’t receive the Tom Christie seal of approval. Darn!
A Curse from God
Later, the homesteaders are arriving at Jamie and Claire’s house to pay their homesteading shares. Fergus was there, still drinking as the McGregor’s from Tom Christie’s group looks on in disapproval. Eventually, Fergus asks them to say whatever they have been thinking, seeing as how they have been staring at him. He asks them if he seems hideous to them with his one hand or his new son. She preferred the word “grotesque” when it came to his son and wondered if he could bear to see him. Fergus emptied his flask toward the woman’s face and then fought with her husband as he came to her defense. They quickly broke up the fight and her husband claimed that Fergus attacked them for no reason. Lizzy explained that the woman was partially to blame for what she said about Henri-Christian. But she wasn’t done, saying that it was curse from God for Henri to look as he does. Claire of course, took offense to that.
Useless
The woman also mentioned that Fergus was never seen without a cup of drink in his hand (she wasn’t wrong about that). “Drink was the Devil’s juice,” she said, asking for confirmation from Tom Christie. He thought for a moment and told her that the Frasure’s had opened their doors to them. They should respect them in the eyes of the Lord…with mercy and kindness. Both parties went their separate ways, as Marsali watched Fergus as he walked away. Later, Jamie spied Fergus as he was heading to the stream to fish. Fergus took his blade and cut his wrist. Jamie rushed to him, trying to wrest the blade from his hand. He had to hit him to make him let go of the knife and start to tend to his wound, tying a tourniquet above the cut. Fergus told Jamie he should let him die. He was of no use to Marsali or the children. This way, she could marry another. Someone who could take care of her, as he could not. He was useless.
The Man He Was
Jamie explained why he was wrong. It was he who had looked after the family while he was at Ardsmuir. Jamie recalled how Fergus helped him with his printing shop while he grieved for Claire. He produced fine whiskey using only one hand. (Maybe not the best example at this time). They needed him. If only to show his children and his new son what a “useless” man can do. Fergus told Jamie he was not the man he once was, and he wasn’t sure if he could be that man again. Jamie assured him that he could be that man again…and he will, helping him to his feet as Fergus wept. Soon, Claire and Jamie walked Fergus back home to Marsali. He once again apologized to her and promised her never again. Marsali passed Henri-Christian to Fergus and kissed him as Jamie and Claire took their leave.
Beginning
They returned home to find Major McDonald and some wagons arriving at his house. It seemed that Jamie’s request for guns for the Cherokee was answered. Major McDonald came with the guns requested. He then explained that the loyalty of the Snow Bird Cherokee might not have come at a better time. He pulled out a newspaper article talking about the Boston Tea Party. For Claire, it was to be expected. The war for independence was almost at hand.
Thoughts
Ever since the introduction of Tom Christie and his group it was very apparent that their firm religious beliefs would eventually conflict with the other families on Fraser’s Ridge. Jamie and his family most of all. This was made most evident by the superstitious fears of Henri-Christian. Fears that almost ended in tragedy. Fortunate that Roger was there to save the day and to warn the children about doing anything to Henri. Jamie’s “punishment” was unique, but it did serve to show the children that not everything they are told is true. Although, as Marsali observed, it’s the children’s parents where the blame truly lies.
The Choice of Fergus
I can’t say I was surprised that Fergus chose the alternative he did. He was struggling mightily with his guilt, as misplaced as it was. Although, I somehow doubt that things are resolved with Fergus that easily. Time will tell. But he is a fortunate man to have such a loving and forgiving woman as Marsali by his side. Let’s hope he doesn’t blow it…again.
Time to Move On?
It was nice of Claire to fix Tom Christie’s hand so he could resume the beating to his daughter Malva that he couldn’t administer before. I would hope that beatings were not the only reason he agreed to have his hand repaired. Perhaps, he also planned on being a book critic so he could warn good folks from the “filth” of The History of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. I’m not so sure that it might be better in the long run for Tom and his clan to leave for someplace else. The only problem that might cause is the interference of the possible attraction between Ian and Malva. They look like a cute couple. If nothing else, he might tell Malva about what happened between his Mohawk wife and himself. The mystery still awaits to be cleared.
So, we are one step closer to the beginning of the American Revolution. Will the guns supplied to the Cherokee put them on opposite sides with Jamie? Time will tell. Outlander can be seen on Starz with a new episode released on Sunday Night at 9:00pm EST.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
