WiC Watches: Outlander season 5

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 508: “Famous Last Words”

First things first, Outlander fans: ROGER IS ALIVE! I mean, we saw that coming, didn’t we? There was simply no way that the series was going to take away two major characters from us in one episode. When the body presumed to be Roger was taken down, not only did we learn that it was certainly him, but that he was still breathing.

It was a bitter sight for sore, crying eyes, and it pointed the episode down the path it would take. Our dear Roger survived this incident, but he can’t get the terror out of his mind. Flashbacks to the moments before and during his hanging play out like a silent film. It’s a unique way to display Roger’s thoughts, and perfected executed.

You see, the hanging caused Roger to lose his voice temporarily. And so Outlander did what it does best: use this new turn of events to its advantage and tell the story in an unexpected manner. I loved the approach they took to get us inside of Roger’s head. It was jarring, disturbing, and explains why he’s so reluctant to even try speaking.

While Roger contemplates the meaning of life after his near-death experience, the Frasers welcome back a family member we haven’t seen in a long time: Ian! If you’ll recall, Ian stayed back with the Mohawk tribe last season.

Now he’s returned, and at first we’re not sure why. Did he go rogue and run away? Did they allow him to leave? One thing becomes clear pretty quickly: Ian won’t be going back and he’s pretty darn bummed about it.

I guessed early on in the episode that Ian’s predicament most certainly had to do with the matters of the heart, especially since he was so sad when asked if he would go back. It seemed like he may have been asked to leave.

This matter is cleared up quickly after Roger and Ian go out surveying together. Both of these characters are struggling mentally and emotionally. I’m heartbroken over how Roger is feeling, especially because he seems dangerously close to contemplating if life is worth living.

It’s the image of Brianna that jerks Roger back to reality and reminds him he has so much to live for. I’m not the biggest Roger fan around, but I do empathize with his struggles. The dude is from another time and has found himself making a life in a world he never expected, all for the sake of love. That’s pretty romantic, don’t you think?

As far as Ian goes, he lost his wife. Outlander is all about love and pain, and even a secondary character like Ian experiences these emotions intensely.

I’m happy to report that we get Roger back by the end of the episode. However, he’s not the same man he once was. The hanging was a turning point for him, and it seems like all his priorities have shifted. He knows what he wants, and he knows what matters: Brianna and Jem.

Of course, this episode also follows up on the death of Murtagh. I wanted to save this as the final thing I’d talk about, because, well, it’s Murtagh. It was such a tough loss and I think the Outlander fandom is still trying to process.

Also processing are Jocasta and Jamie. It’s time to lay Murtagh to rest, and while Jocasta’s heavy involvement may seem awkward, I completely get it. It’s something she must do with Jamie at her side. Only with time will these wounds heal.

It was a beautiful episode of Outlander. I’m impressed with Richard Rankin’s performance this week as the conflicted, lost Roger, and I think we may be just barely scratching the surface of what he’s capable of.